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Ten Tons Of Hamburger Recalled In France, As Children Are Hospitalized With E. Coli

Defrosted hamburger appears to be the latest source of  E. coli infections
Defrosted hamburger appears to be the latest source of E. coli infections

Seven children have been hospitalized in France with E. coli infections after eating meat that manufacturer SEB said came from Germany, Belgium and Holland and slaughtered and processed in France. The children, the youngest of whom is 20 months old, had eaten defrosted hamburgers.

A spokesman for the Regional Health Agency (ARS) in Lille, northern France, where six of the children were hospitalized on Wednesday, said: 'they are in a serious but not worrying state. Their lives are not at all in danger.' A seventh child was taken to hospital on Thursday, authorities said.

The 'Steak Country' burgers were bought in French branches of German supermarket Lidl. SEB said it had recalled 10 tons of the burgers and Lidl said it had removed them from its shelves in France.

Health authorities said the infection was a rare strain of the E. coli bacteria and was not linked to the similar outbreak in Germany.

This program aired on June 16, 2011. The audio for this program is not available.

Headshot of Rachel Zimmerman

Rachel Zimmerman Reporter
Rachel Zimmerman previously reported on health and the intersection of health and business for WBUR. She is working on a memoir about rebuilding her family after her husband’s suicide. 

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