Closed Maple Leaf Plant Cleared to Resume Shipping

TORONTO — Maple Leaf Foods’ meat-processing plant in North York was cleared by the Canadian Food Inspection Agency and Health Canada to resume shipping products possibly next week, according to an Oct. 20 company announcement and Canadian media reports.

The plant closed in late August due to a Listeria outbreak linked to the plant that so far allegedly resulted in 20 deaths and 200 ready-to-eat products being subject to a national recall. To date, the outbreak is estimated to have cost the company $20 million, Canadian media accounts claim.

"The C.F.I.A. and Health Canada have completed an extensive scientific evaluation of recent test results at the Bartor Road plant and the ongoing effectiveness of Maple Leaf’s listeria monitoring and control measures. [They] are satisfied that, with the exception of production from one line, products from the Bartor Road facility are safe for consumption and can be released for distribution," said a Maple Leaf Foods statement

Source: MeatPoultry.com