WASHINGTON –The US Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) issued a health alert to food service establishments and consumers regarding raw, boneless beef trim imported from Canada that may be contaminated with E. coli O157:H7.

On Sept. 3, FSIS tests confirmed the presence of E. coli 157:H7 in beef trim product manufactured by XL Foods, Edmonton, Alberta. The agency notified the Canadian Food Inspection Agency of the test results and after follow-up testing by both agencies CFIA announced a voluntary recall by XL Foods. Since Sept. 16, XL Foods has recalled a variety of ground beef products on concerns over E. coli O157:H7 contamination. CFIA has since broadened the scope of the recall to include additional products.

The products subject to the Canadian recall were distributed to US establishments in California, Michigan, Nebraska, Oregon, Texas, Utah, Washington and Wisconsin. FSIS said the beef trim products may have been further processed into various products, such as ground beef, ground beef patties, beef jerky and pastrami.

FSIS said XL Foods notified its customers, including the US establishments that beef trim associated with the recall was shipped to them. The agency also said it is working quickly to perform effectiveness checks to confirm that all trim received at FSIS-inspected establishments from XL Foods, either received a full lethality treatment or that no raw trim was further distributed and manufactured into other product.

Also, for products that may have been further distributed and manufactured into other products, FSIS said investigators are working to confirm that steps are taken to remove the affected product from commerce.