In an article titled "Eateries fear ugly backlash: E. coli in hamburger," Chris Kitching of the Winnipeg Sun reports that a Winnipeg burger joints that unknowingly sold E. coli-contaminated beef from an outside source are worried the publicity will turn people away from their food.
Mrs. Mike’s, Dairi-Wip Drive-In on Marion Street, and VJ’s Drive-In on Main Street get their ground beef from Dutch Meat Market, a butcher shop that was also cleared during inspections. Owners of the meat store believe the source of the bad beef may be traced to one of its suppliers — a Manitoba slaughterhouse or Alberta farm.
Dutch Meat Market was cited in the outbreak because it’s a common link in the chain. Twenty-four food-poisoning cases in August are related to the store or burger joints.
There have been 65 E. coli infections in Winnipeg this year. Two people — a senior over 65 and a child under 15 — remain in intensive care. Many became sick after handling or eating infected meat from several stores and restaurants in the city, according to Winnipeg Regional Health Authority officials.