Public health alert issued for Canadian-imported ground beef patties

WASHINGTON, D.C. -- The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) is announcing a public health alert for ground beef patties imported from Canada because they may be contaminated with E. coli O157:H7 and may be associated with an illness in Canada.

The ground beef patties associated with a Canadian health alert may have been exported to the United States. There has been one reported illness associated with ground beef product produced by the same establishment in Canada.

Products imported to the United States include:

Imported products were produced by New Food Classics, CFIA Establishment 761 of Saskatoon, Ontario and were imported by Sysco Food Services to a distribution center in Blaine, Wash. for use by food service institutions.

FSIS has been unable to make contact with Sysco Food Services to discuss a recall of this product, so the agency is issuing a Public Health Alert to inform food service  operations and consumers. FSIS will continue to provide information as it becomes available, including information about any related recall.

E. coli O157:H7 is a potentially deadly bacterium that can cause bloody diarrhea, dehydration, and in the most severe cases, kidney failure. The very young, seniors and persons with weak immune systems are the most susceptible to foodborne illness.

FSIS advises all consumers to safely prepare their raw meat products, including fresh and frozen, and only consume ground beef that has been cooked to a temperature of 160° F. The only way to confirm that ground beef is cooked to a temperature high enough to kill harmful bacteria is to use a food thermometer that measures internal temperature.

Consumers with food safety questions can “Ask Karen,” the FSIS virtual representative available 24 hours a day at AskKaren.gov. The toll-free USDA Meat and Poultry Hotline 1-888-MPHotline (1-888-674-6854) is available in English and Spanish and can be reached from l0 a.m. to 4 p.m. (Eastern Time) Monday through Friday. Recorded food safety messages are available 24 hours a day.

CLICK HERE for more details on this public health alert via the USDA's website.