And it appears that the meat was contaminated with E. coli
0157:H7 in much the same way that Listeria monocytogenes contaminated processed
meats at the Maple Leaf Foods Inc. plant in Toronto, leading to the death of 23
people.
“It was all preventable,” concludes an independent review of
the 2012 XL Foods Inc. beef recall, in which 1,800 products were removed from
the Canadian and U.S. markets and 18 consumers were sickened.
The XL Foods Inc. plant in Brooks, Alta., accounted for 35
per cent of Canada’s beef processing, and the independent panel led by three
doctors found long-standing problems with cleanliness and proper inspection
practices.
They report the root cause of the problem was likely an
animal that was heavily contaminated with E. coli-157:H7.
“As the contaminated carcass moved through the plant, the
bacteria became lodged in or on a piece of equipment within the establishment,”
the report states. “It seems likely that sanitation was inadequate.”
XL is also faulted for failing to practice what to do in the
event of a major recall, and its staff failed to ensure equipment was regularly
and properly cleaned.
Canadian Food Inspection Agency workers at the plant failed
to notice the problems.
These and many other issues persisted four years after the
government promised sweeping food-safety reforms in response to the 2008
listeria bacteria contamination at Maple Leaf Foods that took the lives of 23
Canadians and led to serious illness in 57 others who ate tainted meat
products.
In a report released on Wednesday, the independent panel
said it found “a relaxed attitude toward applying mandatory procedures” at the
Brooks plant, where company staff work with government inspectors.
“It was a series of inadequate responses by two key players
in the food-safety continuum that played the most critical part leading to the
September, 2012, event at XL Foods Inc. – plant and CFIA staff.
“We found that responsibilities towards food-safety programs
were not always met – by both plant staff and CFIA officials on site,” the
report states.
