Friday, January 17, 2020

Quebec packer’s license cancelled


The Canadian Food Inspection Agency has cancelled the license of Usine Amsellem Inc. of Quebec.

On Dec. 4 the agency ordered a recall of dry beef sausage because of salmonella contamination.

On closer plant inspection, the agency found the company failed to report its finding of salmonella in a dry sausage product, and that prompted the cancellation of the company’s license.

That’s also what happened at Ryding-Regency of Toronto, the third-largest beef-packing plant in Ontario. 

Also in that case there was a recall for bacterial contamination and closer inspection revealed the company failed to report its finding of the bacteria during its own testing.

The closure of Ryding-Regency has left beef producers scrambling to find a home for their market-ready cattle. They have appealed to federal and provincial governments to help.

There have been reports that new owners may soon re-open that Toronto plant.