The Public Health Agency of Canada (PHAC) announced on December 24 that 23 people have been infected with food poisoning caused by E. coli O26, which has been linked to recalled Pillsbury brand Pizza Pops, and five have been hospitalized.
Cases were reported between early October and late November 2025 and are spread across seven provinces. PHAC believes the actual number of cases is higher.
On December 21, the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) recalled several pepperoni and bacon flavor Pizza Pops due to suspected E. coli O26 contamination. Because bacteria cannot be killed in frozen foods, it has been pointed out that contamination during the manufacturing process may have been distributed nationwide.
The recall includes Pizza Pops Pepperoni + Bacon (30 pizza snacks), Pepperoni + Bacon (8 pizza snacks), Supremo Extreme Pepperoni + Bacon (30 pizza snacks), and FRANK’s RedHot Pepperoni + Bacon (4 pizza snacks), all of which have a best-by date of June 2026.
Eating food contaminated with E. Coli O26 can make people sick, even if it looks or smells the same. Symptoms include nausea, vomiting, mild to severe abdominal cramps, and watery to bloody diarrhea. In severe cases, the bacteria can cause convulsions, stroke, the need for blood transfusions or kidney dialysis, permanent kidney damage, and even death.
Authorities are urging people to seek medical advice if they become ill after eating the recalled products, to check their freezers to see if any of the affected products are in their refrigerators, not to eat, sell, distribute or use the affected products, and to discard or return any of the affected products to the store where they were purchased if they have them.