Produce ‘recall fatigue’ may hit us for the holidays

VANCOUVER — A string of highprofile produce recalls may lead to shortages of the most recent culprits ahead of the holidays. But, even if cauliflower and some lettuce varieties stay in stock, experts say consumers may be hesitant to buy and serve them as part of a big, family meal.

The Canadian Food Inspection Agency announced over the weekend a recall of certain cauliflower and lettuce products produced by California-based Adam Bros. Farming Inc. that were distributed in at least six provinces.

There have been no reported illnesses associated with the wrapped cauliflower, and green leaf and red leaf lettuce that’s sold in bulk without a brand name.

“We are likely — in the short run at least — to be short of those products,” said Mike von Massow, an associate professor at the University of Guelph.

In the winter, Canada’s supply of fresh fruit and vegetables tends to come from very specific areas, he said. The farm in question likely represents a significant proportion of the total cauliflower and leafy greens arriving in Canada and stopping those imports could create a strain on supply, resulting in higher prices for what is safe and available ahead of the holidays.

Metro Inc.’s Ontario and Quebec distribution centres did not receive product from that farm, wrote spokesperson Saide Weinstein in an email.

Sobeys Inc. also does not sell the products implicated in the recall, wrote company spokesperson Sarah McLeah.

Neither company anticipates a shortage.

Loblaw Companies Ltd. did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Romaine lettuce, on the other hand, seems to be back in stock in at least some grocers’ stores after a recent recall.

Empire, the parent company of Sobeys, has now sourced romaine from an unaffected region.