HOLY CRAP! Listeriosis found at SAME Maple Leaf plant....again!

[winner2000]

Wowwwwwweeee...can't believe this. Luckily no new product was sold in the market, but honestly, they just need to blow up that plant and start over again. Unacceptable.

* * *


Listeriosis bacteria found at Toronto plant

BILL CURRY

From Thursday's Globe and Mail

October 8, 2008 at 11:37 PM EDT

OTTAWA — Four new positive tests for listeriosis have been confirmed in samples of meat at the Maple Leaf plant at the centre of the outbreak that has left 20 Canadians dead.

The plant was allowed to reopen on Sept. 17, but no product has so far been allowed to enter the market.

Late Wednesday, federal officials from the Prime Minister's Office, the Privy Council Office and the Canadian Food Inspection Agency met to discuss the new findings that the bacteria is still present in the plant.

Since the plant resumed production, there have been 2,700 product samples and four positive test results for Listeria monocytogenes.
A Maple Leaf Foods worker clad in protective clothing refills cleaner bottles while spraying down equipment on one of the suspect food processing lines at the facility in Toronto.

Paul Mayers, associate vice-president of the CFIA, confirmed the results in a telephone interview with The Globe and Mail.

“We've just received results related to these four positives,” said Mr. Mayers. “The plant is operating. The product isn't reaching the marketplace.

“We will, with Health Canada, conduct an assessment to assess what these findings might mean in terms of the ongoing activities in the plant and whether any additional measures would be necessary in relation to product from that plant. Of course, that assessment has not yet been conducted.”

He said CFIA and Health Canada will now do a full assessment and evaluation of the positive findings.

Mr. Mayers confirmed that the CFIA informed both the Privy Council Office and the Prime Minister's Office about the positive findings and said both agencies are regularly in the loop on new developments related to listeria.

The findings, which were posted last night on the CFIA's website following inquiries from The Globe, come as the public service is under orders not to create waves during the federal election campaign.

Bob Kingston, president of the Agriculture Union representing CFIA inspectors, said he was “flabbergasted” by the positive tests, given the scrutiny the plant is under. “It's mind-boggling. They're cleaning up their place with the whole world watching and they still don't get it right?”

The union leader said the findings underscore his organization's campaign to block efforts to transfer certain food safety responsibilities to industry.

Linda Smith, a spokesperson for Maple Leaf, was reached Wednesday evening. She did not comment immediately and said she would call back, however that call had yet to come at deadline.

The most recent government announcement related to listeriosis was a recall issued Tuesday by CFIA, warning the public not to eat certain Dunn's Famous brand Smoked Meat pouches that were distributed to Costco in Quebec, Ottawa and the Atlantic Provinces.

To date, there have been 20 deaths where listeriosis was the underlying or contributing cause, another three deaths where listeriosis was present and a further six deaths in Ontario that are still under investigation.

The latest development comes as the outbreak has already become an issue in the federal election campaign. Agriculture Minister Gerry Ritz was forced to apologize earlier in the campaign for joking about the issue during an internal government conference call. In that call, Mr. Ritz reportedly said the government was suffering a death by a thousand cuts, “or should I say cold cuts.”

Since the outbreak began, there have also been numerous media reports based on government documents either leaked to the media or obtained through access to information requests showing concern had been expressed internally about the quality of food safety in Canada.

On Sept. 6, Prime Minister Stephen Harper announced an independent investigation into the outbreak of listeria, which traced back to a Maple Leaf meat plant in Toronto. The government has yet to name the head of the probe, but has released terms of reference.

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servl.../National/home

[Bazooka Joe]

This is quite common with listeriosis and was anticipated. Which is why the products have not been released to market and testing is ongoing.

We're not talking about ebola here... Unfortunately though, the court of public opinion will likely force closure of the plant.

