TORONTO - Products from the Maple Leaf Foods plant at the centre of a listeriosis outbreak have been approved to be distributed to the public.
The food producer shut down a meat processing plant in Toronto on Aug. 20 after Listeria contamination was detected and linked to the outbreak.
The plant underwent an intensive sanitization, and production resumed on Sept. 17.
Maple Leaf (TSX:MFI) says since then, 60 product samples have been taken daily from each production line.
It's part of a "rigorous, precautionary testing and product hold program," the Canadian Food Inspection Agency said in a statement.
The increased inspection activity "will be further reviewed and adjusted over time," the statement said.
More Listeria monocytogenes was found at the plant Oct. 8, but Health Canada and the Canadian Food Inspection Agency have now deemed product from the facility safe for consumption.
The tainted product was limited to one production line, and the CFIA says that line is still not producing food acceptable for public consumption.
"The affected production line will not be permitted to operate until appropriate corrective action has been taken by the facility and its effective implementation has been demonstrated to the standards established by the CFIA," the agency statement said.
The CFIA and Health Canada have developed a process for resuming product distribution. Each production run from the facility will continue to be held until confirmed negative for Listeria contamination.
