Canada: Nationwide Alert for Listeria in Some Ready-To-Eat Deli Meat Products

Ottawa, August 20, 2008 - The Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) and Maple Leaf Consumer Foods are warning the public not to serve or consume the ready-to-eat deli meat products described below because these products may be contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes.

The following ready-to-eat meat products bearing an Est. # 97B are affected by this alert.:

Brand	Product	Size	UPC	Code
McDonald’s	Sliced Cooked Turkey Breast / Tranches de Poitrine de Dinde Cuites	2.84 Kg 6 X 470g	10063100263659	Product code - 26365 All Best Before Dates up to and including - 08SE 30
Schneiders	Bavarian smokies /Smokies Bavarois	8 Kg 8 X 1Kg	0 64844 02105 8	Product code - 02106 All Best Before Dates up to and including - 08OC 28
Schneiders	Cheddar smokies /Smokies Cheddar	8 Kg 8 X 1Kg	0 64844 02124 9	Product code - 02126 All Best Before Dates up to and including- 08OC 28
ML Sure Slice	Roast Beef / Rosbif	3 Kg 3 X 1Kg	10063100213333	Product code - 21333 All Best Before Dates up to and including- 08SE 30
ML Sure Slice	Combo Pack / Combo Pack	3 Kg 3 X 1Kgg	10063100213883	Product code - 21388 All Best Before Dates up to and including - 08SE 30
Deli Gourmet	Roast Beef slices / Tranches de Rôti de Boeuf cuit, assaisoné	6 Kg 6 X 1Kg	10000000602430	Product code - 60243 All Best Before Dates up to and including - 08SE 30
MR SUB	Seasoned Cooked Roast Beef / Rosbif Cuit Assaissoné	6 Kg 2 X 500g	10063100023567	Product code - 02356 All Best Before Dates up to and including - 08OC 07
MSD	Roast Beef, Seasoned and Cooked / Rosbif Cuit et Assaisonné	3 Kg 6 X 500g	10063100427068	Product code -42706 All Best Before Dates up to and including - 08OC 07
ML Sure Slice	Turkey Breast Roast / Rôti de Poitrine de Dinde	3 Kg 3 X 1 kg	10063100213340	Product code- 21334 All Best Before Dates up to and including - 08OC 14
ML Sure Slice	Sure Slice Corned Beef / Boeuf Salé	3 Kg 3 X 1 kg	10063100214446	Product code - 21444 All Best Before Dates up to and including - 08OC 14
MSD	Montreal Style Corned Beef /Boeuf Salé a la Montréalaise	3 Kg 6 X 500g	10063100449381	Product code - 44938 All Best Before Dates up to and including - 08OC 14
ML Sure Slice	Black Forest Style Smoked Ham / Jambon Fumé Genre Fôret-Noire	3 Kg 3 X 1 Kg	10063100214408	Product code - 21440 All Best Before Dates up to and including - 08OC 21
ML Sure Slice	Salami /Salami	3 Kg 3 X 1 Kg	10063100214477	Product code - 21447 All Best Before Dates up to and including - 08OC 21
ML Sure Slice	Sliced Smoked Ham /Jambon Fumé en tranches	3 Kg 3 X 1 Kg	10063100213319	Product code -21331 All Best Before Dates up to and including - 08OC 21
Schneiders	Deli Shaved Corned Beef / Boeuf Salé Deli Émincé	1.6 Kg 8 X 200g	0 62000 48019 0	Product code- 48019 All Best Before Dates up to and including - 08OC 21
Schneiders	Schneiders Deli Shaved Smoked Meat /Viande Fumée Deli Émincé	1.6 Kg 8 X 200g	0 62000 48020 6	Product code - 48020 All Best Before Dates up to and including - 08OC 21
Schneiders	Deli Shaved Smoked Ham / Jambon Fumé Deli Émincé	1.6 Kg 8 X 200g	0 62000 48016 9	Product code - 48016 All Best Before Dates up to and including - 08OC 21
Schneiders	Deli Shaved Smoked Turkey Breast / Poitrine de Dinde Fumée Émincé	1.2 Kg 8 X 150g	0 62000 48018 3	Product code - 48018 All Best Before Dates up to and including - 08OC 21
Schneiders	Deli Shaved Fully Cooked Smoked Honey Ham /Jambon Fumé au Miel Tout Cuit Émincé	1.6 Kg 8 X 200g	0 62000 48017 6	Product code- 48017 All Best Before Dates up to and including - 08OC 21
Burns	Bites Pepperoni / Pepperoni de Bites	6 Kg 12 X 500g	0 63100 21360 2	Product code - 21360 All Best Before Dates up to and including - 09JA 01
ML	Turkey Breast Roast / Rôti de Poitrine de Dinde	12 Kg 12 X 1 Kg	10063100991583	Product code - 99158 All Best Before Dates up to and including -08SE 30
FS	Roast Beef Cooked , Seasoned /Rosbif Cuit, Assaisoné	10 Kg 4 X 2.5 Kg	10064875713301	Product code - 71330 All Best Before Dates up to and including - 08SE 30
FS	Corned Beef, Smoked Meat /Boeuf Salé, Viande Fumée	10 Kg 4 X 2.5 Kg	10064875713318	Product code - 71331 All Best Before Dates up to and including - 08SE 30

These products have been distributed nationally, primarily to food service institutions such as restaurants, hospitals and nursing homes. In addition, these products may also be sold at retail and deli counters.

A number of the affected products described above are part of a listeriosis outbreak investigation. The investigation is ongoing and no direct link has been made between the affected products and human illness. However, the manufacturer, Maple Leaf Consumer Foods, has initiated a voluntary recall of all products that may be implicated in the outbreak investigation. The CFIA is working with the Public Health Agency of Canada and provincial public authorities to confirm the source of the illnesses.

Food contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes may not look or smell spoiled. Consumption of food contaminated with this bacteria may cause listeriosis, a foodborne illness. Listeriosis can cause high fever, severe headache, neck stiffness and nausea. Pregnant women, the elderly and people with weakened immune systems are particularly at risk. Infected pregnant women may experience only a mild, flu-like illness, however, infections during pregnancy can lead to premature delivery, infection of the newborn, or even stillbirth.

The manufacturer, Maple Leaf Consumer Foods, Burlington, ON, is voluntarily recalling the affected products from the marketplace. The CFIAis monitoring the effectiveness of the recall.