Increase seems to be linked to new Food Safety Act regulations.   Ottawa—A dramatic increase in recalls of meat recalls ordered by the Canadian Food Inspection Agency over concerns about E. coli 0157 contamination has food processors looking for answers. For the month of October, about three quarters of the more 40 recalls announced by the CFIA were meat products, mostly classed as raw beef and veal. In the past there might have been one or two a month. Marie-France Mackinnon, Vice President of the Canadian Meat Council (CMC), said it appears the spike in recalls has followed the implementation of the Safe Food for Canadians regulations earlier this year. “There have been more recalls in the meat industry; we are not sure if this is a coincidence. “Currently, CMC is working with government to identify the systemic causes of those meat recalls and what are the lessons learnt from those to avoid new recalls in the meat sector. CMC is surprised to see this unusual trend of meat recalls, as in past years, red meat recalls were rarely occurring.” Meat companies have a well-known food safety process they must follow and if there is a breach somewhere in the verification process that can trigger a recall “even if there is no obvious positive contamination result.” The number of recalls is also puzzling because E. coli 157 is destroyed during proper cooking and many of the CFIA's notices say that no illnesses have been reported with the recalls. MacKinnon said, “Food safety is the first priority of the meat industry, which has been and continues to be the most regulated food sector.” Under the current and the previous food safety regulations, meat processors strove to minimize food safety risks by following good manufacturing practices and the use of antimicrobial interventions. They also establish and maintain a Preventive Control Plan (PCP) and supporting records and provide written documents and records to CFIA inspectors upon request. They also develop and implement corrective actions in a timely manner when issues are identified and reported any food safety issues to CFIA. The companies are subjected to CFIA sampling and testing to verify the effectiveness of industry controls and to comply with regulations, she said. Many of the recalls involve Ryding-Regency Meat Packers of Toronto whose license was suspended by the CFIA in September for “for non-compliances related to control measures.” A regular target of vegan activists, the slaughterhouse's products were ordered recalled because of E. coli 157 contamination. The company has not issued any statements about its future plans although its shutdown has increased the capacity pressure on the province's other slaughterhouses. Alex Binkley is a freelance journalist and writes for domestic and international publications about agriculture, food and transportation issues. He's also the author of two science fiction novels with more in the works.