Alberta Canada Health Services has confirmed that another case of E. coli has been found in the province. Health authorities do not know if this latest case is linked to the recent XL Foods beef recalls and warnings. This is the ninth case of E. coli reported in the province; one in central Alberta, four in the Calgary area, and four in the Edmonton area. Health officials say that the Edmonton Costco steaks eaten by four people who are now sick with E. coli poisoning were processed at an XL Foods plant in Brooks. The steaks were possibly contaminated during a tenderizing process done at Costco.
FSIS has reason to believe, based on information provided by the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA), that beef from cattle slaughtered during the period associated with the recall was produced under insanitary conditions that resulted in a high event period (a period when the trim from carcasses exhibited an unusually high frequency of positive findings for the possible presence of E. coli O157:H7). Therefore, all products that are non-intact, such as trim and ground beef subject to the recall, as well as all cuts of beef that will be processed into non-intact product, are considered adulterated.
The following grocery stores in the United States have initiated recalls – Albertson’s, Food4Less, FoodsCo., Fred Meyers, Jay C, Kroger, Safeway, Sam’s Club and Walmart.