Health Hazard Update: Sixth List (Parts 1, 2 & 3) of Recalled Raw Beef Products

This is an update to my previous blogs:

• Recalled Raw Beef Products: Minister Gerry Ritz’s Statement & Fifth Recall List (Parts 1 & 2)

• Health Hazard Update: Fourth List of Recalled Raw Beef Products

• Health Hazard Update: Third List of Recalled Raw Beef Products

• Health Hazard Alert-Update: Second List (Parts 1 & 2) of Recalled Raw Beef Products

• Health Hazard Alert-Update: Various Raw Beef Products Recalled

• Health Hazard Alert: Various XL Foods (Est. 38) Beef Products Recalled

• Recalled Ground Beef Products: Ninth List & CFIA’s Statement on E. coli O157:H7 Investigation

• Health Hazard Update: Eighth List of Recalled Ground Beef Products & New Date of Sale

• Health Hazard Update: Seventh List of Recalled Ground Beef Products

• Health Hazard Update: Sixth List of Recalled Ground Beef Products & CFIA’s Investigation Summary

• Health Hazard Alert-Update: Fifth List of Recalled Ground Beef Products

• Health Hazard Alert-Update: Third & Fourth Lists of Ground Beef Products-Recalled

• Health Alert-Update: More Ground Beef Products Recalled

• Health Hazard Alert: Various Ground Beef Products Recalled

The Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) is warning the public, food service establishments, retailers, distributors and manufacturers, not to consume, serve, use, or sell certain beef products manufactured and sold by XL Foods Inc. (Est. 38 in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada) because the products may be contaminated with E. coli O157:H7 bacteria.

This is an update to several XL Foods ground beef recalls since Sept. 16, 2012.

Concerning the trace out from XL Foods Inc. to secondary and tertiary distributors, manufacturers and retailers, the Canadian Food Inspection Agency’s continued investigation produced the following results at the present time:

• The table/list of recalled raw beef products provided in the Health Hazard Alert issued on September 28, 2012 is now updated to include another list (divided in three parts) of additional raw beef products, which is given below in the Canadian Food Inspection Agency’s Public Advisory dated October 5, 2012

• Consumers who are unsure if they have affected products are advised to check with the store(s) where they were purchased or throw it out

Other info regarding the voluntary recall of the affected beef products is as follows:

• Whole muscle cuts were added to the list of previously recalled ground beef products

• The affected beef products are associated with the same XL Foods manufactured dates as the previously recalled ground beef products
  • CFIA has identified the affected XL Food manufacture dates as August 24, 27, 28, 29 and Sept 5, 2012

• This recall also includes unlabelled and/or unbranded beef products sold at retail stores not identified in the CFIA’s product list below, which may include small retailers, local meat markets and butcher shops, etc.

• Public health authorities have confirmed a number of illnesses linked to products from XL Foods Inc. or illnesses associated with the XL Foods Inc. food safety investigation:
  • For more information, please visit the Public Health Agency of Canada’s website  at www.phac.gc.ca:

  Province / Territory	Total confirmed cases
  Alberta	4
  Newfoundland and Labrador	1

• Recall Classification: Class 1
  • is a situation in which there is a reasonable probability that the use of, or exposure to, a violative product will cause serious adverse health consequences or death

• This voluntary recall is part of an ongoing food safety investigation:
  • The manufacturer, XL Foods Inc. (Edmonton, Alberta, Canada), and various retailers, processors and distributors are voluntarily recalling the affected products from the marketplace
  • The CFIA is working with the recalling firms and distributors to identify and verify all affected products
  • If additional affected products are confirmed, this table will be updated on the CFIA website

Food contaminated with E. coli O157:H7 may not look or smell spoiled:

• Consumption of food contaminated with these bacteria my cause serious and potentially life-threatening illnesses

• Please click here to read about the pathogen – E. coli O157:H7- and the E. coli O157:H7 Food Safety Facts.

Did you know?

• The Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) issues public advisories and email notifications for food recalls for all high-risk food recalls (mainly Class I) when the product is available for sale or could be in consumers’ homes

• All other recalls (Class II and III), and food products that are sold exclusively to restaurants, are posted on the CFIA’s Food Recall Report

• Email notifications are also available for all allergen recalls

• Food and consumer product recalls are also available at www.healthycanadians.gc.ca

Contact Info:

Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA)  at 1-800-442-2342 / TTY 1-800-465-7735 (8:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. Eastern time, Monday to Friday).

