OTTAWA, Oct 9, 2008 (UPI via COMTEX) -- A Toronto meat processing plant closed
for sanitizing after a deadly listeriosis outbreak produced four new
contaminated samples, federal officials said.
The Maple Leaf plant was closed in August after being identified as the source
of the bacteria that killed 20 Canadians and was stripped down and sanitized. It
reopened Sept. 17, although none of its products have been going to market but
rather to federal inspectors, the Globe and Mail reported Thursday from Ottawa.
Paul Mayers, associate vice president of the Canadian Food Inspection Agency,
told the Globe in a telephone interview 2,700 product samples have been provided
to the CFIA since the plant reopened for testing purposes only.
"We've just received results related to these four positives," Mayers said. "The
plant is operating. The product isn't reaching the marketplace."
Bob Kingston, president of the Agriculture Union that represents CFIA
inspectors, told the newspaper it was "mind-boggling" there could be more
positive listeriosis results from the plant.
"They're cleaning up their place with the whole world watching and they still
don't get it right?" he said.
There was no immediate response from Maple Leaf, the newspaper said.
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