What Came First, the Decision to Test or the Recall?
The Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) today warned the public not to consume the various beef products described in the link above because these products may be contaminated with E. coli O157:H7 bacteria. The affected products described at the link above are being recalled as a result of the CFIA’s investigation and traceback conducted on contaminated beef involving Ranchers Beef Ltd.(Establishment 630), Balzac, Alberta. In other news, the USDA's Food Safety and Inspection Service said it would increase testing for salmonella, listeria monocytogenes and E. coli O157:H7. [Is FSIS only testing Canadian Beef?] The agency said it would require the products be held until testing shows they do not contain any of those pathogens. Meat and poultry products being imported from Canada will be subjected to increased testing and inspection after an outbreak of E. coli in several U.S. states traced to beef from a Canadian company, the U.S. Agriculture Department said on Saturday. All of this is of course after at least 40 people in the United State and 45 in Canada have been sickened.
I found the USDA FSIS statement about increased testing of meat imports from Canada particularly interesting.
As you state in your post, it appears the USDA will not let any meat or poultry products from Canada into the U.S. unless tests show it is free of Salmonella, Listera, and E. coli O157:H7.
If this is true, than this is far stricter standard than domestic meat!
Am I missing something or has USDA just ensured that Canadian imports will be safer than domestic beef?
Very interesting... as always! Cheers from -Switzerland-.