Meat packer in Alberta loses license over E. coli contamination

Canada’s food inspection agency temporarily suspended XL Foods’ licence to operate a meat processing plant in Brooks late Thursday because it had failed to correct problems that led to tainted beef ending up on grocery shelves and restaurant tables across the continent. The Canadian Food Inspection Agency’s decision came as the U.S expanded its recall of beef from XL Foods Inc. to 30 states and questions about the slowness of authorities to react to evidence of a food safety crisis were raised on both sides of the border. The agency said in a release that information provide by the company on Sept. 26 and gathered through inspector oversight showed the company — one of the country’s largest meat packers — had not corrected deficiencies identified during a recent on-site review. Until the problems are fixed and management presents acceptable plans to fix longer-term issues, the food inspection agency said the plant will not be allowed to resume operations...more