E. coli Prompts Ground Beef Recall in Canada

OTTAWAThe Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) is warning consumers, distributors and foodservice establishments not to consume, sell or serve the ground beef products made by Edmonton-based XL Foods, Inc., because the products may be contaminated with E. coli O157:H7.

XL Foods and various retailers, processors and distributors are recalling meats were sold in various configurations, including beef patties, bulk ground beef, meatloaf, sliders and meatballs sold under the brand names Calahoo Meats, Kirkland Signature, Safeway and Walmart.

Earlier this year, Canada was hit with a massive recall of frozen beef products manufactured by the now-defunct New Food Classics of Burlington, Ontario, because they may have been contaminated with E. coli O157:H7. The recall, originally announced in February, included 135 different beef products distributed under various brand names, including Best Value, Irresistibles, Keg, Maple Lodge Farms, PC and PC Blue Menu, Calgary Stampede, Country Morning Gold, Western Family and Grillhouse.

In July 2012, Cargill Meat Solutions recalled 29,339 pounds of fresh ground beef products that may have been contaminated with Salmonella Enteritidis after USDAs Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) linked the beef to a multistate outbreak of Salmonella Enteritidis in seven states.