Food Inspection Agency needs regulation changes says health officer

By Tyson Leonard

A local health official is calling for changes to how the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) handles food recalls.

Last week, Gorgonzola cheese was recalled in Belleville but one person still ended up in the hospital with a case of listeria. The cheese that caused the incident was relabelled and there was no way to tell it was part of the recall.

The Medical Officer of Health with the Hasting and Prince Edward Counties Health Unit, Dr. Richard Schabas, said the incident might have been avoided. He brought up the issue in a meeting with CFIA this week.

“What we want is a requirement that when a retailer re-labels foods that there be a mechanism for letting the public know, so that people who bought this food at least have an opportunity to know that they should be throwing it out,” said Schabas.

Schabas said the retailer acted correctly in this situation but without an avenue to report the relabelling it resulted in a dangerous situation.

“The CFIA is aware of this problem and they said that they are taking steps to fix it,” said Schabas.