The Canadian Food Inspection Agency has widened the area of its alert for a number of Olymel’s processed meat products that may carry listeria.
Montreal-based Olymel voluntarily began recalling the affected products last month; the CFIA issued its initial public warning Dec. 22 and expanded the warning eastward in a release Tuesday.
The products are “known to have been distributed in Ontario and Quebec,” CFIA wrote. However, it added Tuesday, the listed products carrying the Olymel brand may also have been distributed in New Brunswick and Nova Scotia.
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The recall includes products from lot number 9329, with best-before dates in early to mid-January. CFIA’s warning covers Olymel Extra Lean Cooked Ham (200-gram and family pack sizes), Lafleur Extra Lean Cooked Ham (200 g), Roma “family pack” pepperoni (620 g), Olymel Mock-Chicken Meat Loaf (family pack size) and Royal brand “duo packs” of bologna and mock chicken meat loaf, chopped cooked ham and mock chicken meat loaf and “club format maxi” chopped cooked ham and mock chicken meat loaf.
Food contaminated with listeria monocytogenes may not look or smell spoiled, CFIA said. Consumption of food contaminated with these bacteria may cause listeriosis, a foodborne illness with symptoms such as high fever, severe headache, neck stiffness and nausea. The elderly and people with weakened immune systems are particularly at risk.
Pregnant women infected with listeriosis may experience only mild “flu-like” illness but infections during pregnancy can lead to premature delivery, infection of a newborn, or even stillbirth.
No reported illnesses to date have been associated with consumption of the affected products, CFIA said.
