Maple Leaf Foods voluntarily recalled five ham products last week after syringe casings were found at a meat processing plant in Kitchener, Ont.
“The recall was initiated based on a syringe casing found visibly embedded in a ham found as part of routine visual product inspection,” said a corporate News release
news.
Maple Leaf said the syringe casings were found on three separate occasions at the Kitchener facility between Oct. 24 and Nov. 3.
Tests showed the syringes found on Oct. 24 and Nov. 3 contained a saline solution. Saline is mix of salt and sterile water.
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The syringe found Nov. 2 contained a residual amount of Heparin Lock Flush Solution. Heparin is a blood thinner with a wide variety of medical applications including heart surgery, organ transplants and the treatment of blood clots.
None of the products prepared on Nov. 2 or 3 were delivered to stores or left Maple Leaf’s possession, and all recalled products have been pulled from store shelves, the company said.
Products recalled include:
- ½ Kent Smoked Hams (approx. 2.2 lb.), best before date Jan. 1.
- 125 gram Schneider’s Lifestyle Fat Free Cooked Ham Sliced, best before dates of Dec. 29 and Jan. 4.
- 125 gram Schneider’s Lifestyle Fat Free Turkey & Ham Sliced, best before date Dec. 30.
- 125 gram Schneider’s Lifestyle Fat Free Smoked Ham, best before date Dec. 29.
None of the tampered products have been found at the retail level, and the situation continues to be monitored, said the Canadian Food Inspection Agency’s website.
“We’ve had no reported illnesses whatsoever with the product,” said CFIA spokesperson Garfield Balsom.
The CFIA and Maple Leaf are looking into the tampering, and local police have started an investigation.
