CTVNEWS

Maple Leaf recalls meat products after outbreak

The Canadian Press Published Wednesday, August 20, 2008 6:10PM EDT Last Updated Friday, May 18, 2012 8:51PM EDT

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A nationwide outbreak of listeriosis has killed one person and sickened at least 16 others, officials confirmed Wednesday as one of Canada's largest meat packers temporarily shut down a Toronto plant and recalled nearly two dozen packaged, ready-to-eat meat products.

Maple Leaf Foods (TSX:MFI) is shutting down the plant for several days as part of a precautionary $2-million recall of prepared-meat products that health officials are investigating as the possible source of potentially deadly listeria bacteria.

The bulk of the confirmed cases were in Ontario -- one death and 12 people ill, with an additional 16 probable or suspected cases, said Dr. David Williams, the province's chief medical officer of health.

The remaining four cases were outside Ontario -- two in B.C., one in Saskatchewan and one in Quebec. By late Wednesday, health inspectors in all four provinces were working with Health Canada and the Canadian Food Inspection Agency to confirm the source of the outbreak.

Little information was immediately known about the fatality.

"The death is, in fact, related to the outbreak -- we've just had that confirmed," said Mark Nesbitt, spokesman with Ontario's Health Ministry.

"I don't have any personal specs about the death at all."

Maple Leaf spokeswoman Linda Smith said the company is taking all the necessary precautionary steps, including shutting down the plant, providing additional food safety training for employees and ensuring the public is aware of the situation.

"This is a company that has a culture of food safety," Smith said.

"We're taking appropriate, broad, comprehensive and definitive action as it relates to this facility. This involves people -- we want people to understand there's a recall, we want people to have that information."

CFIA spokesman Garfield Balsom said he couldn't say how long it will take to establish any possible links between Maple Leaf products and the bacteria:

"To predict when you're going to complete an investigation is practically impossible," he said.

"With the tomato issue in the United States, it went on for three or four months."

A statement from the CFIA said some of the meat products, which are distributed to nursing homes, restaurants and deli counters across the country -- including McDonald's and Mr. Sub -- had tested positive for listeria bacteria.

Consumption of food tainted with listeria can lead to high fever, severe headache, neck stiffness and nausea. The illness is a particular danger to pregnant women and their unborn children, the elderly and people with weakened immune systems, cancer, diabetes, kidney disease or AIDS.

"I strongly advise the public, especially those at high risk for listeriosis ... to make sure they avoid consuming these products," Williams said in a statement.

"I have also asked all public health units to advise emergency rooms in their jurisdictions to be on alert for cases. All suspect and confirmed cases of listeriosis must be reported immediately to local public health units and in turn to the ministry within one business day of notification of report."

Maple Leaf is recalling all products prepared at the plant since June 2 and shutting down the plant through the weekend for a comprehensive sanitization, Smith said. Employees are also to receive additional food safety training, and the two production lines in question are to be dismantled, she added.

On Sunday, the meat packer said it had discovered listeria in Sure Slice roast beef and corned beef produced at the Toronto facility and issued a recall on those products.

Some 23 products, including a variety of turkey, smoked meat and roast beef products, have been recalled.

Brand names for some of the recalled products include Schneiders, Sure Slice, Deli Gourmet and Burns Bites. A complete list of affected products is available on both the Maple Leaf Foods website and that of the Canadian Food Inspection Agency.

The 23 products involved in the expanded recall carry an establishment number of 97B and have best-before dates ranging from Sept. 30 to Jan. 1, 2009.

Balsom said the CFIA first became aware of possible problems when it was notified of a listeriosis outbreak on Aug. 6 by a particular health unit; subsequent investigation led them to Maple Leaf's Toronto facility, he said.

McDonald's Canada said Wednesday it was temporarily removing its turkey BLT sandwich from its menu as a "precautionary measure" -- the only item on the restaurant chain's menu that is affected.

"We apologize for any inconvenience this may cause, but food safety and quality at McDonald's will not be compromised," the company said in a release.

"We are closely monitoring the situation and are taking guidance from the Canadian Food Inspection Agency."

The complete list of affected products, including individual product codes and best-before dates, is as follows:

26365, Sliced Cooked Turkey Breast, 470 grams, Sept. 30;

02106, Schneiders Bavarian Smokies, 1 kilogram, Oct. 28;

02126, Schneiders Cheddar Smokies, 1 kilogram, Oct. 28;

21333, Sure Slice Roast Beef, 1 kilogram, Sept. 30;

21388, Sure Slice Combo Pack, 1 kilogram, Sept. 30;

60243, Deli Gourmet Roast Beef slices, 1 kilogram, Sept. 30;

02356, Seasoned Cooked Roast Beef, 500 grams, Oct. 7;

42706, Roast Beef, Seasoned and Cooked, 500 grams, Oct. 7;

21334, Sure Slice Turkey Breast Roast, 1 kilogram, Oct. 14;

21444, Sure Slice Corned Beef, 1 kilogram, Oct. 14;