Alberta Company Recalls Listeria Tainted Sandwiches
The Canadian Food Inspection Agency has recalled 16 varieties of ready-made sandwiches produced by Alberta-based Hygaard Fine Foods Ltd. because they may contain Listeria monocytogenes.
In August, Listeria monocytogenes was found to be the cause of death for 18 people in Canada that prompted the recall of products from a Maple Leaf Foods plant in Toronto.
According to CFIA, there are at least 20 strains of Listeria monocytogenes, and the one found in Hygaard sandwiches is not the same as the one at the Maple Leaf Foods plant.
In a statement to the press, the agency said there have been no reported illnesses associated with the sandwiches that were distributed throughout Canada, except for Prince Edward Island and New Brunswick. The recalled sandwiches have “best before dates” ranging from Oct. 24 to Nov. 16.
Hygaard notified CFIA that it had found traces of Listeria in its sandwiches on Wednesday, which the agency said prompted the voluntary recall.
The consumption of food tainted with Listeria can cause listeriosis, a foodborne illness that results in high fever, severe headache, neck stiffness and nausea. Pregnant women, small children, the elderly and people with weakened immune systems are particularly at risk, according to CFIA.