The Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) has released a statement about the Capital Packers facility (Establishment 231) in Edmonton, Alberta that produced the recalled Capital brand and Compliments brand ham sausages. Government investigators found a positive sample of Listeria monocytogenes on the sleeve of a worker’s uniform.
The plant was closed when the CFIA found that the company had deficiencies in their recall program and had not corrected those problems. Companies officials told the CFIA that they had control of the potentially contaminated products, but they actually were distributed to retail subsidiaries. The government also found that “adequate controls for food safety are not being fully implemented in the facility and that the company has failed to consistently meet federal food safety standards.”
The suspension notice was delivered on November 22, 2012. The company is also recalling all products produced on the line associated with the detection of Listeria. Capital brand 300 gram ham sausages, and Compliments brand 375 gram ham sausages are being recalled. There are six additional lines that may be implicated. More sampling is being done by the CFIA. No positive samples have been found in food products.
The CIFA currently has control of all products at the plant. Since April 1, 2012, the CFIA has issued 11 corrective action requests to Capital Packers; five of those requests are still open. The company will not be able to resume business until they have fully implemented corrective actions.
