The Public Health Agency of Canada says the listeria outbreak hitting Canada is linked to the Maple Leaf Foods meat recall, an announcement made hours before the company decided to recall all products produced at its Toronto facility.

Two of three meat samples tested by authorities have been matched to a strain of bacteria linked to the listeriosis outreak. A third sample had a close match, but it wasn't exact.

"While these results are highly significant and indicate the investigation is on the right path, the investigation is not complete," Canadian Food Inspection Agency spokesman Garfield Balsam told a news conference Saturday night.

Additional tests on other food samples will be needed to further advance the investigation, he says.

Agriculture Minister Gerry Ritz says the positive test results help narrow down the source of the bacteria.

Three people in Ontario and one in British Columbia have been killed from the outbreak.

Maple Leaf Foods has responded by ordering a massive recall of all their products produced at the Toronto plant.

Michael McCain, head of Maple Leaf Foods, says the expanded recall is precautionary. He says he expects the expanded recall will be implemented by early Sunday morning.

A spokesperson for the company says it has a full-time inspector on site, and the company has an excellent safety record.

The company's Toronto plant is undergoing three separate disinfecting procedures and will reopen on Monday. About 250 workers have been temporarily laid off.

So far, there are 21 confirmed cases across Canada with 16 cases in Ontario.

Public health officials expect the number of cases to continue growing over the next few weeks since listeriosis has an incubation period of up to 70 days.

Before the recall, Toronto Public Health had warned long-term care facilities not to use certain meat products, Dr. Dubey says.

A surveillance alert has been sent to hospitals and long term care facilities to make them aware of the outbreak. Day care centres and small delis have been contacted as well.

Dr. Dubey says there is no vaccine to prevent listeriosis.

Grocery stores across the country began pulling Maple Leaf meat products from store shelves on Tuesday after the company issued its first recall related to the outbreak. The recall expanded to 23 products.

The brands initially affected in the recall include Schneider, Sure Slice and Burns -- all with the establishment number 97-B printed on the labels.

Listeriosis is a rare but potentially serious food-borne illness. Its symptoms include high fever, severe headache, neck stiffness and nausea. Pregnant women, the elderly and people with weakened immune systems are particularly at risk.

The incubation period for the infection is from three to 70 days, with an average incubation period of three weeks.

Saturday morning, the CFIA warned consumers about another possible listeria tainted product. The public is being told not to eat Shopsy's deli-fresh Classic Reuben sandwiches, which were sold in a 180 gram package with best before dates of up to and including August 22 and August 24. The agency says it is being pulled from shelves because it contains sliced corned beef, which is one of the deli meats recalled by Maple Leaf Foods. 

Products initially listed in the recall, including individual product codes and best-before dates, is as follows:
  • Shopsy's deli-fresh Classic Reuben sandwiches, UPC 7 76393 17001 8 Aug.22 and Aug. 24.

  • 26365, Sliced Cooked Turkey Breast, 470 grams, Sept. 30;

  • 02106, Schneiders Bavarian Smokies, 1 kilogram, Oct. 28

  • 02126, Schneiders Cheddar Smokies, 1 kilogram, Oct. 28

  • 21333, Sure Slice Roast Beef, 1 kilogram, Sept. 30

  • 21388, Sure Slice Combo Pack, 1 kilogram, Sept. 30

  • 60243, Deli Gourmet Roast Beef slices, 1 kilogram, Sept. 30

  • 02356, Seasoned Cooked Roast Beef, 500 grams, Oct. 7

  • 42706, Roast Beef, Seasoned and Cooked, 500 grams, Oct. 7

  • 21334, Sure Slice Turkey Breast Roast, 1 kilogram, Oct. 14

  • 21444, Sure Slice Corned Beef, 1 kilogram, Oct. 14

  • 44938, Montreal Style Corned Beef, 500 grams, Oct. 14

  • 21440, Sure Slice Black Forest Style Ham, 1 kilogram, Oct. 21

  • 21447, Sure Slice Salami, 1 kilogram, Oct. 21

  • 21331, Sliced Smoked Ham, 1 kilogram, Oct, 21

  • 48019, Deli Shaved Corned Beef, 200 grams, Oct 21

  • 48020, Schneiders Deli Shaved Smoked Meat, 200 grams, Oct 21

  • 48016, Deli Shaved Smoked Ham, 200 grams, Oct 21

  • 48018, Deli Shaved Smoked Turkey Breast,150 grams, Oct 21

  • 48017, Deli Shaved Fully Cooked Smoked Honey Ham, 200 grams, Oct 21

  • 21360, Bites Pepperoni, 500 grams, Jan 1, 2009

  • 99158, Turkey Breast Roast, 1 kilogram, Sept 30

  • 71330, Roast Beef Cooked, Seasoned, Sept 30

  • 71331, Corned Beef, Smoked Meat, Sept 30;

The products in the recall have best before dates ranging from September 30 to January 1, 2009.


For public inquires on listeriosis call the Service Ontario, INFOline at 1-866-532-3161

Contaminated meat may not look or smell spoiled. For more information call Maple Leaf Consumer Foods at 1-800-568-5801.

With files from The Canadian Press