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Meat recall

E. coli has been detected in frozen hamburgers that have been sold in Dawson City over the past month.

E. coli has been detected in frozen hamburgers that have been sold in Dawson City over the past month.

The bacteria was found in Sunny Dawn frozen beef patties, bearing Julian date 143-07, sold at the Bonanza Market after May 23, 2007.

“If customers have this product in their freezer the main thing is not to consume it,” said food safety recall specialist Davendra Sharma, who works with the Canadian Food Inspection Agency in Ottawa.

“Beyond that, they can return it to the store or dispose of the product.”

There have been five reported illnesses associated with these products and two others listed on the same advisory that were sold across Western Canada.

Food contaminated with E .coli bacteria can cause stomach cramps, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea and fever.

Symptoms can hit soon after eating contaminated food, but may stick around for more than a month.

In some cases the illness can be serious and life-threatening.

The affected products are distributed by the Canada Safeway Group, which is voluntarily recalling all of the products.

Fresh ground beef sold at Safeway and some independent stores in BC and Alberta between May 24 and June 5, and Butcher’s Cut frozen ground beef patties bearing UPC code 58200 21604 sold on or after May 24 were also affected by the recall.

There are 11 to 13 million cases of food-borne illness in Canada each year.

Safeway representatives did not return calls before press time.