OTTAWA — The Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) says a strain of E. coli linked to a brand of burger patties sold in Canada is different from the one that was found in the XL Foods plant and prompted a massive beef recall earlier this year.

Loblaws says it voluntarily removed packages of Butcher's Choice Hickory Barbecue and Garlic Peppercorn beef burgers this week after the CFIA said it was investigating a number of E. coli-related illnesses.

The food watchdog didn't share details about the number or severity of the cases.

The burgers were sold in 1.13-kg packages with a best-before date of March 3.

CFIA says more products may be added to the alert as it continues its testing of samples. It’s also looking at Cardinal Meat Specialist Ltd., the production plant where the burgers are made.

Dr. Gregory Taylor, deputy chief public officer for the Public Health Agency, said this strain of E. coli is unrelated to the XL food plant outbreak that sickened 16 people.

"It's a different bioprint," he said. "[They're] not linked."

The CFIA continues to investigate.