OTTAWA — The federal government defended its ready-to-eat meat-inspection system Wednesday after charges that it upholds a higher standard for meats destined for the United States than for foods consumed only in Canada.
Agriculture Minister Gerry Ritz told a parliamentary committee it was a “misconception” to characterize meat-plant inspections as unequal. And Cameron Prince, vice-president, operations, of the Canadian Food Inspection Agency, said while there are differences in how the inspections are done, “the total amount of time spent in these plants is exactly the same.
“It’s just a matter of how it’s spread out over time.”
Consumer and union food activists are worried about what they call a double standard on inspection of processed meats. While inspections must be done every 12 hours on food meant for export to the United States, they say the standard is closer to once a week for food aimed at Canadian consumers.
The CFIA is striving to meet the export standards, set by the U.S. Department of Agriculture. But Prince said they will apply to Canadian-bound meats too. The CFIA will move “very quickly to having 100% coverage of all shifts in meat-processing plants,” he said.
Ritz appeared at the committee as the CFIA, which falls under his agriculture portfolio, expanded food warnings against Frontier Brand seasonings and spices out of fear some products could be contaminated with salmonella. The CFIA said there had been no reported illnesses associated with eating the products.
Recently, the CFIA also warned the public not to eat certain Siena meat products based on the presence of listeria monocytogenes in product samples.
Less than two years ago, an outbreak of listeriosis linked to the Maple Leaf plant in Toronto led to the deaths of 22 people.
christina.spencer@sunmedia.ca