Canadian Food Inspection Agency

PUBLIC ADVISORY

Le texte français suit le texte anglais

Questions and Answers
Recall of Specific Products from XL Foods Inc. – Establishment 38, Brooks, Alberta

Please click on the following text to obtain:

• Summary of Events

• Information about the recall

• Information about Establishment 38 – XL Foods

• Information for consumers

***Please note that the format of the following CFIA’s Public Advisory (dated October 5, 2012) has been altered and adapted in order to fit the Public Advisory within our blogging space:

UPDATED HEALTH HAZARD ALERT

Various RAW BEEF Products May Contain E. coli O157:H7 Bacteria

OTTAWA, October 5, 2012 – The public warning issued on October 3, 2012 has been updated to include additional products. Previously identified products included in this recall can be found on the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) website at www.inspection.gc.ca/recalls.

The CFIA is warning the public, distributors and food service establishments not to consume, sell, or serve the beef products described below because the products may be contaminated with E. coli O157:H7.

The affected products are associated with the same XL Foods manufacturing dates of August 24, 27, 28, 29 and September 5, 2012, as the previously recalled ground beef products. The trace out from XL to secondary and tertiary distributors, manufacturers and retailers could result in a large number of affected products over a wide range of codes and dates.

This recall also includes unlabelled and/or unbranded beef products sold at retail stores not identified in the CFIA’s product list below, which may include small retailers, local meat markets and butcher shops, etc. Therefore, the CFIA is advising consumers who are unsure if they have the affected beef products in their homes to check with the store(s) where the products were purchased or throw them out.

The following products, made from beef voluntarily recalled by XL Foods (Est. 38), are affected by this alert:

• Please click here to see Part 1 of the list of recalled raw beef products

• Parts 2 and 3 of the list of recalled raw beef products are given as follows:

Walmart has been informed by their supplier of the following additions of affected codes and/or corrections (identified by an asterisk *) in respect of recalled products originally identified in earlier health hazard alerts:

Loblaw Companies Limited (Loblaw) has informed the CFIA of a correction to the UPC (identified by an asterisk *) of the following product, which had been identified in an earlier health hazard alert:

The CFIA is advising consumers who are unsure if they have the affected beef in their home to check with the store(s) where the product was purchased or throw it out.

Public health authorities have confirmed a number of illnesses linked to products from XL Foods Inc. or illnesses associated with the XL Foods Inc. food safety investigation. For more information, visit the Public Health Agency of Canada’s website at www.phac.gc.ca

This voluntary recall is part of an ongoing food safety investigation. The CFIA is working with the recalling firms and distributors to identify and verify all affected products.  If additional affected products are confirmed, this table will be updated on the CFIA website. To stay informed of product updates throughout the investigation, consumers are also encouraged to subscribe to CFIA food recalls and allergy alerts at www.foodsafety.gc.ca.

Food contaminated with E. coli O157:H7 may not look or smell spoiled.  Consumption of food contaminated with these bacteria my cause serious and potentially life-threatening illnesses.  Symptoms include severe abdominal pain and bloody diarrhoea.  Some people may have seizures or strokes and some may need blood transfusions and kidney dialysis.  Others may live with permanent kidney damage.  In severe cases of illness, people may die.

The manufacturer, XL Foods Inc., Edmonton, Alberta and various retailers, processors and distributors are voluntarily recalling the affected products from the marketplace.  The CFIA is monitoring the effectiveness of the recall.

For more information, consumers and industry can call the CFIA at 1-800-442-2342 / TTY 1-800-465-7735 (8:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. Eastern time, Monday to Friday).

For information on E. coli O157:H7, visit the Food Facts web page at: http://www.inspection.gc.ca/english/fssa/concen/cause/ecolie.shtml

For information on all food recalls, visit the CFIA‘s Food Recall Report at: http://active.inspection.gc.ca/eng/corp/recarapp_dbe.asp.

To find out more about receiving recalls by e-mail, and other food safety facts, visit: www.foodsafety.gc.ca. Food and consumer product recalls are also available at http://www.healthycanadians.gc.ca.