Canada's food watchdog says it will impose more stringent regulations that force food companies across the country to test their deli meats for Listeria.
As part of an ongoing joint investigation into food safety, the CBC and Toronto Star learned that the Canadian Food Inspection Agency has drafted new testing requirements in the wake of a deadly outbreak that killed at least 20 people and prompted the country's largest food recall.
CFIA spokesperson Marc Richard confirmed that new regulations will soon be introduced, although he didn't say when.
"There are proposals that have been drafted for discussion purposes, however there is nothing finalized and there is no set implementation date," Richard said.
Michael McCain, president of Maple Leaf and a member of one of the country's most famous food families, has been at the centre of Canada's worst contaminated meat outbreak.
Through his regular company e-mails to managers and an exclusive interview with the Toronto Star and CBC News, we get a fly-on-wall-perspective of the summer listeria crisis that claimed 20 lives and led to tough new food inspection rules.
"As with any important change, we draft a proposal and put it out for discussion.... The new listeria policy is the kind of thing we would consult with the new panel of food safety experts."
The proposed measures include two new tests that food plants would have to undergo. The first is for areas near production lines such as ceilings and floors, while the second would scrutinize surfaces that come in contact with meat, including countertops and slicing machines.
Source: CBC