sfain@wyomingnews.com

CHEYENNE - A now-closed Canadian beef company was the source of contaminated meat that sickened 45 people in eight states, U.S. Department of Agriculture officials say.

One of those states was Wyoming. A recall pulled the meat from shelves in Cheyenne in late September and early October.

A joint U.S. and Canadian investigation identified the source by matching the DNA fingerprint of E. coli O157:H7 to a sample still in storage with Rancher's Beef Ltd. of Balzac, Alberta.

It also matches samples taken from Topps Meat Co. frozen hamburger packages at the homes of food poisoning victims.

E. coli normally lives in the intestines of animals and can get into the meat by improper processing.

Health experts say the E. coli O157:H7 strain is particularly harmful since it produces a powerful toxin that can cause kidney failure and death in children or seniors.

Common symptoms include bloody diarrhea, nausea, vomiting, chills, fever, muscle aches and fatigue.

USDA investigators said Rancher's Beef Ltd. supplied the Topps Meat Company with the tainted beef used to make the patties.

Federal officials have de-listed the company so no product from the firm is eligible to come into the U.S.

The Topps Company was based in Elizabeth, N.J. It closed its doors just days after recalling more than 21 million pounds of frozen hamburger patties on Sept. 29.

The recall was the second-largest meat recall in U.S. history.

The enormous recall and illnesses prompted federal officials to make improvements in how it inspects meat plants.

The USDA has announced additional changes, such as expanded testing and testing of imported meat at the border. The agency also notified foreign countries of the new policies and program to protect the public.

"We have certain food safety standards that we expect or demand, whether domestic or import," said J.O. Reagan of the National Cattlemen's Beef Association. "The Topps frozen hamburger recall isn't really about foreign food imports as much as it is about food safety.

"Both of those companies are now out of business. Basically neither one of (them) was meeting the expectation or regulations we have in place for safe products."

The organization is also discussing the use of country of origin labeling to help with consumer awareness.

As of Monday, the Rancher's Beef Ltd. Web site was still up and running.

It includes a list of the company's core values: the best people produce the best quality; we don't do anything that we couldn't tell our mothers about; and we succeed when our valued customers succeed.

The company is now for sale.