OTTAWA, July 14, 2010 – The Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) and Canada Safeway Limited are warning the public not to serve or consume various store-made and Signature Café brand salads described below because these products may be contaminated with E. coli O157:H7.
This recall is being initiated as these salads may contain a ready-to-eat romaine-based salad recalled by Fresh Express Incorporated, California, United States. There have been no reported illnesses associated with the consumption of these salads.
TThe following romaine-based salads with Best Before dates of July 14 and 15 are affected by this alert:
These products were made and sold at Safeway stores in Alberta, British Columbia, Manitoba, Ontario and Saskatchewan.
Food contaminated with E. coli O157:H7 may not look or smell spoiled. Consumption of food contaminated with these bacteria my cause serious and potentially life-threatening illnesses. Symptoms include severe abdominal pain and bloody diarrhea. Some people may have seizures or strokes and some may need blood transfusions and kidney dialysis. Others may live with permanent kidney damage. In severe cases of illness, people may die.
Canada Safeway Limited, Calgary, Alberta, is voluntarily recalling the affected product from the marketplace. The CFIA is monitoring the effectiveness of the recall.
For more information, consumers and industry can call the CFIA at 1-800-442-2342 / TTY 1-800-465-7735 (8:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. Eastern time, Monday to Friday).
For information on E. coli O157:H7, visit the Food Facts web page at: http://www.inspection.gc.ca/english/fssa/concen/cause/ecolie.shtml
For information on all food recalls, visit the CFIA’s Food Recall Report at: http://active.inspection.gc.ca/eng/corp/recarapp_dbe.asp.
To find out more about receiving recalls by e-mail, and other food safety facts, visit: www.foodsafety.gc.ca. Food and consumer product recalls are also available at http://www.healthycanadians.gc.ca.
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Media enquiries:
CFIA Media Relations
613-773-6600
