XL Foods’ Licence Suspended After E.coli Contamination Beef Recall Expanded
By Amanda Brodhagen, Farms.com
XL Foods Inc. has had its licence temporarily suspended after orders from the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA). The agency suspended the XL Foods Brooks, Alberta plant after the continuous expansion of numerous recalls, including the most recent one that had thirty U.S. states recalling the meat products off of grocery store shelves. The CFIA decided that the numerous recalls raised questions about the recall process, noting that authorities have been slow react on both sides of the border.
The agency said that until the company has corrected the deficiencies that have been identified after an onsite inspection, it will not be allowed to resume operations. XL Foods is one the country’s largest meat packers and employ more than 2,200 workers. The plant’s operating capacity was 4,800 head of cattle per day and is one of the major employers in the Brook region.
There are a total of nine people in Canada who have fallen ill and have been linked to E.coli bacteria from XL Foods products. There have been no illnesses reported to date or linked to XL Food contamination in the U.S.