AHS expands pork recall due to fears of E. coli bacteria

Products were sold at five retailers

EDMONTON Alberta Health Services is expanding a pork recall after an E. coli outbreak sickened 37 people — including 11 patients who were hospitalized and one who likely died from the bacteria.

Officials say certain additional pork products sold by K & K Foodliner are being recalled due to possible contamination.

The products were made using meat distributed by The Meat Shot at Pine Haven, which was subject to a recall warning by the Canadian Food Inspection Agency on April 24.

Alberta Health Services says the warning includes raw and ready-to-eat pork products sold and distributed at The Meat Shop between Feb. 19 and April 28.

It has added certain pork products sold by: K & K Foodliner between March 2 and April 13; Irvings Farm Fresh between Feb. 21 and April 25; Acme Meat Market between Feb. 19 and April 26; H & A Food Sales and Services between Feb. 19 and April 26; and Real Deal Meats between Feb. 19 and April 25.

Sliced pork belly sold by Rimbey Foods Ltd. between Feb. 19 and April 27, some pork sausage products sold by Fuge Fine Meat with best-before dates between May 3 and May 26, and some pork schnitzel products sold by K & K Foodliner with packedon dates between Feb. 21 and April 13 have also been added to the recall.

Alberta Health Services says there is a link between the E. coli cases and meat from the businesses.

It warns eating these products is a health risk.

Both agencies say people should throw the meat away or return it to the store where it was purchased for a refund.

E. coli O157:H7 infections are generally caused when a person eats food or drinks water that is contaminated with human or animal feces, or through direct contact with a person who is sick or with animals that carry the bacteria.

Symptoms can include bloody diarrhea, nausea, vomiting, stomach cramps and kidney failure.