The Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) announced the national recall of certain Pillsbury brand Pizza Pops from restaurants, hotels, institutions, and grocery stores.
Concerns about microbial contamination from E. coli 026 led the CFIA to voluntarily withdraw four flavors of the snack in varying amounts, according to a Dec. 21 government alert.
The recall is applicable to 30-piece Pizza Pops Pepperoni + Bacon, 30-piece Pizza Pops Supremo Extreme Pepperoni + Bacon, 8-piece Pizza Pops Pepperoni + Bacon, and 4-piece Pizza Pops FRANK's RedHot Pepperoni + Bacon.
“Food safety is our top priority at General Mills, and out of an abundance of caution, we are voluntarily recalling select Pillsbury Pizza Pops products sold in Canada due to possible contamination with E. coli,” company leaders told NTD in an email.
Pizza Pops are a top-selling frozen snack consisting of cheese, sauce, pepperoni, or bacon inside a dough crust. General Mills company leaders asked consumers to discard or return the recalled food items for a full refund.
E. coli 026, also known as Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli (STEC), is described on the National Institutes of Health website as a food-borne pathogen that can cause diarrhea, hemorrhagic colitis (HC), and hemolytic-uremic syndrome (HUS), a kidney vessel blockage disorder.
Food contaminated with E. coli O26 may not look or smell spoiled, but can still make you sick, according to the CFIA.
“This recall was triggered by findings by the Canadian Food Inspection Agency during its investigation into a foodborne illness outbreak,” the CFIA said. “There have been reported illnesses associated with the consumption of these products.”
E. coli symptoms can include nausea, vomiting, mild to severe abdominal cramps, and watery to bloody diarrhea. In severe cases of illness, people may die, and others may have seizures or strokes, need blood transfusions and kidney dialysis, or live with permanent kidney damage, according to the Public Health Agency of Canada.
Pillsbury was acquired by General Mills in 2001 and, according to the company's website, owns the majority of the Pillsbury brand, which is a wholly owned General Mills subsidiary.
Risky Broccoli
Earlier this month, the CFIA announced the regional recall of 907-gram packages of broccoli florets.Fresh Taste Produce Ltd. voluntarily withdrew the vegetables due to concerns about potential Salmonella contamination, according to a government alert.
The recall applies to plastic packages of broccoli florets with a Nov. 26, 2025, best buy date, and were distributed in New Brunswick, Newfoundland and Labrador, Nova Scotia, Ontario, Prince Edward Island, and Quebec.