Plant at core of meat crisis is set to reopen
Maple Leaf Foods Inc. said freshly sliced meats from its now thoroughly sanitized processing plant in Toronto would begin reappearing on store shelves by the middle of next week.
The plant on Bartor Rd. had been found to contain the same type of listeria implicated in the deaths of at least 17 Canadians and has been closed since Aug. 20.
The company said it had started the process of reopening the plant yesterday, four weeks after efforts to locate the source of listeria led it to areas deep within two meat-slicing machines.
As part of Maple Leaf’s efforts to regain consumers’ confidence, the country’s largest food processor said it has implemented rigorous new sanitation and food safety procedures on all 84 meat-slicing machines in its plants around the country.
As well, the entire Bartor Rd. plant has been thoroughly sanitized six times, tested and given a clean bill of health by government inspectors, third party experts and its own staff, the company also said.
Maple Leaf Foods said it would conduct several test runs before releasing any new products into stores.
"We recognize that we have to rebuild consumers’ confidence," said Michael McCain, president and chief executive officer of the $5.2 billion food-processing giant. "I am confident in the machines, with adjusted protocols."
He said it could take anywhere from several months to a year to restore product sales, based on other product recalls of this nature.
McCain declined to be more specific, or speculate on how much the recall had cost the processor of fresh pork and chicken, bacon, and ready-to-eat meals cheap payday loans. The company’s initial estimate was $20 million.
"While we operated to the highest standards … our best efforts were not enough. We have learned from this tragic experience and we can and will do more," said McCain.
While closed, the plant underwent six sanitization procedures under independent supervision, McCain said.
The company will disassemble and deep-clean all its slicing machines on a regular basis, McCain said. It will also double its testing of possible sources of listeria in the surrounding environment, such as fridges, walls and floor drains.
While defending Canada’s food safety standards, McCain also announced plans to name a chief food safety officer at Maple Leaf, who will report directly to McCain on the latest innovations and processes.
And the company plans to assemble a food safety advisory panel, within three months, to look at industry-wide best practises, he said.
McCain said he’d welcome more government food safety inspectors in his plants.
The union representing federal inspectors has complained they are understaffed.