CFIA May Send Inspectors to Italy Over Salmonella Outbreak Investigation

The CFIA is considering sending inspectors to Italy to investigate a salmonella outbreak linked to imported pastries that have sickened Canadians.

CFIA May Send Inspectors to Italy Over Salmonella Outbreak Investigation
CFIA May Send Inspectors to Italy Over Salmonella Outbreak Investigation

Ottawa: The Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) is looking into a salmonella outbreak that has affected at least 61 people in Canada. They might send inspectors to Italy to find out where the contamination started.

Recently, the CFIA recalled a brand of Italian mini-pastries that were served at various events and facilities across several provinces. The Public Health Agency of Canada warned that more people could get sick since it usually takes a couple of weeks for symptoms to show up.

According to a food safety expert at CFIA, whether they send inspectors to Italy will depend on several factors. They’ll consider how widely the pastries were distributed in Canada and how cooperative the Italian manufacturers are in sharing production records.

The goal is to trace the source of the contamination and understand how it happened. This includes checking food handling practices and whether other products might be affected. The pastries are made by Sweet Cream in Bellizzi, Italy.

Meghan Griffin from CFIA mentioned that if they find significant issues, sending inspectors might be necessary. Canadian officials have already informed Italy about the recall of Sweet Cream pastries after they were sold in provinces like Alberta, British Columbia, Quebec, and Ontario.

Out of the 61 reported cases, most were in Quebec, followed by Ontario, British Columbia, Alberta, and New Brunswick. No cases were reported in Nova Scotia as of Monday.

Joseph Panetta, a sales manager at Piu Che Dolci in Laval, said they’ve halted production and are working to collect the recalled pastries from customers across Canada.

He also shared documents with inspectors showing that the pastries, which include various baked goods, were pasteurized. Inspectors will check these records to see if the pastries were cooked properly and if salmonella could have contaminated them at any point.

Griffin raised questions about whether the filling or the pastry itself was the issue or if contamination happened later during the filling process.

She clarified that this recall is unrelated to another salmonella recall involving Canadian egg brands that happened around the same time.

Inspectors will also look into whether specific pastries were contaminated or if all the pastries in the box were affected, given the variety included in the recall.

Imported foods must meet the same safety standards as Canadian products, including proper labeling and origin certificates.

Among the 61 cases, most affected individuals were female, and 17 required hospitalization. The ages of those who got sick ranged from three to 88 years old.

Salmonella can cause serious infections, especially in vulnerable groups like children, pregnant individuals, the elderly, and those with weakened immune systems. Healthy people might experience symptoms like fever, headache, and diarrhea.

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