OTTAWA — Canada’s food supply continues to be hampered by outbreaks of foodborne illness, while inspectors work overtime to keep a closer eye on American-bound meat, according to a Vancouver Sun report.
Similarly, The Globe and Mail reports that meat destined for the nation’s domestic market is inspected once a week, while food predestined for our southern neighbours is checked daily to meet U.S. standards.
Such news comes two years after the deadly listeriosis outbreak linked to a Toronto plant and days after a similar contamination was discovered in two types of meat packaged under the Siena brand.
“Although there are some differences in the inspection procedures and requirements of each country, the meat inspection systems are equally effective in producing safe food,” a rep for the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) was quoted as saying in The Globe.
Coincidently, the investigation into the aforementioned crisis in 2008 produced a report that attributed a shortage of CFIA inspection staff and recommended an audit of the organization’s resources. The study has yet to be completed.
In September, money was promised to hire more inspectors, but no further information of such news has been announced.
