Tainted meat list grows
August 30, 2008
Comments on this story
(9)
Paola Loriggio
STAFF REPORTER
In light of the rapidly growing national recall of deli meats that saw another 50 products added to its list yesterday and had parents of summer campers on high alert, health officials say the public should be concerned, but not afraid.
A series of subs, wraps and party trays that were made with recalled meats and sold in Sobeys and Foodland stores in Atlantic Canada were added yesterday to the Canadian Food Inspection Agency's list, along with turkey sandwiches sold at Loblaws, Loblaw Superstore and Real Canadian Superstore in Ontario, and a slew of products at grocery stores in Quebec, British Columbia, Alberta, Manitoba and Saskatchewan.
Late Thursday, the agency and Toronto's White House Meats recalled Maple Leaf roast turkey.
The products made with possibly tainted meats were removed from store shelves when Maple Leaf issued the recall earlier this month, said Jackie Crichton, director of food safety and environmental affairs for the Canadian Council of Grocery Distributors, which includes Loblaws and Sobeys.
Yesterday's notice aimed to warn customers who may have bought the products before the recall, she said.
In an ad published in today's Star (page A8), Maple Leaf Foods president Michael McCain said "it is our expectation that all recalled products have now been removed from store shelves," adding company employees have "contacted every direct retail and food service customer across Canada to ensure they quickly removed all recalled products from their stores."
Adding to consumers' fears was the news that children at two YMCA camps in Kitchener-Waterloo may have eaten sandwich meat included in the recall, though camp officials say none of the campers suffered from listeriosis.
While people should be vigilant and take care to handle food safely, for the majority, the risk of listeriosis is minor, says Dr. Vinita Dubey, associate medical officer of health for Toronto Public Health.
"It's important for individuals to remember that the risk for adults is low," said the doctor, part of the team investigating listeriosis cases in Toronto. "Even if they did consume meat that was recalled, they would very likely recover."
Federal health officials say 29 cases of listeriosis have been confirmed nationwide, with another 36 under investigation. The outbreak has led to nine deaths – eight in Ontario, one in B.C. – and tests will prove whether it caused six others.
The listeria bacteria mostly affect pregnant women, the elderly, and those with weakened immune systems, Dubey said. Parents always worry about their children, but most kids will fare as well as adults, she said. Only newborns are particularly at risk.
That's good news for more than 1,500 families whose kids may have eaten recalled meats this summer at camp. Parents received an email from YMCA officials Wednesday warning them two camps – Camp Belwood and Camp Wabanaki – bought and served two kinds of recalled meat this summer. Some parents have since called the organization with concerns that their kids showed flu-like symptoms, which can be a sign of listeriosis, said spokesperson James Howe. But no cases of the disease have been confirmed, he said.
So far, the bug hasn't affected any children in Ontario, said Mark Nesbitt, spokesperson for the Ontario Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care. "All confirmed cases were in long-term care facilities or hospitals."
With files from The Canadian Press
Toronto Star
Featured Sponsored Listings