Skip to content

Maple Leaf meat recall a priority at Co-op

The Delmas Co-op in Masset had at least one potentially tainted Maple Leaf meat product on its deli shelves in August, says general manager Richard Clarmont, but staff removed and disposed of the items as soon as a national recall was announced.Mr. Clarmont said the Maple Leaf recall was a top priority for grocery managers and the Masset store got an immediate alert from its food manager in Edmonton. Since then, the recall has been expanded to include a long list of deli meat type products made at a Maple Leaf plant in Toronto. Across Canada, 12 deaths have been linked to the tainted meat and Maple Leaf has recalled all products made at the plant."As soon as the recall came out, we removed it and destroyed it," he said. The co-op disposed of the potentially tainted meat in its locked dumpsters to make sure no one could possibly get their hands on it.Mr. Clarmont said the incident had a noticeable effect on meat sales, with customers buying much less than normal in the week the recall was announced.Customers who want more information should check out the Canadian Food Inspection Agency website and the Maple Leaf Foods website, Mr. Clarmont said. Both websites have complete lists of the products which are part of the precautionary recall.At Bayview Market in Port Clements, owner Bev Lore said the store did not carry any of the recalled products. It does sell Maple Leaf hot dogs, but that product is not part of the recall. The only effect, she said, was that staff took the opportunity to completely sterilize the meat area and have fielded a few questions from shoppers."We assure them that we are watching it," Ms Lore said, adding that Bayview gets full information from its supplier every day. "Really, it didn't affect us."