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The Public Health Agency of Canada is reporting a fifth hospitalization from an E. coli outbreak linked to the recalled Pillsbury brand of Pizza Pops.
The federal agency says 23 people in seven provinces fell ill with the bacterial illness after eating or being exposed to certain frozen snack flavors between early October and late November.
Canadian Food Inspection Agency recalled several pepperoni and bacon pizzerias on Sunday due to E. coli contamination, which is under investigation.
The outbreak has already reached Alberta, Ontario, British Columbia, New Brunswick, Manitoba, Saskatchewan, Newfoundland and Labrador.
The health agency reports that for every case confirmed in a laboratory, there are approximately 32 more undetected cases in the community.
Symptoms of E. coli may include nausea, vomiting, headache, mild fever, severe stomach cramps, and watery or bloody diarrhea.
Most people recover fully within a few days without treatment, but those who are pregnant, under the age of five, over 60, or have a weakened immune system are at higher risk of severe illness.
The affected products are Pizza Pops Pepperoni + Bacon, Pizza Pops Supremo Extreme Pepperoni + Bacon and Pizza Pops FRANK's RedHot Pepperoni + Bacon, all of which have a best before date of June 2026.
Freezers and microwaves are not enough to kill bacteria
Lawrence Goodridge, professor and chair of foodborne pathogen dynamics research at the University of Guelph, says freezers stop bacteria from growing but don't kill them.
This means that if the product is cross-contaminated or unsanitary during production, the freezer will actually retain bacteria.
Goodridge said the reason the heat didn't kill the E. coli in this case is because microwaves don't heat the food equally and leave cold spots where the bacteria can survive.
Microwave ovens vary and their power weakens over time, meaning reheating a pizza on high for one minute is different for each person.
