The Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) has confirmed that the illnesses reported in Ontario and Alberta are linked to Butcher's Choice burgers, which were recalled over E. coli O157:H7 risk.
The burgers were produced by Cardinal Meat Specialists and were recalled between 12 December and 15 December 2012. An analysis by the CFIA revealed that on one production day, the recalled burgers had the same E. coli O157:H7 genetic fingerprint as the reported illnesses.
CFIA noted that the burgers were produced at Cardinal Meat Specialists processing facility that uses ingredients from a range of suppliers. The agency is also assessing the ingredients used in the recalled burgers through three lines of inquiry such as spices, domestic beef ingredients and imported beef ingredients.
The imported beef ingredients are from Australia and New Zealand, and the Agency is following up with these countries to review testing information and determine if any potentially linked illnesses have been reported. If the CFIA's investigation identifies potentially contaminated ingredients, additional products may be recalled.