Chicken production continues to increase

The national agency for chicken is calling for more production increases heading into next year.

‘The demand for chicken in Canada has experienced healthy and moderate growth,” said the Ontario board in announcing production targets from mid-January to early May. 

“The long-term growth projection for chicken remains healthy and positive – chicken is expected to remain the fastest growing segment in the meat protein market,” the Chicken Farmers of Ontario marketing board said. 

Beginning in mid-January, the national production target increases by three per cent and Ontario’s by 3.5 per cent to 65.8 million kilograms.

From early March to early May, the production target increases by 2.5 per cent for Canada and by 2.9 per cent for Ontario.

                           

Tip Top Poultry spreads Listeria

Tip Top Poultry Inc. of Rockmart, Ga., has emerged as the source of frozen chicken that has prompted Canadian recalls by Sobeys and Longo’s supermarket chains.

In the United States, the recalls stretch across the country and overseas to Guam, an island in the Pacific Ocean.

The recalls have been ordered because the chicken may be contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes food-poisoning bacteria.

Sobeys recalled chicken salads and sandwiches and Longo’s has recalled gyros.

The recent recalls follow a number of other Canadian chicken-product recalls, such as Les Aliments Deli Chef products.

Today the Canadian Food Inspection Agency added Entrée Plus Foods, Farm Boy, Fresh Start Foods Ltd., Les Cuisines Roi Kitchens Ltd., Mr. Snack Inc., Red Table Foods, Save on Foods and Wile's Lake Farm Market & Bakery.

Sobeys, Longo’s recall chicken products

Sobeys supermarket chain is recalling salads and sandwiches containing chicken and Longo’s supermarket chain is recalling gyros that contain chicken.

In both cases, the recalls appear to be linked to frozen chicken that might be contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes food-poisoning bacteria.

The Canadian Food Inspection Agency has been announcing recalls daily as it tracks down the distribution of frozen chicken.

Meanwhile, the Canada Public Health Agency has added 14 cases of Listeria food poisoning linked the chicken, bringing the total to 110.

The cases go back more than a year and have been linked by DNA analyses.

DuBreton to concentrate on niche markets

Les Viandes du Breton, which buys significant quantities of hogs from Ontario farmers for its Quebec-based packing plants, has announced it will be reducing sales of commodity pork and will increase production for niche markets.

This involves meeting protocols for organic, animal welfare and antibiotic-free standards.

Beginning in February, Les Viandes du Breton will increase niche-market pork it processes at its Rivière-du-Loup from 80 to 90 per cent.

Currently a substantial amount of total production is commodity pork products intended for wholesale and export markets, which do not carry the duBreton brand name.

All of the niche-market products will be identified as duBreton.

Salmonella in poultry sickens 110 Canadians

The Public Health Agency of Canada issued a news release this week announcing that 110 Canadians have been sickened by the Reading strain of salmonella.

There have, however, been no product recalls issued by the Canadian Food Inspection Agency.

“Based on the investigation findings to date, exposure to raw turkey and raw chicken products has been identified as the likely source of the outbreak,” the Public Health Agency said, adding that outbreaks are continuing.

“Many of the individuals who became sick reported eating different types of turkey and chicken products before they fell ill,” the agency said.

There have been 26 people sickened in British Columbia,  36 in Alberta, 24 in Manitoba and seven in Ontario and one each in Quebec, the Northwest Territories and New Brunswick plus six in Nunavit.

Whole-genome sequencing linked all of these cases which showed up between April, 2017, and this August. 

Thirty-two people were treated in hospitals and one died.

The United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (U.S. CDC) previously investigated similar Salmonella illnesses in several states that were linked to raw turkey exposure. 

There were some turkey products recalled in the U.S., but none were from Canada.

Ryding-Regency issues huge recall

Ryding-Regency meat packers has issued recalls for a long list of its products.

The recalls come days after the Canadian Food Inspection Agency suspended the company’s licence, effectively shutting it down. It is Ontario’s third-largest beef packer and supplies most of the kosher beef and veal for a large multi-province region.

The Canadian Food Inspection Agency said the recall was triggered by finding E. coli 0157:H7 food-poisoning bacteria.

The CFIA said there have been no reports of consumers falling ill after eating the company’s beef or veal.

Listeria prompts sandwich recall

Les aliments Deli Chef is recalling sandwiches due to possible Listeria monocytogenes contamination, says the Canadian Food Inspection Agency.

The sandwiches, distributed across Ontario and other provinces, are chicken and egg salad, ham and turkey.

HQ Fine Foods (Hygaard Quality Fine Foods) of Edmonton is also recalling chicken, beef-cheese and egg sandwiches because of Listeria concerns. Its products are distributed nation-wide.

The CFIA said there have been no illnesses reported by consumers of these products, but said there have been illnesses from imported diced chicken.

Frozen diced chicken distributed by Gordon Food Services is also on recall from Manitoba west, but not in Ontario, the CFIA said.

It referenced the Public Health Agency of Canada on the outbreak of food poisoning, and that agency said on its website that “as of August 23 there have been seven confirmed cases of Listeria monocytogenes illness in three provinces: British Columbia (one), Manitoba (pne) and Ontario (five). Individuals became sick between November, 2017, and June 2019. Six individuals have been hospitalized.”