WASHINGTON – Sysco Seattle Inc. recalled roughly 16,800 lbs. of ground beef patties imported from Canada on concerns the patties may be contaminated with E. coli O157:H7, the US Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service announced March 24.

Items included in the recall are:

• 10 lb. boxes of PRIME RIB BEEF PATTIES 8 oz., with product code 55317, and production code 11 NO 22
• 10 lb. boxes of PRIME RIB BEEF PATTIES 71g, with product code 55391 and bearing a production code of 11 SE 01 or 12 JA 04

New Food Classics, Burlington, Ontario, contacted Sysco. FSIS said the agency was unaware that Sysco had been contacted and proceeded with a public health alert as a precautionary measure. Sysco Seattle imported the patties for distribution to restaurants in Arizona, Colorado, Texas and Washington State, according to FSIS.

A processing plant based in Saskatoon stopped operations after the Canadian Food Inspection Agency began investigating a complaint that someone had become sick after consuming the products made by New Food Classics. CFIA has been part of an ongoing investigation dating back to Feb. 18. Since then, CFIA has issued seven recall advisories for ground beef products manufactured by the company.

CFIA recently updated its list of recalled products which include:

• fresh ground beef that was originally produced for Five Guys Enterprises and was sold frozen; and
• Country Fried Style Breaded Beef Steak Chopped and Formed.