The massive Alberta ground beef / recall is being dubbed as the largest beef recall in Canadian history and it doesn’t look like it’s slowing down anytime soon. The list of recalled products keeps growing with each passing day and the E. coli case count in Canada is soaring this week.
While most of the illnesses are not confirmed to be linked with the beef recall (lab tests are pending but should be released in the next few days) the unusual spike in E. coli illnesses in Canada (particularly Alberta and Saskatchewan) has led many to believe that the contaminated beef is the cause.
Yesterday, (October 2, 2012) the Ministry of Health revealed that there were 13 reported cases of E. coli infection in Saskatchewan. Public health authorities cannot link the illnesses to the beef recall until test results come back however, they did note that the average number of cases for Saskatchewan this time of year is between zero and four.
Alberta health officials confirmed two new cases of E. coli in the province, bringing its total to 10.
XL Foods Inc. of Alberta, Canada is being investigated by officials and has had its license temporarily suspended until the investigation is complete.
To view a complete product list of recalled items, go to the Canadian Food Inspection Agency’s official website or, for those of you in the US, go to the FDA’s official website.
Source: National Post
