Documents obtained via Access to Information reveal that
Loblaws failed to notify the Canadian Food Inspection Agency that it had problems with imported organic baby foods earlier this year.
The CFIA only became aware of the health risks after a
mother in Hamilton complained that her four-year-old became sick after eating
the product that was watery and didn’t smell right.
Loblaws issued its internal – but not public - recall on
Jan. 13, sending it to all of its many stores – eg. Loblaws, No Frills,
Superstores – across Canada. It did not inform the CFIA.
It wasn’t until Feb. 2 that the CFIA kicked into action on
the basis of the consumer complaint and by evening Feb. 3 issued a national
recall alerting customers to the possible presence of harmful bacteria in the President's Choice products.
The heavily-censored documents indicate the products were
imported, but the name and location of the supplier are censored in from
most documents.
One e-mail amongst dozens censors the name of the supplier, but provides the address as 10119 Old Valley Pike in Mount Jackson,
Virginia. That is the address for Andros Foods – North America.
The internet says “Andros is a family
owned and run private company, headquartered in the southwest countryside of
France, known as a global leader in fruit processing, frozen desserts, dairy
and confectionery.
“Andros currently owns and operates
more than 25 factories worldwide including a U.S. fruit processing factory in
Mt. Jackson, Virginia.”
The CFIA lab test results are censored, but what it clear is
that the supplier erred in filling some pouches with wash water used to clear
lines between processing of different ingredients.
Despite the consumer complaint, the CFIA said in its website
recall and health alert that there had been no reports of illnesses linked to
the recall.
There is a document dated Dec. 2, 2016, that is identified
as complaint number 17.
The documentation reveals that despite the Loblaws recall
initiated Jan. 13 and the CFIA recall initiated Feb. 3, there were more
illnesses reported into the summer, prompting another and much more extensive
CFIA recall on Aug. 2.
Some of the consumer complaints were for baby foods
purchased at Shoppers Drug Mart stores which are also owned by Loblaws.
The documents also indicate that a baby in Nova Scotia
became seriously ill after eating one of the products. The mother reported that
it was mouldy.
There was one case that was misdiagnosed as Clostridium
botulinum. It was, in fact, Botulinum dificile.
Right up to the August 2 recall, the CFIA identified the
potential food-poisoning risk as Clostridium botulinum.
There is some sloppy bookwork. For example, there are at
least a couple of documents with dates in October, 2017.
