DEADLY BACTERIA STRIKE CANADIANS Introduction
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DEADLY BACTERIA STRIKE CANADIANS Introduction Food-borne illnesses are by no means contaminated with the bacteria. And Focus unusual. According to the World Health the largest food recall in United States A recent outbreak of listeriosis, one of Organization (www.who.int), up to 30 history took place in 2002, when many food-borne per cent of the population of developed Wampler Foods was forced to recall 27 illnesses, has killed countries suffers from a food- or water- million pounds of deli meats after an 20 Canadians and borne illness every year. outbreak of listeriosis was caused by been responsible for In 2008, for example, a massive some of its products. The cost to the the serious illness of outbreak of salmonellosis severely company was $85-million. at least 60 others. sickened over 900 people in 40 different This News in Review story looks at the states in the U.S. The ultimate source The Food-safety Issue causes and results of of the infection was never identified. In An outbreak on the scale of the recent that outbreak and China, more than 54 000 infants were Listeria infection—20 people dead and the response of both made ill by drinking formula that had at least another 60 seriously ill—tends public health agencies been laced with melamine. (Melamine to raise questions about food safety in and Maple Leaf Foods, is used by unscrupulous manufacturers Canada. The federal government was one of the industry’s to raise the apparent protein level of major players. swift in its attempts to assure Canadians adulterated milk.) that everything was under control. Not even our pets are safe. In 2007, a According to the health minister, as we Update company in Mississauga, Ontario, was shall see in the video portion of this As this issue of News forced to recall 95 brands of dog and cat review, “… while this situation is, of in Review was being food, fearing they contained rat poison course, tragic, it is important to note completed, new from a Chinese-supplied wheat gluten that this is an example of where our revelations appeared that had been used in their manufacture. about the scale of the surveillance system worked.” Listeria outbreak and Several pets died after eating the food, As the crisis developed, however, the fact that Toronto and the recall turned into one of the others were quick to differ. Opposition Health authorities largest food recalls in North American parties claimed that the government had had clear knowledge history. plans to turn more of the responsibility that Maple Leaf meat for monitoring food safety over to the products were highly The Threat of Listeriosis food processors themselves, and that it contaminated well before the official As food-borne illnesses go, however, was already implementing these plans. alert. As well, recent listeriosis, caused by the Listeria The union representing food-safety tests suggest that the monocytogenes bacterium is fairly inspectors claimed that its members contamination is still a unusual. In all of Canada there are were overworked and unable to properly problem at the Maple usually only about 60 identified cases in perform their jobs. It was also revealed Leaf processing plant. any given year. But when listeriosis does that the United States has tougher rules To stay informed strike, the results can be devastating. It for preventing Listeria—rules that about this tragic and continuing story, is a disease that is especially hard on the Canada tried to get the United States to consider a visit to very young and the very old. waive for the inspection of Canadian www.cbc.ca. In 1981, coleslaw infected with products bound for U.S. markets. Listeria sickened 48 people in the Observers also questioned the amount Maritime provinces. Twelve of them of time it had taken to identify the size died; almost all were infants. In 1985, and severity of the outbreak and its 48 people in Los Angeles—most of likely source. The first case of listeriosis them babies—died after eating cheese was identified in June; it was August 17 CBC News in Review • October 2008 • Page 18 before the public was informed that it Maple Leaf Foods anticipates that the Further Research should avoid some of the products from recall will cost the company about $20- The Maple Leaf action plan is available at Maple Leaf Foods. Foods made with its million. It also faces a series of class- www.mapleleafaction. processed meats were still being recalled action lawsuits that have already been com. in September. filed on behalf of Canadians infected by Listeria in Maple Leaf products. Maple Leaf Foods But the company’s quick action in The organization that has received the acknowledging its role has led many most positive press during the listeriosis observers to conclude that the company outbreak is, oddly enough, the company will survive the crisis and that Canadians responsible for the contamination: