2010:05 FOOD SAFETY – MICROORGANISMS
Whereas 1 a very serious listeriosis outbreak in August 2008, like all diseases, increased medicare expenses and caused the Government to initiate an investigation resulting in the “Report of the Independent Investigator into the 2008 Listeriosis Outbreak”; and
Whereas 2 as of September 2009, the Government has said that it will invest $75 million in Canada’s food safety system and act on all 57 recommendations made in the report; and
Whereas 3 the new investment will bolster only the processed meat inspection program and not slaughter establishments, fish processing facilities, in-store inspections or border inspection points; and
Whereas 4 the government focus is on end-product testing instead of prevention; and
Whereas 5 there is a shift to more food industry self-policing powers with diminishing resources for government inspection; therefore be it
Resolved 1 that the National Council of Women of Canada adopt as policy that:
a. strict operating procedures be followed in the cleanliness, inspection and end-product testing in all food processing plants, slaughter establishments, storage facilities and retail stores in Canada,
b. there be a focus on prevention of food contamination, and
c. food inspection be done by qualified Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) inspectors and/or by provincial or territorial Public Health inspectors; and be it further
Resolved 2 that the National Council of Women of Canada urge the Government of Canada to:
a. act on all the recommendations in the “Report of the Independent Investigator into the 2008 Listeriosis Outbreak”;
b. increase the frequency of inspections in slaughter establishments, meat and fish processing plants, storage facilities and retail stores;
c. focus on prevention by developing comprehensive food safety systems that prevent organisms from getting into food in the first place, and
d. enforce regulations for meat imports and prosecute for non-compliance;
e. provide sufficient numbers of qualified Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) inspectors in all areas of food processing plants;
Educate the public as to the importance of appropriate cooking temperatures for raw meat products.