In August 2008, a number of Maple Leaf deli meats were found to be contaminated with Listeria which led to the deaths of 22 people and made many others ill. This was by far the most awful event in the 100-plus year history of the company. In the wake of this tragedy, Maple Leaf Foods made an unwavering commitment to be an industry leader in food safety and to help spread the word to educate consumers, peers and the industry on Listeria and other foodborne illnesses.
Maple Leaf made substantial changes to significantly reduce Listeria findings in our plants, and to manage it as effectively as any company we are aware of to protect public health. Here is what we have done so far:
Improved sanitization.
Doubled the amount of environmental testing.
Increased the amount of food testing.
Strengthened our product recall procedures.
To learn more about the rigorous food safety standards we have implemented at Maple Leaf, please watch the video.
While we have enhanced every aspect of our food safety program, there is more that we will do and more that our industry can achieve together. We will continue to advocate strongly for improvements that make Canada a world leader in food safety. This is a part of our commitment to our consumers in sharing information about the steps we are taking at Maple Leaf to make our products safe for you and your family. While we take steps in our own plants to make safe, great tasting food, we encourage you to take precautions as well when you are preparing, cooking, and storing food at home.
