Maple Leaf Consumer Foods and the Canadian Food Inspection Agency are voluntarily expanding a recall of certain ready-to-eat packaged meat products and are warning people not to serve or consume the products as they may contain Listeria monocytogenes.
The following foodservice and retail products are affected by this alert. All carry the Establishment # 97B and have a best before date up to and including those specified in the following table.
Product Code Description Package Size Up to and including Best Before Date
26365 Sliced Cooked Turkey Breast 470 g SE 30
02106 Schneiders Bavarian Smokies 1 kg  OC 28 
02126 Schneiders Cheddar Smokies 1 kg  OC 28 
21333 Sure Slice Roast Beef 1 kg  SE 30 
21388 Sure Slice Combo Pack 1 kg  SE 30 
60243 Deli Gourmet Roast Beef slices 1 kg  SE 30 
02356 Seasoned Cooked Roast Beef 500 g  OC 07 
42706 Roast Beef, Seasoned and Cooked 500 g  OC 07 
21334 Sure Slice Turkey Breast Roast 1 kg  OC 14 
21444 Sure Slice Corned Beef 1 kg  OC 14 
44938 Montreal Style Corned Beef 500 g  OC 14 
21440 Sure Slice Black Forest Style Ham 1 kg  OC 21 
21447 Sure Slice Salami 1 kg  OC 21 
21331 Sure Slice Smoked Ham 1 kg  OC 21 
48019 Schneiders Deli Shaved Corned Beef 200 g  OC 21 
48020 Schneiders Deli Shaved Smoked Meat 200 g  OC 21 
48016 Schneiders Deli Shaved Smoked Ham 200 g  OC 21 
48018 Schneiders Deli Shaved Smoked Turkey Breast 150 g  OC 21 
48017 Schneiders Deli Shaved Fully Cooked Smoked Honey Ham 200 g  OC 21 
21360 Burns Bites Pepperoni 500 g  09 JA 01 
99158  Turkey Breast Roast 1 kg  SE 30 
71330 Roast Beef Cooked, Seasoned 2.5 kg  SE 30 
71331 Corned Beef, Smoked Meat 2.5 kg  SE 30 

No other Maple Leaf products are affected by this recall.

There have been no confirmed illnesses associated with the consumption of the affected products.

Maple Leaf is taking every possible precaution to respond to this situation promptly and in the best interests of consumers and mitigate any potential risk. We are taking immediate steps with our customers to have all affected product removed from the marketplace

Looks like the food recall strategy is the same in the U.S. and Canada, deny, deny, deny
Taken right from the Richard Sellers' recall playbook, "Recall Realities" to the detriment of consumer safety:
http://www.petfoodindustry.com/ViewArticle.aspx?id=18136

Thank you TBOB, and 3cats, you are getting good at this!

http://itchmoforums.com/making-a-difference/aug-2008-canada-passes-consumer-protection-legislation-with-serious-penalties-t5900.0.html

I think that's the thread DMS was referring to.

What have you heard, Shiba, about pet food in Canada, besides it's not being included here?

There's this article from the Edmonton Journal. A cornerstone of our Conservative government's thinking is that it should not interfere with the private sector.

"They're moving towards the U.S. model, where the inspectors don't actually do the inspection, they just oversee and the companies actually do the inspection."

http://www.canada.com/edmontonjournal/story.html?id=be25250d-f16e-4320-a124-fe912d897a7f

http://www.thestar.com/comment/article/483360

That's a little scary, adopting business to police itself.

Then this company's apparent sales across a broad spectrum.

I think the recall notice itself pretty much sets out the brand names, and gives some info
on where they were distributed. This apparently was one of 23 facilities in Canada, though.
So don't hold me to that. The brand names above that don't specify a brand name it looks
like would be preceded by Maple Leaf. So I think Maple Leaf Sliced Cooked Turkey Breast,
for example. Just a guess.

http://www.alibaba.com/member/edidrewtrading/companyprofile.html

http://www.mapleleaf.com/Aboutus/

FWIW, there are more brands made by Maple Leaf--

To get more information on our leading brands, go to Maple Leaf Prime Naturally; Schneiders; Lean ’n Lite; Dempster's;

http://www.mapleleaf.com/consumerproducts/primenaturally/

Maple Leaf Prime Naturally

http://www.schneiders.ca/products.aspx

Schneiders

I've seen various deli meats with the Maple Leaf brand sold in my stores--believe they also produce varieties of Chicken Kiev (frozen) that are in my supermarket also.

What we don't know is if any of the contaminated products were shipped to the US, nor what restaurants and/or stores they might also provide products to here:

http://www.canada.com/vancouversun/story.html?id=1b59a416-3998-44fd-b771-fbcf63344161

Vancouver Sun 20 August 2008

"The illnesses are suspected to be linked to ready-to-eat deli meats produced at Maple Leaf Consumer Food's Toronto plant since June 2 and distributed to fast-food restaurants, institutions, nursing homes, hospitals and supermarket delis across Canada.

"A majority of those who got sick are believed to have eaten the same food in nursing homes and hospitals in July, the Public Health Agency of Canada said.  The average age of the sick is 65.

"The public is being warned not to eat sliced turkey breast at McDonald's, seasoned cooked roast beef at Mr. Sub sandwich shops, certain lots of Sure Slice brand roast beef and corned beef, and a variety of other products, including Schneiders smoked honey ham, corned beef, smoked meat and Bavarian meats.

"Louis Payette, a spokeswoman for McDonald's said the restaurant chain has stopped selling its turkey BLT sandwich, the only menu item affected by the recall."

Something else we need to know about this company:

http://www.mapleleaf.com/Aboutus/agribusiness.aspx

"Rothsay

"Canada's largest recycler of animal by-products into value-added products, including animal feed, amino acid supplements, biodiesel and other industrial uses. Rothsay provides an essential service for its customers and other Maple Leaf operations by responsibly managing and recapturing the value of inedible by-products.

http://media.corporate-ir.net/media_files/irol/88/88490/reports/022406RothsayFactSheet.pdf

Rothsay Fact Sheet

This lists all plants, their operations and what happens to the various products from the rendering.  You see that their proteins are used for animal feed--pet food specifically mentioned--and sent worldwide.

http://www.rothsay.ca/render.html

Learn about rendering. 

http://www.rothsay.ca/r_prod.html

Products--

Pet Food Meat and Bone Meal

Pet Food Grade Poultry Fat

http://www.rothsay.ca/index.asp

Rothsay home page.

So--we have listeria contaminated meats which are being recalled and this company operates a large rendering business which sells at least some of its products for use in pet foods and other animal feeds..................

Ugh about Rothsay. I often drive past the Rothsay plant in Dundas, Ontario. It's signage says it's a recycling plant. Who knew?

Of course, it makes sense that a big company like Maple Leaf Foods would be into waste disposal too. Rothsay's page on Feather Meal was gross. I suppose hair and feathers are just chock full of nutrients...

Everything but the squeal, indeed.