More meat recalled in E.Coli alert

FIVE major French supermarket chains have withdrawn hamburgers and meatballs from sale following a second E.Coli food poisoning alert in a week.

The recall applies to 12 tonnes of refrigerated minced beef sold under a number of brand names: Maison Spanghero, Steaks Country and Bien Vu.

The affected batch carries a sell-by date between June 20 and 25 - meaning that in some cases the products will have already been eaten.

Manufacturer Maison Spanghero said it had detected the presence of E.Coli during routine internal checks.

Further test results are expected later today and there have been no more reported cases of poisoning yet.

The batch, which is sold in Leclerc, Intermarché, Lidl, U and Le Mutant, mostly in the south of France, has been withdrawn as a precautionary measure.

An information line has been set up for customers on 0800 000 158.

The recall comes a week after six children were hospitalised in Lille with food poisoning from Lidl frozen hamburgers. Four of them are still being treated.

Lidl recalled all of its frozen hamburgers, under the Steaks Country brand, from stores in the northern half of the country.

Food producers around France are remaining vigilant after an outbreak of E.Coli in Germany which killed 30 people earlier this month.

Related stories:
Six children ill in E.Coli outbreak