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

Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA)
Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA)

This is an update to my previous blogs:

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:

  • Whole muscle cuts are added to the list of previously recalled ground beef products
    • These whole muscle cuts 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 notice is the result of a detailed investigation being conducted by CFIA into the production of beef products at XL Foods, with the company voluntarily recalling all beef products produced on days when risks were higher than normal
  • An initial list detailing the new products affected will be available from the company shortly
    • The trace out of affected products from XL may take some time because there are many secondary and tertiary distributors, manufacturers and retailers involved
    • Further investigation is underway to trace out the specific consumer products and brands that are affected
    • Consumers will be updated through a series of notices as soon as affected products are identified
  • Public Health Authorities are investigating several illnesses
  • Consumers who are unsure if they have affected products are advised to check with the store(s) where they were purchased

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

  • 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., 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

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

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.

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:

HEALTH HAZARD ALERT

Various XL Foods (Est. 38) Beef Products May Contain E. coli O157:H7 Bacteria

E. coli in Various Ground Beef Products
Main page | Related Alerts | List of Recalled Products | Questions and Answers

OTTAWA, September 28, 2012 – 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 (Est. 38) because the products may be contaminated with E. coli O157:H7. This is an update to several XL Foods ground beef recalls since Sept 16, 2012.

Whole muscle cuts are added to the list of previously recalled ground beef products. These whole muscle cuts are associated with the same XL Foods manufactured dates as the previously recalled ground beef products.

This notice is the result of a detailed investigation being conducted by CFIA into the production of beef products at XL Foods, with the company voluntarily recalling all beef products produced on days when risks were higher than normal.

An initial list detailing the new products affected will be available from the company shortly. The trace out of affected products from XL may take some time because there are many secondary and tertiary distributors, manufacturers and retailers involved. While CFIA has identified the affected XL Food manufacture dates as August 24, 27, 28, 29 and Sept 5, 2012, further investigation is underway to trace out the specific consumer products and brands that are affected. Consumers will be updated through a series of notices as soon as affected products are identified.

Public Health Authorities are investigating several illnesses.

Consumers who are unsure if they have affected products are advised to check with the store(s) where they were purchased.

This voluntary recall is part of an ongoing food safety investigation. 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 may 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., (Est. 38), Edmonton, Alberta and various processors, distributors and retailers 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.

Agence canadienne d’inspection des aliments

MISE EN GARDE PUBLIQUE

Questions et réponses
Rappel de certains produits de XL Foods Inc., établissement no 38, Brooks (Alberta)

DANGER POUR LA SANTÉ

Présence possible de la bactérie E. coli O157:H7 dans divers produits de boeuf en provenance de l’établissement 38, XL Foods

Divers produits de boeuf haché peuvent contenir la bactérie E. coli 0157:H7
Page principale | Alertes connexes | Liste des produits rappelés | Questions et réponses

OTTAWA, le 28 septembre 2012 – L’Agence canadienne d’inspection des aliments (ACIA) avise la population, les établissements de restauration, les détaillants, les distributeurs et les fabricants de ne pas consommer, servir, utiliser ou vendre certains produits de boeuf fabriqués et vendus par XL Foods (établissement 38), car ces produits pourraient être contaminés par la bactérie E. coli O157:H7. Le présent avis constitue une mise à jour des rappels de boeuf haché de la XL Foods effectués depuis le 16 septembre 2012.

Les pièces de viande entières s’ajoutent à la liste des produits de boeuf haché qui ont déjà fait l’objet d’un rappel. Ces pièces de viande entières ont été préparées au cours des mêmes jours de production que le boeuf haché faisant l’objet d’un rappel.

Une liste préliminaire des produits touchés sera fournie par l’entreprise sous peu. Le retraçage des produits visés peut prendre un certain temps puisque de nombreux distributeurs, fabricants et détaillants secondaires et tertiaires peuvent être impliqués. Les dates de fabrication en cause sont les 24, 27, 28 et 29 août, de même que le 5 septembre 2012, et l’enquête de l’ACIA se poursuit afin d’identifier tous les produits de consommation et les marques de commerce visés. Nous informerons les consommateurs par le biais de nouveaux avis dès que de nouveaux produits seront identifiés.

Les autorités de santé publique enquêtent présentement plusieurs cas de maladies.

Les consommateurs qui sont incertains s’ils ont des produits de boeuf visés par ce rappel sont priés de communiquer avec le détaillant où ils ont acheté leurs produits de boeuf.

Le présent rappel volontaire fait partie d’une enquête en cours sur la salubrité des aliments. Pour se tenir au courant des mises à jour tout au long de l’enquête, les consommateurs devraient également s’inscrire aux services d’avis sur les rappels d’aliments et les alertes à l’allergie de l’ACIA sur le site www.salubritedesaliments.gc.ca.

Les aliments contaminés par E. coli O157:H7 ne présentent pas nécessairement d’altération visible ni d’odeur suspecte. La consommation d’aliments contaminés par cette bactérie peut occasionner des maladies graves, parfois mortelles, qui se manifestent notamment par des douleurs abdominales intenses et de la diarrhée sanguine. Certaines personnes peuvent avoir des convulsions ou des accidents cérébrovasculaires, d’autres peuvent avoir besoin de transfusions sanguines et de dialyse. Dans certains cas, les dommages causés aux reins sont permanents. Dans les cas graves, la contamination par E. coli O157:H7 peut causer la mort.

Le fabricant, XL Foods Inc., (établissement 38), d’Edmonton (Alberta), et divers transformateurs, distributeurs et détaillants retirent volontairement du marché les produits touchés. L’ACIA surveille l’efficacité du rappel.

Pour de plus amples renseignements, les consommateurs et les gens de l’industrie peuvent appeler l’ACIA au 1-800-442-2342/ATS 1-800-465-7735 (du lundi au vendredi de 8 h à 20 h, heure de l’Est).

Pour plus d’information sur la bactérie E. coli O157:H7, consultez la page intitulée Faits sur la salubrité des aliments à l’adresse : http://www.inspection.gc.ca/francais/fssa/concen/cause/ecolif.shtml

Pour en savoir davantage sur les rappels d’aliments, consultez le rapport sur les rappels d’aliments de l’ACIA à l’adresse http://active.inspection.gc.ca/fra/corp/recarapp_dbf.asp.

Pour obtenir plus de renseignements sur la façon de recevoir les rappels par courrier électronique ou sur la salubrité des aliments, visitez notre site Web à l’adresse suivante : http://www.salubritedesaliments.gc.ca. Les rappels d’aliments et de produits de consommation sont aussi diffusés sur le site http://www.canadiensensante.gc.ca.

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