By Rachel Fioret, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, Woolwich Observer
While considered rare, outbreaks related to the Listeria bacteria have been identified in several food products this year in Ontario, underscoring the need for inspection, say officials.
Up to September 1, 73 cases of Listeriosis were reported in the province, up dramatically compared to the five-year average of 50 reported cases annually.
One notable case was the recall in July of various Silk and Great Value brand plant-based milks due to Listeria.
Twenty lab-confirmed cases of Listeria were linked to the outbreak, affecting people in Ontario, Quebec, Nova Scotia and Alberta. Three people died as a result.
“This outbreak that occurred this summer is unusual in that it was the first outbreak in a plant-based beverage, and that’s what makes this particular outbreak unusual compared to previous years,” said Dr. Christine Navarro, a Public Health Ontario physician.
Last month, a variety of waffle products were recalled after a possible Listeria contamination was found at the Brantford plant of TreeHouse Foods. The recall involved frozen waffles produced for Loblaw’s No Name label; Walmart’s Great Value brand; Metro’s Selection brand and Compliments brand, sold at Sobeys stores.
Hundreds of frozen waffle products sold in Canada and the U.S. are being recalled after possible contamination by the Listeria bacteria was detected at an Ontario facility, according to the manufacturer.
TreeHouse Foods said Friday that it issued a voluntary recall after discovering possible contamination during routine testing at its Brantford manufacturing facility. It said the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) and U.S. food regulators are aware of the recall.
The CFIA posted an advisory on Monday warning that various brands of waffles were being recalled due to the risk of possible Listeria monocytogenes contamination.
The recalled products include numerous types of frozen waffles produced by No Name, sold in Loblaws and No Frills; Walmart’s Great Value brand, sold in Walmarts in Canada; Metro’s Selection brand, sold at Metro and Food Basics; Compliments, sold at Sobeys, Foodland and FreshCo stores; and Canadian brand Western Family.
While listeriosis is rare in Canada, certain foods are more likely to carry the Listeria bacteria than others.
High-risk foods include raw or unpasteurized milk, refrigerated smoked fish, soft and unpasteurized cheeses, and ready-to-eat meatssuch as deli meats, hot dog wieners, and pâté.
“It is important for people to know that listeriosis is a rare but potentially serious infection that can cause severe illness,” said Navarro, who works in communicable disease control.
Despite robust food safety programs, Listeria outbreaks of plant-based milk products over the summer continue to leave consumers wondering about the bacteria.
Found in the soil, water, and the natural environment, the bacteria also manages to find its way into food processing plants. Listeria thrives in moist environments.
The bacteria typically causes a few hundred illnesses each year in Canada, with a higher risk of death than other foodborne pathogens.
“The percentage of deaths related to the illnesses will range anywhere from 10 to 40 per cent and that’s because of the people that it infects,” said University of Guelph Food Science Prof. Lawrence Goodridge.
The majority of people in good health will experience no effects of Listeria, with higher risk groups experiencing a greater threat of severe illness or death.
High risk groups include pregnant women, children, elderly, and individuals with compromised immunity.
“Unlike other food borne pathogens like E. coli and Salmonella, Listeria can actually grow both slowly and at low temperatures,” said Goodridge.
Bacteria growth is often mitigated by storing products at low temperatures, though Listeria challenges researchers and food processors alike with its presence in refrigerated foods.
Rigorous food safety programs have been implemented to control the growth and spread of the bacteria, meaning that Listeria should not be found in processed products.
“If there is Listeria in food, it means that there was a breakdown in the food safety control program,” Goodridge said.
It could be a result of the bacteria naturally growing in livestock, or an ineffective sanitization of food processing plants.
Certain foods are at a higher risk for Listeria, like unpasteurized milk and deli meats. Bacteria could come in on the raw materials that make these foods.
“If companies are not careful, that can be spread to another area of the food processing plant where the finished food is, and then it can get into that package,” Goodridge said.
“Usually there’s a breakdown somewhere in food safety systems, and that’s what leads to the outbreak.”
Goodridge noted that there are many food processing programs to keep food safe, such as the Hazard Analysis Critical Control Point (HACCP).
Rather than testing food at the end of production, HACCP focuses on understanding the hazards which might contaminate food and how to control them. Controlling product hazards through production should eliminate risk of contamination.
Endpoint testing was an ineffective measure which used to be standard, where only a number of packages of food produced, such as deli meat, would be tested for bacteria.
If select products showed no red flags, the product would pass. Listeria contaminations are not evenly distributed, rendering this method ineffectual.
Good manufacturing practice (GMP) provides quality assurance, and ensures that potable water is used for food production and that no pests or insects will be found in manufacturing plants. Cleaning and sanitization programs are in place to reduce the presence of bacteria. This includes using proper equipment for production and equipment that can be cleaned easily.
“These programs are about making sure that you clean the equipment often and properly, because that’s a major source of contamination,” said Goodridge.
“With outbreaks, there’s typically a breakdown in one of these programs, in that they were not being followed properly,” he warned.
“I’m a scientist, but I’m also a consumer. I can’t control how the food is produced in the food plant, but what I can do is control when I get the food, what I do with it.”
Cautioning the public, Goodridge noted that while a major emphasis is placed on the fact that you know all these foods are being recalled and people have gotten sick, most food-borne illness occurs in the house.
“It occurs because people mishandle food in their own kitchen,” he said.
He recommends that meat packages be stored in produce bags to prevent the risk of contamination. To prevent contamination of items in your shopping cart, be cautious of where you place packaged meats and raw foods like vegetables and fruit.
It’s also important for consumers to refrigerate groceries as soon as possible, especially on hot summer days. “Bacteria can grow very well in the heat,” he added.
Goodridge, like many other experts in the field, is researching for the best ways to communicate food safety to the public.
“Listeria has been known to cause raw milk outbreaks, so we really have to take the knowledge that we have and continually apply it to producing safe food and ensure that there’s no breakdowns.
“We are seeing quite a few outbreaks now,” he said, noting the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic and high turnover could result in breakdowns of food safety programs. “These are all things that need further study, and then we need to enact policies and practices to address the challenges.”
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