health authorities warn of possible e. coli bacteria in ground beef sold at marché atlas in st-léonard
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consumers are asked not to eat lean ground product with the packaging date july 8 sold by marché atlas in st-lêonard.
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quebec food inspection authorities advise the public to not consume lean ground beef from marché atlas in st-léonard, warning it may contain shiga toxin-producing e. coli bacteria.in an announcement from the quebec’s ministry of agriculture, fisheries and food (mapaq) in collaboration with the city of montreal's food inspection division and marché atlas, they say the product in question is labelled “bœuf haché maigre” with the packaging date listed as july 8.“the product subject to this warning was offered for sale on july 8, 2026 and only at the establishment indicated above. it was packaged in a polystyrene tray covered with plastic film. it was sold refrigerated,” the announcement says. “anyone in possession of this product is advised not to consume it.”no cases of illness associated with this product have been reported to mapaq to date.mapaq notes in its announcement that properly cooking meat destroys e. coli bacteria in all cases. “preparing cooked dishes, such as spaghetti sauce, shepherd's pie or meat pie, requires a fairly long cooking time and a sufficiently high temperature to destroy the bacteria. however, it is essential to avoid cross-contamination. after handling raw meat, surfaces and utensils must be cleaned, and hands must be washed thoroughly to prevent the transfer of bacteria to ready-to-eat foods,” the announcement says.food contaminated with shiga toxin-producing e. coli bacteria may not show any visible signs of spoilage or have a suspicious odour, but consuming it can cause serious or even fatal illness, the health authority notes. symptoms include diarrhea and abdominal pain, often accompanied by blood in stool. these symptoms usually appear two to 10 days after consuming contaminated food. nausea, vomiting and sometimes fever may also occur. most symptoms disappear within five to 10 days. it is strongly recommended to seek medical help immediately if these symptoms appear, the food inspection authority says.
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