Maple Leaf Foods recalled ready-to-eat foods in 2008 after a Listeria outbreak killed 22 people in Canada.
The outbreak was linked to products made at Maple Leaf’s Bartor Road plant in Toronto. Investigators identified Listeria monocytogenes in the facility and connected the illness to processed meats, including deli meats and luncheon products.
Maple Leaf issued a broad recall and temporarily closed and sanitized the plant. The company’s president, Michael McCain, made a widely publicized apology, while Canadian authorities reviewed food-safety procedures and inspection practices.
The death toll is commonly reported as 22, although many more people became ill. The incident is distinct from later Listeria recalls involving cheese, ice cream, or vegetables; its central products were ready-to-eat processed meats.