November 5, 2007

US to boost testing of imported Canada meat

The US is tightening its checks on meat and poultry products from Canada after an outbreak of E. coli in several US states was traced to beef from a Canadian company, the USDA said Saturday (November 3, 2007)

The USDA's Food Safety and Inspection Service said it would increase testing for salmonella, listeria monocytogenes and E. coli. The agency said it would require the products be held until testing shows they do not contain any of the above pathogens, which can cause severe diarrhea.

Canadian meat and poultry products will also receive increased levels of reinspection by FSIS, beginning next week. The FSIS said it would also conduct an audit of Canada's food safety system, focusing on plants that export beef to the US.

The audit and stricter checks are being conducted due to concerns arising from testing practices at Ranchers Beef, Ltd that were discovered as part of the ongoing investigation, said US Agriculture Undersecretary Richard Raymond.

Alberta-based Ranchers Beef, which has ceased operations, is believed to be the source of the outbreak of E. coli infections which led to nearly 100 illnesses and was linked to the US-based Topps Meat Co in September, the FSIS said.

The agency delisted Ranchers Beef as an importer on October 20.

The recall of 21.7 million pounds of ground beef by Topps was the fifth-largest meat or poultry recall in US history. The company, which has been in business for 67 years, was forced to close due to the costs incurred by the recall.

The preliminary findings from the audit by the FSIS will determine whether the additional testing and inspection rules remain in place.