Canada has issued a warning about Beef Pet Food made by a British Columbia company because it may be contaminated with E. coli O157:H7.
The Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) and the Public Health Agency of Canada (PHAC) said people might become infected with the bacteria by handling the pet food directly or by contact with pets that have consumed the food.
The pet food contaminated with E. coli O157:H7 may not look or smell spoiled.
No illnesses have yet been associated with the pet food made by Surrey Meat Packers, Cloverdale, British Columbia.
The suspect product was sold frozen in 500g blocks assembled in 10-unit and 50-unit packages from Oct. 8 to 23, 2010 inclusively at the following locations:
- Surrey Meat Packers, 6050-176th Street, Cloverdale, BC.
- Jolly Meats and Fine Foods, 111 Charles Street, North Vancouver, BC.
There is no best-by date on the label.
Consumers who suspect they may have purchased the affected product are advised to check with stores where the product was purchased. The Beef Pet Food should be thrown out, the regulatory agencies said.
CFIA discovered the contamination during a safety investigation of beef trim used in the Beef Pet Food.
Canadian health officials are continuing their investigation.