Canadian company recalls cheesy bread due to Listeria

A Canadian company is recalling breaded items with cheese after the product was found to have Listeria.  There have been no  illnesses associated with the bread items.

This is an interesting case because it is rare that we find a bread item with microbiological pathogen issues, especially Listeria.   However, since this is a bread item with cheese, this is what makes it different than regular bread.  Being that the Canadian recall notice is chock full  of information...not really, we can only guess how the issue occurred.  From looking at the pic, it appears the bread was cooked, sliced, and then layered with cheese.  Then, to fix the cheese to the top of the bread, it was surface heated to a point where the cheese sticks on the bread but the bread is not reheated.   So if this is the case, either the cheese was contaminated before application (either as an incoming ingredient or by the application equipment) and then the organism survived because the fixing heat was no sufficient heat to destroy the organism.  If the cheese did receive sufficient heat, then there could have been a post-process contamination event where the cheese, now on the bread, was exposed to Listeria within the environment.  Perhaps the cheese wasn't heated at all, and was just added to warm bread, making the contamination event easier to  explain.

It is hard to see this as a high risk product from the standpoint that one would expect the water activity (Aw) or available moisture of the cheese to be high enough to support growth.

One question was whether this was frozen or refrigerated?  Freezing will prevent growth of Listeria and would also mean the product would have to probably be heated before eating.  Refrigerated cheesy bread would allow growth, but would also have a limited shelf-life.  

How did they find the contamination...were they testing, and if so, why?

Would love to hear any feedback on this one.

This has implications for retail and foodservice operations who make similar breaded products (or even RTE refrigerated pizza), store it and then sell it


CFIA Recall Notice
http://www.inspection.gc.ca/about-the-cfia/newsroom/food-recall-warnings/complete-listing/2014-03-21/eng/1395456066871/1395456090254?print=1#recall-photos
Food Recall Warning - Co-op and Market Town Co-op brands bakery products recalled due to Listeria
Recall date:    March 21, 2014
Reason for recall:    Microbiological - Listeria
Hazard classification: Class 1
Company / Firm:   Federated Co-Operatives Ltd.
Distribution: Alberta, British Columbia, Manitoba, Saskatchewan
Extent of the distribution: Retail
Reference number: 8723
Recall details

USDA Issues Alert for Meat Products from Canadian Firm XL Foods

USDA is expanding the health alert for beef products produced by a Canadian firm, XL foods. This product may have made its way to as many as 30 states and to a number of different retailers including Walmart and Safeway.

 The issue began as product samples tested at the US border were found to be E. coli O157:H7 positive. Increased testing by the US resulted in more positives and this resulted in a CFIA investigation followed by the plant recalling over 250 products.

 Also this week, steaks produced at the XL plant have been linked to 4 cases of E. coli infection in Canada. The XL steak product was purchased from Costco in Edmonton. It is interesting to note that the products were tenderized in-store by Costco. Tenderization, of course, will serve to drive any E. coli located on the surface of the steak down into the interior of the steak. Unfortunately, many people cook tenderized steaks as they would regular steaks, towards the rarer side. When cooked this way, there may be insufficient heat to destroy E. coli that had been pushed into the interior portion of the meat during tenderization. Tenderized steaks should be cooked to the same temperature as hamburger (consumer 160F, foodservice 155F).

While the CFIA has shut down the XL plant, there is criticism of the reaction time from when the first positive was seen until the time the recall took place – about 12 days. Another issue was the inaction of the plant during what is considered a high event period – a high event period is a time when higher levels of E. coli are found.


USDA News Release
FSIS Expands Public Health Alert for Imported Canadian Beef from XL Foodshttp://www.fsis.usda.gov/News_&_Events/NR_092812_01/index.asp

WASHINGTON, September 28, 2012 – The USDA's Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) is expanding the Public Health Alert for XL Foods (Canadian Establishment 038) to include all beef and beef products produced on August 24, 27, 28, 29 and September 5. FSIS was notified this evening that XL Foods has expanded their recall to include all beef and beef products produced on the above dates.

Information for Consumers

Because FSIS has been informed that all beef and beef products produced on the above dates are being recalled by XL Foods, the Agency is using this public health alert to make the public aware that these products are considered adulterated and should be returned to the place of purchase or destroyed. Products subject to the recall include, but are not limited to, steaks, roasts, mechanically tenderized steaks and roasts, and ground beef.

Additional information for consumers and an updated retail distribution list are posted on FSIS' website at www.fsis.usda.gov/