will continue to buy its products. Maple Leaf Foods. Under the leadership The incubation period for Listeria is of Michael McCain, its president, the up to 70 days. This period has passed, company quickly acknowledged fault, so the last cases of listeriosis caused by apologized publicly, and promised contaminated Maple Leaf products have to do everything it could to prevent probably already been reported. The future problems. It issued a recall on all issue of food safety, however, will likely products that could possibly have been remain in the public eye for some time in contact with Listeria, closed the plant, to come. The government has promised and postponed its re-opening until the a review of the country’s food-safety source of the contamination had been system. That report is due in March identified and sterilized. The company 2009. also published an action plan it will follow to prevent future contamination. For Discussion In a small group, discuss and respond to the following questions: 1. Who should bear the biggest responsibility for ensuring that Canada’s food system is safe? Should individual corporations be responsible for most of the day-to-day inspection of processed foods? Or should the government take the lead in all food inspection matters? Is there a fair way to divide the responsibilities between the public and private sectors that will ensure that the system will function safely? 2. In what way, if any, was your family affected by the listeriosis outbreak? You may wish to return to this discussion after you watch the video. CBC News in Review • October 2008 • Page 19 DEADLY BACTERIA STRIKE CANADIANS Video Review Answer the questions in the spaces provided. 1. What happens to the Listeria bacterium when it is refrigerated? 2. When was the first case of Listeria infection diagnosed in Toronto? 3. What event indicated to Toronto Public Health that it was likely facing a major Listeria problem? 4. When did Canadian food inspectors first take samples at the Toronto Maple Leaf Foods plant? 5. When did Ontario finally alert public health agencies to the likelihood of a Listeria outbreak? 6. When was the general public first informed of the outbreak? 7. What statement did Health Minister Tony Clement make about the outbreak? 8. How does academic Sylvain Charlebois describe communication between the various levels of government on food safety issues? 9. Which individual accepted full responsibility for the outbreak of listeriosis? 10. The Canadian Food Inspection Agency held a recent internal review. What does Laurie Graham identify as “perhaps the most serious problem” it found? 11. What does Stephen Harper say the government is doing to promote food safety? 12. Which government minister was criticized for making jokes about the listeriosis outbreak? CBC News in Review • October 2008 • Page 20 For Discussion 1. In defending Gerry Ritz, Stephen Harper said: “I suspect everybody in this room, if they’re honest with themselves, will admit in private conversations they probably said things that were pretty insensitive and inappropriate if somebody shone a light on them.” Is this a sufficient response to Ritz’s indiscretion, or should he have been asked to resign as Minister of Agriculture? 2. Many commentators have been critical of the length of time between when health officials first suspected Maple Leaf Foods of being the source of the outbreak and the notification of the public to be on the alert. Do you believe that public health should have been quicker to inform the public of its suspicions, even without confirmation of the source of the infection? Why or why not? CBC News in Review • October 2008 • Page 21 DEADLY BACTERIA STRIKE CANADIANS The Crisis It was in late June 2008 that public CFIA informed Maple Leaf Foods that health officials identified the first case samples of roast beef and corned beef of an outbreak of food-borne illness in from two of its production lines tested Toronto. A 36-year-old pregnant woman positive for Listeria. The following was diagnosed with listeriosis, a bacterial day the company announced the recall infection caused by the bacterium of about 70 000 kilograms of meat Listeria monocytogenes (commonly produced under the Sure Slice name referred to just as Listeria). Listeriosis (mostly for institutional use). This was is potentially fatal and very dangerous, later expanded to a range of 20 ready-to- especially to pregnant women, young eat meat products—500 000 kilograms children, and the elderly. Because of this, in total. The Toronto plant was closed for all cases of listeriosis must be reported to inspection and cleaning. public health officials whenever they are As the CFIA alerted stores and fast- diagnosed. While it is not uncommon for food restaurants that they should pull 10 to 15 cases to be diagnosed in Ontario these products from their shelves, the in any given year, multiple cases in one Ontario Ministry of Health announced month are more unusual.