Canadian health officials are considering sending inspectors to Italy to investigate a salmonella outbreak linked to mini pastries affecting dozens.
Montreal: The Canadian Food Inspection Agency is looking into a salmonella outbreak that has made at least 61 people sick in Canada. They might send inspectors to Italy to find out where the problem started.
Recently, they recalled a brand of Italian mini pastries that were served at various events and places like hospitals and retirement homes across several provinces. The Public Health Agency of Canada mentioned that more people could get sick since it usually takes a couple of weeks for symptoms to show up.
A food safety expert from the CFIA said they’ll decide on sending inspectors based on how widespread the pastries were in Canada and how cooperative the Italian manufacturers are with sharing their production records.
They want to figure out how the contamination happened, which means checking the cleaning and food handling practices at the factory. The pastries are made by Sweet Cream in Bellizzi, a town in southwestern Italy.
Meghan Griffin from the CFIA said if they find significant issues, sending inspectors might be necessary. Canadian officials have already informed Italy about the recall after the pastries were sold in provinces like Alberta, British Columbia, Quebec, and Ontario.
Out of the 61 reported cases, most were in Quebec and Ontario, with a few in British Columbia and Alberta. The company that imports these pastries has paused production and is working on retrieving the recalled items from customers.
They’ve shared documents showing that the pastries, which include various baked goods, were pasteurized. Inspectors will check if the pastries were heated to safe temperatures and whether salmonella could have contaminated them before or after that process.
Griffin pointed out that this recall is unrelated to another salmonella recall involving Canadian egg brands that happened around the same time. They’re looking into whether specific pastries were contaminated or if the entire batch was affected.
Imported foods must meet the same safety standards as Canadian products, including proper labeling. Among those who got sick, most were women, and 17 people ended up in the hospital. The ages of those affected range from three to 88 years old.
Salmonella can cause serious infections, especially in vulnerable groups like children, pregnant women, and the elderly. Healthy individuals might experience symptoms like fever, nausea, and diarrhea.
