There has been an outbreak of a food-borne illness in several provinces, including Saskatchewan. The outbreak is caused by the bacterium Listeria monocytogenes, commonly known as Listeria. The Ministry of Health, in conjunction with the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA), is requesting your assistance to ensure that food products that pose a risk to spread this illness are taken out of circulation and disposed of.

The recall includes ready-to-eat meat products produced by Maple Leaf Foods.

• For a complete list of the recalled products, please visit the CFIA website at www.inspection.gc.ca or call 1-800-442-2342.
• Note that not all of the products will indicate Maple Leaf in their packaging.

The Ministry of Health, regional health authorities and other ministries are helping the CFIA ensure that these products are removed from hospitals, nursing homes and other care facilities and to coordinate notification of targeted facilities with vulnerable populations, such as day care facilities.

If you find you have purchased products on this list, or items prepared with these products, you are advised to:

• Throw the product away in a manner to ensure that it cannot be consumed by others.
• If you have questions about the products you have purchased, contact the retail location from which you purchased it.
• If you have purchased a large quantity that cannot be easily disposed of, return it to the retail location or supplier you bought it from.

If you have any additional questions about Listeria, contact your local public health office.

(Alert updated August 26 and September 5, 2008.)