Canada: Listeriosis investigation seeks
public comment
Source of
Article: http://www.manitobacooperator.ca/issues/ISArticle.asp?aid=1000328696&PC=FBC&issue=06042009 Staff 6/4/2009
2:42:00 AM The
government-commissioned Weatherill investigation on last summer's listeriosis
outbreak now wants to read the views of the general public. The
investigation, conducted by Sheila Weatherill, the former CEO of Edmonton's
Capital Health, has scheduled a period of "in-depth probing"
between mid-April and the end of June, after which Weatherill is to start
writing her report to federal Agriculture Minister Gerry Ritz by July 20. On
the investigation website, Weatherill has added a section titled "Listening to Canadians," in which the public
is encouraged to send comment by e-mail on a list of
questions as well as any "other input you feel is appropriate." Among
Weatherill's questions for the general public:
Weatherill's
investigation follows the outbreak of listeriosis that began last August
involving a specific listeria monocytogenes strain that sickened 57
people in seven provinces from B.C. to New Brunswick, including 41 people in
Ontario. The
strain was tracked to prepared deli meats from Maple Leaf Foods' Bartor Road
meat plant No. 97B in Toronto. Among
those 57 cases, as of April 17 this year, the listeria strain in question was
ruled to be the "underlying or contributing cause" in the deaths of
22 people, including 16 in Ontario alone. Maple
Leaf responded last summer by launching a major and well-publicized product
recall that crossed over into other food brands using product from the
facility. The Toronto plant was shut down Aug. 20 and has since been cleaned
and resumed production. In
an entry on its company food safety blog Wednesday, Maple Leaf said it's
"extremely supportive" of the "Listening to Canadians"
portion of the investigation and "welcomes the opportunity to learn more
through this effort." |
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