Heeding the lessons of a food recall

Both the industry and government have their respective responsibilities in ensuring food safety.

The current controversy over one of the nation’s largest food recalls has turned Canadians’ attention to the question of food safety and the respective responsibilities of government and the industry.

Clearly both must do better to regain public confidence.

Ever since the Alberta plant, XL Foods, was shut down late last month after E. coli in beef shipments was detected by U. S. border officials, the plant’s practices and government’s role in oversight have prompted much finger- pointing. Union representatives for workers on the floor have expressed concerns about plant operations, saying that neither workers nor inspectors could keep up with the volume of beef handled by the massive plant. Government has claimed it has increased the number of its inspection agency staff, but workers and opposition critics say government cutbacks are the root cause of inadequate oversight.

Although the plant now has limited operations and is under strict testing, this whole saga has been a serious wakeup call for those who process our food and for those responsible for ensuring its safety.

There are consequences when the rules for food processing and handling aren’t strictly heeded and enforced. The most serious direct consequence, of course, is the sickness suffered by those who consume tainted product. But there are other consequences, as well. The confidence of all Canadians in their food supply is undermined. So is the confidence of our biggest importers. The beef industry takes a direct hit from this loss of confidence.

If our meat plants are processing more volume than they’re safely prepared to handle, or our governments are cutting back on their ability to inspect thoroughly, then changes must be made. Extra staff and additional safety precautions may be costly for our slaughterhouses, and extra inspections costly for the taxpayer, but that cost pales in comparison to the compromises in health or the loss of revenue that inevitably occurs when consumers, or importing countries, lose confidence in a product.

This meat recall has been a huge scare, and it is a sobering reminder that if we prize food safety and security, both the industry and government have a duty to invest in it. They have their respective roles in ensuring that the food we eat and export is safe.