Plant-based milk facility did not follow protocols to prevent Listeria contamination, CFIA says

A facility producing plant-based milks linked to a deadly Listeria outbreak was not properly following Health Canada's policy on preventing contamination, officials said on Tuesday.

Three Canadians died in the listeriosis outbreak associated with certain Silk and Great Value plant-based beverages.

The Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) said Joriki, a third-party facility used by plant milk manufacturer Danone Canada, was not considered high-risk before the contamination.

But when Public Health Ontario informed CFIA of a listeriosis outbreak and detected the microbe in a sample of Silk unsweetened coconut milk, CFIA said it worked to confirm the link between the product, illnesses and deaths.

As part of the recall process that started in July, CFIA made six visits to the Joriki plant in Pickering, Ont., while verifying that affected products were pulled from the market.

"During the course of its investigation, the CFIA discovered that the facility did not properly implement environmental swabbing and finished product testing in adherence to Health Canada's policy on Listeria monocytogenes in ready-to-eat foods, which is why the CFIA is closely following up to ensure corrective actions are completed and necessary safety measures are in place," the agency said in a statement.

Production at the Pickering plant has stopped and cleanup and renovations are underway. "Manufacturing will not resume until all necessary safety measures are in place, and until we are confident that the risk of contamination has been eliminated," the CFIA said.

Following question period, Health Minister Mark Holland called it a tragedy, saying any time there's a death as a result of problems in the food supply, it's unacceptable. 

Holland noted a three-year survey by CFIA of plant-based milk alternatives found them to be a low risk for Listeria. 

"Just because something is low-risk is not an excuse not to be adherent to those policies," Holland said. 

The science on what's safe can change, he said.

"With respect to Listeria in plant-based products, it flips the board and makes us realize that we have to be much more vigilant."

Listeria is typically linked to ready-to-eat meats and unpasteurized dairy products. CFIA called this the first time plant-based beverages have been linked to illness in Canada.

Holland said when a company doesn't adhere to Health Canada's policy on the microbe it jeopardizes both human health and Canada's reputation for food safety.