WASHINGTON - Whole Foods Market is recalling fresh ground beef sold this summer at stores in the United States and Canada.

The recalled meat was processed at a Nebraska Beef plant linked to an E. coli outbreak.

It might have been sold at Whole Foods Market stores in several U-S states and Canada between June 2nd and August 6th.

Whole Foods has four stores in the Vancouver area, and two in the Toronto area.

The Canadian Food Inspection Agency says it's monitoring the effectiveness of the recall.

The company has received reports that seven people in Massachusetts and two in Pennsylvania who shopped at Whole Foods Market became ill.

American health authorities say there have been 49 confirmed illnesses tied to the E. coli outbreak.

Nebraska Beef issued a second beef recall yesterday, raising the amount of meat affected altogether to nearly three (m) million kilograms.

Symptoms of E. coli infection include stomach cramps and diarrhea.