On the plus side, I should be able to buy some more cheap maple leaf products in the near future

[takethat200210]

I haven't had any kind of cold cut since the outbreak. I've grown used to not having cold cuts. Usually, I have it at least 3 - 4 times a week.

[Setz]

This is quite common with listeriosis and was anticipated. Which is why the products have not been released to market and testing is ongoing.

We're not talking about ebola here... Unfortunately though, the court of public opinion will likely force closure of the plant.

On the plus side, I should be able to buy some more cheap maple leaf products in the near future

That's disgusting. Why would you eat their products after listeriosis was found not once, but twice?

[Dash]

HAHAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHA. Those poor bastards.

[jnfr]

lol did anyone see that commercial that the Maple Leafs president made a couple of weeks ago about measures taken to contain the bacteria?

[rfdrfd]

This obviously means the slicing machine wasn't the only machine that is spreading it.

Hope they really did Root Cause and Corrective Action (RCCA) there. They need to look at all equipment and cleaning procedures in where all meat will contact (ie. hopper, slicer, etc)

[jory29]

a spokesperson for Maple Leaf, was reached Wednesday evening. She did not comment immediately and said she would call back, however that call had yet to come at deadline.

This is all so disturbing. Both the listeria incidents, as well as the lack of communication from ML.

I haven't purchased any more cold cuts meats after the first incident, [but was still buying Maple Leaf top dogs and making sure to cook them very well.]

However, after this incident, I won't be trusting ML any time soon. If ever. ML may be cooking something in their kitchens, but I think it's their own goose.

[Blunt]

Listeriosis is much more common than people think.
They found literiosis in 2/3 of hospitals.

It probably was always there.
Now they are just looking harder to find it.

[Bazooka Joe]

That's disgusting. Why would you eat their products after listeriosis was found not once, but twice?

The reason I'll eat their products is precisely because they found listeriosis. It is a very, very hard thing to get rid of, and largely not harmful to the general population. It is clear that they are spending a lot of time and resources on this subject and I feel confident that they will not allow any product to market that would even be close to questionable. I would expect that maple leaf foods is one of the safest companies to purchase from at this exact moment.

On top of that, I'm buying food that will be frozen for long periods of time (kills listeriosis) and then cooked (kills listeriosis). This food is being purchased dirt cheap (I filled my freezer right after the last incident).

Listeriosis is much more common than people think.
They found literiosis in 2/3 of hospitals.

It probably was always there.
Now they are just looking harder to find it.

Exactly. The flu kills thousands every year, but if you had an employee with the flu at a food packaging plant would it be reasonable to boycott their products ad infinitum?

[vladislav]

a spokesperson for Maple Leaf, was reached Wednesday evening. She did not comment immediately and said she would call back, however that call had yet to come at deadline.

This is all so disturbing. Both the listeria incidents, as well as the lack of communication from ML.

I haven't purchased any more cold cuts meats after the first incident, [but was still buying Maple Leaf top dogs and making sure to cook them very well.]

However, after this incident, I won't be trusting ML any time soon. If ever. ML may be cooking something in their kitchens, but I think it's their own goose.

Are you kidding me? Lack of communication? They did more than pretty much any other company in history when it came to this. Listeriosis is not as uncommon as you think, you and me would not even notice it if we ate those meats. This time they found it and stopped it before releasing the food, what more do you want??? Just because ML finds these things and publicizes them doesn't mean that when you switch to different meat you won't be eating listeriosis. If anything you will be oblivious to the fact because nobody does as much inspection.

Why do people buy into this mass craze? Why not think for a second??? it's so simple.

[ephemera]

I feel bad for Maple Leaf Foods but I am never buying their products again.

[George W. Bush]

I have told you that this will show up again!

Some members have said, that it would be safe to start eating crap/processed food again!

I said, STOP - go and eat quality meats from European stores and STOP buying cheap, processed "meats"

It is NOT SAFE!

[JordanN]

There goes another week of no quiznos or giggling tomatoes.

[danns]

vegan ftw