November 7, 2007 - Officials at the Thunder Bay District Health Unit are urging residents to check their freezers for locally purchased beef from an Alberta facility that may be connected to an E.coli outbreak.

While a continuing investigation by the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) has yet to confirm the link, the agency has issued a warning and the Thunder Bay District Health Unit is erring on the side of caution and asking residents to look for beef purchased at Renco Foods and Country Good Meats between July 27 and August 14 of this year. The specific cuts in question are:

Renco Foods – blade steak, boneless blade roast, cross-rib steak and roast, regular, medium and lean ground beef and lip-on rib-eye steak.

Country Good Meats – blade steak, boneless blade roast, extra lean and lean ground beef, pot roast, rib-eye roast and steak and stewing beef.

Anyone who finds one of these cuts of beef is advised to return the item back to where it was purchased.

E. coli is a common intestinal bacteria. Some strains can cause serious illness, particularly in  children, the elderly and those with weak immune systems. Symptoms of E. coli infection include stomach cramps, vomiting and diarrhea that may become bloody.  Severe disease can lead to kidney damage and in some cases, death.  Illness occurs within two to ten days of consuming contaminated food or drink.

More information can be found at the Government of Canada’s Healthy Canadians webpage at HealthyCanadians.ca. Or contact the Health Unit’s Environmental Health Program at 807-625-5930 with any concerns.