$20-million Product Recall, Deadly Outbreak of Listeria

The Canadian Press

TORONTO -- Maple Leaf Foods said Monday it's bracing for a decline in sales on top of a $20-million product recall after a deadly outbreak of Listeria

"Tragically our products have been linked to illnesses and loss of life."

The massive recall was launched after Listeria bacteria was detected on some of the goods produced at one of the company's Toronto plants. Six people have died and six other deaths are under investigation as a result of the outbreak. The deaths are part of a total of 26 cases with confirmed links to the outbreak.

I personally believe this is only the beginning of this outbreak. The pathogen listeria is known for its incubation period, which is anywhere from consumption to 3 months after consumption of contaminated food.

Meaning people that have been exposed to this virus, have no idea they are infected, thus meaning the general public could have been exposed for up to 3 months to this pathogen before people at the industry caught on...

Only speculations, but non the less, horrible news for Canada's processed food markets, and of course for the tragic and sudden illness and deaths for family members across the country.

What are your takes on food safety?

Heres the direct link to my source on CTV.ca

Listeria monocytogenes is a bacteria. And I didn't know the incubation period was that long. But the bacteria grows best at a cooler temperature and the body being warm, makes it grow slower which now makes sense.

[edit on 25-8-2008 by ghaleon12]

Yup they a professor of microbiology explain it on the news last night, he said after the long incubation period the bacteria can suddenly break out into meningitis affecting the central nervous system. kinda scary...

According to Wikipedia, North America still does get rare cases of listeria... as opposed to the outbreak happening here in Canada affecting a wide range of people, the bacteria itself seems to target those susceptible such as the young and the elderly.

Listeria is an opportunistic pathogen: it is most prevalent in the elderly, pregnant mothers, and AIDS patients. With improved healthcare leading to a growing elderly population and extended life expectancies for AIDS patients, physicians are more likely to encounter this otherwise rare infection (only 7 per 1,000,000 healthy people are infected with virulent Listeria each year).

7 cases a year, pff, theres already like 20+ cases in the first week here... ouch