February 2011
Rose Haus Advisory Update
To our customers and stakeholders:
In the past week, we learned through routine testing that Listeria was detected at low levels in 2/5 samples of cheese tested. So we have conducted extensive finished product testing of our washed rind cheeses in the past few days. The outcome of that process was we learned that 3/15 wheels of Rose Haus (lot # 400411) tested positive for detection of Listeria. We immediately contacted the 5 customers who have received this lot of Rose Haus cheese and asked them to dispose of them. While some of the cheese from this lot has been eaten (including by several of us at the dairy), no one has reported any illness. (see more details)
The scope of the Rose Haus issue is as follows: A total of of 253 (200grams per unit or 50.6 kilos) were made. 120 pieces of this lot of Rose Haus were shipped out to these 5 wholesale customers during week of Jan 25th-Feb 7th. One was eaten by FT team for lunch (we always eat our own cheese before releasing a new batch to make sure they taste great). We had 132 left at the dairy and they are in the process of being destroyed. As mentioned, some of the cheese shipped out will have been eaten of course. However, it is important to also note that the contamination level was very low (under 100 cfu/g) and that at this level, it is unlikely to but MAY cause a health risk as noted by the CFIA alert.
Meanwhile, the FT team is working closely and collaboratively with CFIA to identify cause and eliminate it. At the moment it appears to be a “spot” flare up and we thankfully caught it early on. We have been reviewing protocols and cleaning extensively since learning of this issue and will be sending more washed rinds out for testing on Monday to make sure we have eradicated any trace of the bacteria and that future batches of Rose Haus and all other cheeses are clear. If those results come back negative, we will then be confident that we have solved the problem.
Listeria is a serious food borne pathogen and as many of you are aware, flare ups have been happening frequently in the food industry over the past 3 years. To see for yourself, you can visit the CFIA website and type in Listeria. This pathogen lives in the environment and working to prevent contamination through solid cleaning and sanitation protocols are sometimes not enough. We are however pleased that routine testing is what identified the problem, as opposed to someone becoming ill (and no one has become ill).
As those of us in the food business know (restaurants, farms, processors, distributors and retailers), the food industry is not for the faint of heart. Our impact on health and wellness is significant. And while contaminations can occur, I know that we and our colleagues in the industry all work incredibly hard to make sure our products are safe for consumption every day. The food industry is one of he most regulated sectors in our economy with good reason. But sometimes this happens despite best efforts, protocols and intentions. And when it does, it is our job to deal with it fast and decisively and minimize impact.
We recognise this will be a significant set back for the dairy and all the farms, staff, and businesses we support. We will do our best to try to regain and earn your confidence again through transparent and regular communications around this issue.
We hope you will continue to support the FT community in the future.
If you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to call me directly at 613-476-5755 or email .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address)
Sincerely,
Petra Kassun-Mutch