The Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) is currently warning the public to not consume, purchase or use certain  packaged beef in the wake of salmonella and E. coli outbreaks. The official public warning follows recent scares over listeria in dip products last year in Canada and Infectious Salmon Anaemia (ISA) among British Columbian salmon.

The beef products that are being currently recalled voluntarily by their respective companies are ‘Beef Burger Meat Mix 80/20′, the ‘No Name Club Pack Beef Steakettes’ and the ‘No Name Beef Burgers’.

Intercity Packers Ltd. is recalling its Beef Burger Meat Mix 80/20 as a result of ongoing salmonella investigations being carried out by the CFIA.

The product, which is sold in units of 5 kilograms, has been distributed throughout Newfoundland and Ontario under UPC 90066172180172.

Meanwhile, No Name’s No Name Club Pack Beef Steakettes and Beef Burgers under UPC 060383013219 & 060383373337, respectively, are also being recalled due to the possibility that the products are contaminated with E. coli.

Both salmonella and E. coli are largely undetectable by mere sight, smell or taste which is why both are considered life threatening especially E. coli which can spread easily.

Symptoms of salmonella include fever, diarrhea and abnormal cramps in the stomach area after several days of consuming contaminated material.

Symptoms of E. coli, which could take up to days to appear after consumption of contaminated material or infection, include abdominal cramping, diarrhea (which can be bloody) and strangely, most of the time, no fever.

Symptoms of E. coli can also not appear but still infect others.

(Cover Photo: Alex Gallardo/Reuters)