(this article is in it’s full entirety. The newspaper version was edited down for space considerations)

The outbreak of listeria has been confirmed as the culprit of 17 deaths. According to CTV.ca, 43 Listeria case have been linked to the outbreak, the cause of which is recalled meat from a Maple Leaf Foods plant in Toronto.

More then 200 products have been added to the recalled list of foods, including some types of cheese feared to contain the bacteria. A full list can be found at http://tinyurl.com/494qcq.

The Endeavour sat down with one of the Chefs at Lethbridge College, Charles Parker, to talk about the steps that are taken to ensure food at the college continues to be safe.

“None of the [affected] product came to our premises”, said Parker, “most concerns are in the retail and restaurant sectors, and involve sliced and cut meat.”

Parker noted several precautions and daily procedures are in place to ensure that food is handled properly and is safe for everyone on campus to consume.

“Students wear gloves, and we have soap and anti-bacterial gel at hand-washing stations to ensure proper sanitation control,” Chef Parker assured us, “[and] washing and cutting equipment is sanitized daily.”

All staff and students in the program have been trained in a food safety and sanitation course, and are certified, as “we are ever vigilant to ensure methods and procedures are followed accurately,” explained Parker.

The program has a 3-pronged approach. First, all staff and students are certified in food safety and sanitation. Second, local health officials randomly do spot checks to ensure standards are me; and nurses at the college are trained to deal with food poisoning.

Originally posted 2008-09-26 21:59:29. Republished by Blog Post Promoter

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