Quebec’s agriculture ministry is warning the public not to eat lean ground beef sold at a St-Léonard grocery store due to possible E. coli contamination.
MAPAQ issued the warning Monday in collaboration with the City of Montreal’s food inspection division and Marché Atlas, located at 4265 Jean-Talon St. East.
The recall affects packages of lean ground beef (“bœuf haché maigre”) of various weights with a packaging date of July 8, 2026. The product was sold refrigerated on that date only, exclusively at the Saint-Léonard location, in a polystyrene tray covered with plastic wrap.
The meat may be contaminated with E. coli. Anyone who has the product at home is advised not to eat it.
Thorough cooking destroys the bacteria, including in dishes with longer cooking times such as spaghetti sauce, shepherd’s pie or tourtière.
However, cross-contamination remains a risk. Carefully wash surfaces, utensils and hands after handling raw meat to avoid transferring the bacteria to other foods.
Food contaminated with E. coli may look and smell fine, but eating it can cause serious and potentially fatal illness. Symptoms include diarrhea and abdominal pain, often accompanied by bloody stools, and typically appear two to 10 days after eating a contaminated product. Nausea, vomiting and fever may also occur. Anyone experiencing these symptoms should see a doctor immediately. Most symptoms resolve within five to 10 days.
No illnesses linked to the product have been reported to the MAPAQ so far.
