Food Agency to Review <I>Listeria</I> Outbreak

Opting not to wait for the prime minister's investigation of the deadly Listeria outbreak, the Canadian Food Inspection Agency has asked four outside experts to review its approach to food safety.

The four, who meet for the first time next month, will look not just at Listeria, but at food-borne hazards generally, said Dr. Brian Evans, CFIA's executive vice-president.

The agency, whose role is to safeguard Canada's food supply, was relatively low-profile during the summer's Listeria crisis in which at least 20 people died.

But the independent experts will be "free to speak as they will or wish to in terms of what they're recommending," Evans said.

Their mandate includes reviewing proposed changes to management of Listeria; boosting openness and public education on general food safety; comparing Canada to other countries; and examining the role of different agencies.

Carlton Gyles, editor of the Canadian Veterinary Journal and a member of the expert panel, warned food safety is "a very difficult problem."

Source: Calgary Sun