The Canadian Food Inspection Agency has expanded its health hazard alert on certain products from a Toronto beef processor to include more products sold nationwide.
The initial alert and recall last week from Belmont Meats included only certain eight-packs of “Super 8” burgers sold at retail under the Sobeys house brand, Compliments, citing possible contamination with E. coli O157:H7.
CFIA on Wednesday expanded the O157:H7 alert to include:
- 4.54-kg packs of President’s Choice Thick + Juicy beef burgers (UPC code 0 60383 37167 8, best-before date Feb. 25, 2014), sold nationally through Loblaws’ chains of stores;
- 1.02-kg packs of burgers under the Webers Bucket of Burgers brand (UPC 6 27843 06456 5, best before May 11, 2014), which “may be” distributed nationally; and
- 1.36-kg packs of eight Compliments Super 6 beef burgers (UPC 0 55742 34129 4, best before May 27, 2014), sold in Ontario at Sobeys, Sobeys Urban, Foodland, Freshco and Price Chopper.
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CFIA reiterated there may be further recalls of additional products or best-before dates as the investigation at the Belmont plant continues.
While six cases of illness in Ontario were linked last week to the first product recalled, CFIA noted Wednesday there have been no reported illnesses connected to the products now added to the alert.
The onsets of the six cases of illness in Ontario were between Aug. 16 and Sept. 15, the provincial health ministry said last week. Nova Scotia reiterated Wednesday it has seen no confirmed or suspected cases of illness related to the beef in question, and that the Webers burgers were not sold in the province.
Food contaminated with O157:H7 may not look or smell spoiled, CFIA said. Nova Scotia public health officer Dr. David Strang last week advised consumers who have the specific product in their fridges or freezers to throw it out.
Among people sickened by O157:H7, symptoms can range in severity from abdominal pain and bloody diarrhea through to permanent kidney damage or death. — AGCanada.com Network
Related story:
Illnesses spur Toronto beef plant’s burger recall, Oct. 3, 2013
