In light of a massive ready-to-eat food recall, Hamilton Public Health Services recommends residents dispose of any products that may be tainted with the bacteria Listeria monocytogenes, which has been found in an array of Maple Leaf Foods products.

To date, there have been 22 confirmed cases of illness directly related to the consumption of food contaminated with the bacteria. Twelve deaths have also been attributed to the outbreak, including that of an elderly Hamilton woman, while 17 other cases are currently under investigation.

The recall of tainted Maple Leaf products has not only affected local residents; some area restaurants have had to discontinue serving some menu items as a result of the outbreak.

At the recently-established Boston Pizza in Waterdown, franchise owner Graham Flint confirmed the restaurant did carry products manufactured at Maple Leaf’s Bartor Road establishment, which has been linked to the Listeria outbreak.

“We did have some product in the store that was from the plant in question,” said Flint. “Our roast beef was the only product that we had. We removed it and disposed of it.”

To ensure the food safety of its guests and employees, Boston Pizza has taken the appropriate steps to ensure that the possibly tainted foods were taken out of circulation. “So there is no possible way of any contamina- tion getting into our guests’ meals,” assured Flint.

As a brand, Boston Pizza has been working cooperatively with both the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) and Maple Leaf Foods as part of the voluntary recall of all meat products produced at the North York facility.

Mr. Sub in Waterdown , which served Maple Leaf roast beef and corned beef, has also been affected by the recall. According to restaurant owner Dan Kategiannis, the Hamilton Street North facility has pulled its roast and corned beef submarine sandwiches from the menu.

“A lot of people are still ordering roast beef or corned beef and we are basically telling them what’s going on,” said Kategiannis, explaining that all recalled products have been pulled and are slated to be picked up by distributors.

Tim Hortons’ slow roast beef is also included on the list of recalled products, but according to Rachel Douglas, Director of Public Affairs with the popular coffee chain, it “is not a product that is being served right now.”

According to the Tim Hortons website, no other Tim Hortons products are affected by the recall and the sale of slow roast beef ended in July. The website also advises customers that the slow roast beef is not a ready-to-eat product and is subject to a high cooking temperature of about 165 degrees Fahrenheit, which destroys any bacteria of concern.

Boston Pizza has taken advantage of the recent recall to remind staff of the importance of food safety procedures.

“We take food safety very, very seriously,” said Flint, explaining that the Boston Pizza kitchen undergoes a thorough cleaning and sterilization process every evening to ensure the eatery is in sanitary condition.

According to a recent media release, Maple Leaf has been advised that only products manufactured on lines eight and nine have shown positive test results for Listeria monocytogenes. To err on the side of caution, the company has issued a voluntary recall of 100 per cent of the products produced at the facility, which is identified as establishment number 97B on packaged foods, stamped near the best before date.

The City of Hamilton’s Public Health Services has defined Listeriosis as a severe but rare infection caused by the consumption of the Listeria monocytogenes bacteria from contaminated foods. Common implicated foods include unpasteurized milk and dairy products as well as foods contaminated after processing such as cold cuts and deli meats.

Although food contaminated with the bacteria may not smell or look spoiled, the bacteria can proliferate even if the food is stored in the refrigerator. According to the Public Health Agency of Canada, symptoms of illness include persistent fever, severe headaches, neck stiffness, nausea and vomiting. It can take up to 90 days before those affected show any symptoms.

“With the gestation period of this thing, it is going to be interesting to see it all unfold,” predicted Flint.

Those most vulnerable to illness from consuming tainted foods are the very young, the elderly, pregnant women and individuals with weakened immune systems. The Public

Health Agency of Canada notes that for most people, the risk posed by Listeria is very low. A list of recalled products is available on the Maple Leaf website, www.mapleleaf.com.