All meat that has been recalled from the XL Foods' plant in Brooks, the largest meat recall in Canadian history, has been pulled from the shelves of Sobeys and from Co-Op food stores.
Both food store chains are in the process of finding new Canadian suppliers as federal investigators continue to trace the effects of an E. coli outbreak that has forced the shutdown of the Brooks food processing plant.
“We have proactively pulled all our recalled XL beef products from all stores across the country,” said Mike Lupien, director of communications for Sobeys West. “For now we will hold it. There has not been a full recall. We are getting ahead of the issue and holding it (meat) in our backrooms.
“We take food safety seriously for both customers and employees,” he said, adding there have been no confirmed reports of illnesses of customers from eating XL products from any of Sobeys' stores. “We want them to feel secure with what they are eating.”
Lupien said his company has plans to replace the products and has had discussions with other Canadian meat suppliers. In the short term, he added, there could be shortages of some cuts of meats, including ground beef, steaks and roasts. Lupien said some products from new suppliers have already arrived but he admitted it could take some time before Sobeys stores are back to their full complement of meats.
Although there is no Co-op in Sundre, employees in Olds and Carstairs Co-op stores began pulling out their recalled XL meat from both stores last Friday morning.
“We as a company are following the guidelines. We are not taking any chances,” said Rodney Perigny, general manager of Westview Co-op, which represents both the Olds and Carstairs outlets.
He said his company still has XL stock but it is outside the recall dates and is considered safe. Perigny said the company is also looking at other Canadian suppliers to fill the void left from the national recall.
“We are sourcing other suppliers as we speak,” he said, adding customers have been asking questions about the XL situation for at least a week and a half before last Friday's announcement. “People have been aware of what has gone on. The media has been all over this.”
The Brooks plant was closed Sept. 27 following the announcement by the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) that “several deficiencies” have not been corrected since meat recalls began in September. The closure of the plant has temporarily put more than 2,000 employees out of work.
E. coli was first detected at the XL plant on Sept. 4. There have been four E. coli illnesses associated with the consumption of beef products. The CFIA expanded the list of recalled products on Sunday (Sept. 30). It has become so expansive, with dozens of new cuts of beef being added over the past weekend, the CFIA is warning consumers to ask retailers about the list before purchasing meat.
CFIA officials said this past weekend that the Brooks plant could re-open this week.
Federal health officials are still trying to determine the source of the E. coli contamination.
CFIA officials have said E.coli is difficult to track, as bacteria can be found not only in meat but also in many other different food products.
