XL Foods Ground Beef E. coli 0157:H7 Recall Expands for a Fourth Time

The Canadian Food Inspection Service is recalling additional ground beef products produced by XL Foods because they  may contaminated with E. coli 0157:H7. The recall includes unlabeled and/or unbranded ground beef products that were sold from August 24 through September 16, 2012 at retail stores not included in the product list. Small retailers, local meat markets, and butcher shops may have stocked and sold the recalled products.

You can see the long list of products at the CFIA web site. The brands that are recalled this round include Metro and Safeway. Some of the products recalled include ground beef, meatloaf, burgers, sausage (including fully cooked summer sausage), meatballs, and beef patties.

E. coli 0157:H7 is a dangerous pathogen that can cause serious illness and death. If you are not sure if you have purchased one of these products, check with your retailer. If you still are not sure, throw it out. Food contaminated with E. coli 0157:H7 does not look, taste, or smell spoiled. Complications from an E. coli infection can include hemolytic uremic syndrome and permanent kidney damage.

While there have been no reported illnesses associated with the consumption of these products, five cases of E. coli food poisoning have been reported in Canada. The illnesses are not linked to the ground beef at this time.