Listeria death toll reaches 17

The death toll has increased to 17 linked to Listeria-contaminated cold cuts from the Maple Leaf Foods Ltd. plant on Bartor Road in Toronto.

The plant had remained closed until Sept. 17 while the Canadian Food Inspection Agency insisted on more efforts to clean and sanitize.

The 17th victim is a New Brunswick woman in her 80s Her doctor says Listeria monocytogenes genetically linked to Maple Leafs products was a contributing factor in her death.

Maple Leaf president and chief executive officer Michael McCain has pointed a finger of blame at two meat slicers that had Listeria inside. The Formax 180 models were never dismantled for interior checks because the company said exterior cleaning and sanitation are sufficient.

Now the Illinois-based company has advised all of its clients to dismantle and check their Formax 180 models.

The Canadian Food Inspection Agency has also told all of the meat-packing plants it regulates that they must dismantle, check and clean all of their meat slicers when their production lines are due for a major cleanup.

The Canadian Medical Association has published an editorial in its journal criticizing the federal government for a policy move to shift more of the food safety onus to companies.

The shift has CFIA staff spending more time checking company records, such as test results for harmful bacteria, leaving less time for them to walk through facilities to watch whats happening.

This is in keeping with recommendations for the past 40 years to put more reliance on lab testing for harmful bacteria, and modern technologies, such as time-temperature recording, and less on visual over-the-shoulder inspection.

There has also been a long-term trend to put greater onus on the food-processing companies and less on government inspectors, in effect making companies responsible for their products rather than an atmosphere in which employees may be tempted to try to get away with whatever government inspectors allow or fail to catch.

The Canadian Medical Associations editorial also says that CFIA standards for listeria control are lower than in other countries and says the Canadian Public Health Agency has been stripped of much of its political clout.

Prime Minister Stephen Harper has promised an inquiry. The Canadian Medical Association says there should be a full public inquiry similar to the one that followed the E.coli 1057:H7 epidemic and deaths caused by contaminated municipal water at Walkerton.