A butcher wraps Ground Alberta beef at Bon Ton Meat Market in Calgary, Alberta, October 3, 2012. Bon Ton stated it was not effected by the recent E.Coli outbreak as they get their meat from select smaller producers. E. coli, a strain of which can cause si
IN PHOTO: A butcher wraps Ground Alberta beef at Bon Ton Meat Market in Calgary, Alberta, October 3, 2012. Bon Ton stated it was not effected by the recent E.Coli outbreak as they get their meat from select smaller producers. E. coli, a strain of which can cause sickness or even death, is widely present in meat-processing plants, and regulators require packers to control the bacteria within certain levels. E.coli can be killed by thoroughly cooking meat. Reuters/Todd Korol

Federal health officials in Canada have ordered food giant Cargill to remove its packages of ground beef from groceries and supermarkets over concerns of E.coli.

The particular meat product is the Your Fresh Market brand name, manufactured by Cargill Inc. The affected batch was sold at Walmart stores in Alberta, British Columbia, Manitoba and Saskatchewan.

According to Connie Tamoto, Cargill spokeswoman, E. coli O157 bacteria was found in a random sample of ground beef that was packaged at a Calgary case-ready facility on Nov 19. It has yet to be determined from which particular slaughterhouse the beef had come from. Metro News said Cargill, based in Winnipeg, has two processing plants in Canada, one in High River, Alta. and the other in Guelph, Ont.

The Canadian Food Inspection Agency has yet to receive complaints and illnesses, but has nonetheless started an investigation. It advised people to throw out or return packages to the store where they were bought.

The agency warned people that food contaminated with E. coli O157 bacteria may not look or smell spoiled but can still make someone sick. Symptoms of infection include nausea, vomiting, mild to severe abdominal cramps and watery to bloody diarrhea. In severe cases of illness, some people may experience seizures or strokes. Some may require blood transfusions and kidney dialysis or live with permanent kidney damage. In more severe cases of illness, people may die.

The product recalls affect the extra lean ground beef sirloin, extra lean ground beef, medium ground beef and lean ground beef sold in 475-gram, 900-gram and 1.6-kilogram packages. All carry a best-before date of either Nov 28 or 29.

The recall covers 31,000 pounds (about 14,000 kilograms, or 14 tonnes) of beef packaged at the Calgary case-ready facility.

The specifics of the recalled meat products:

Brand Name

Common Name

Size

Code(s) on Product

UPC

Your Fresh Market

Extra Lean Ground Beef Sirloin

475 g

Best Before 2014.NO.28

6 05388 18363 7

Your Fresh Market

Extra Lean Ground Beef

475 g

Best Before 2014.NO.28

6 05388 18369 9

Your Fresh Market

Medium Ground Beef

475 g

Best Before 2014.NO.28

6 05388 18365 1

Your Fresh Market

Lean Ground Beef

475 g

Best Before 2014.NO.28 and 2014.NO.29

6 05388 18376 7

Your Fresh Market

Extra Lean Ground Beef

900 g

Best Before 2014.NO.28

6 05388 18372 9

Your Fresh Market

Lean Ground Beef

900 g

Best Before 2014.NO.28

6 05388 18378 1

Your Fresh Market

Lean Ground Beef

1.6 kg

Best Before 2014.NO.28 and 2014.NO.29

6 05388 18379 8