Posted: June 15th, 2011 - 9:47pm by Doug Powell

At least five children were hospitalized for food poisoning of a rare type of E. coli in France. At least 4 of them had eaten frozen hamburgers sold by Lidl stores.

The serotype is not the same as in the German outbreak, according to authorities.

The 5 children are aged from 20 months to 8 years and one of them was hospitalized this weekend in a pediatric unit. All five victims had serious bloody diarrhea and suffering from hemolytic uremic syndrome, explained Dr. Joëlle Perrin, medical advisor in the regional health agency.

Health authorities have identified that four of the five children ate frozen beef burgers from the Steaks Country brand sold in Lidl stores.