TORONTO — Loblaws has recalled two frozen-beef products due to possible contamination from E. coli bacteria. The affected products are Butcher’s Choice hickory barbecue beef burgers with best-before dates of Feb. 1 and Feb. 10. Butcher’s Choice garlic-peppercorn beef burgers with a best-before date of Mar. 3 were recalled earlier.
The affected food products were produced by Brampton, Ont.-based Cardinal Meat Specialist Ltd. Brent Cator, president and owner of the company told F&H Magazine, “the recall is focused on Butcher’s Choice products with Loblaws and is based on Health Canada and Canadian Food Inspection Agency sampling and investigation. Consumer concern led to intensive testing on these items.”
Cator, who is in charge of the 75-year old family run business, says at this point, the recall is limited to the Butcher’s Choice items sold at Loblaws. He also noted that “E. coli is a natural and randomly occurring pathogen, and no corrective actions have been proposed for Cardinal by the CFIA.”
Recently, Alta.-based XL Foods Inc. experienced a plant closure due to food contamination. The plant resumed operations in late October.
Meanwhile, a story in the Calgary Herald suggests two out of every five Canadians say they reduced their beef consumption in the wake of the XL Foods recall. The Internet survey found 42 per cent of consumers were eating less beef or had removed the protein from their diet entirely, when asked whether concerns about E. coli contamination had affected their consumption.
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