Risk of E. coli prompts Fraser Health to warn about beef sold in Fraser Valley

CHILLIWACK, B.C. – British Columbians are being warned to steer clear of a batch of raw beef from a Fraser Valley butcher shop.

The Fraser Health authority says raw lean and extra-lean ground beef prepared and sold between March 5 and 8 at Fraser Valley Meats in Chillwack, B.C., may be contaminated with E. coli.

No illnesses have been reported, and the company has issued a voluntary recall.

Medical health officer Dr. Andrea Larder says the products were prepared using methods that meet food-safety standards.

The authority says ground beef should be thoroughly cooked to kill any potentially disease-causing bacteria.

E. coli can cause serious food poisoning, including bloody diarrhea and even kidney failure.