April 4, 2010: The Canadian Food Inspection Agency warned the U.S. Food Safety Inspection Service that ready to eat deli meats produced by Siena Foods LTD in Toronto, Ontario may be contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes. During the Canadian governmental agencies investigation into possible Listeria contamination in these deli meats, they discovered that Listeria contaminated products may have been imported by the United States. The investigation is ongoing.
This recall highlights the need for cooperation between international governmental agencies in protecting the worlds population from foodborne illnesses such as Listeria, E. coli, and Salmonella. Development of enhanced food safety protocols and tracking systems will aid in the effort. Quick identification of contaminated foods and issuance of recalls is only one step in guaranteeing the safety of both domestically produced and imported goods. As food product imports swell in our increasingly global society, governments have a heighted responsibility.
In the battle to protect our domestic food supply, the U.S. Food Safety Inspection Service has developed guidelines for importing certain food products from foreign nations. The FSIS website provides a list of countries meeting import eligibility prerequisites as well as both certified and non-certified foreign meat exporting businesses. The FSIS requirements govern imports of meat, poultry, and eggs. In addition, safety regulations have been established to ensure that imported foods meet the equivalent standards established for domestically produced food products.
Food safety has become a global issue. International cooperation is key in the fight against foodborne illnesses. In addition, nations should work on improving food safety standards, improving detection of food poisoning pathogens, and tracking contaminated goods. Such improvements will aid in ensuring that safe food products make their way to our shelves.
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