N.L. stores remove recalled meat

Grocery stores, fast food joints and delicatessens in Newfoundland and Labrador have pulled thousands of dollars worth of meat products from their shelves and menus following the Listeria monocytogenes outbreak at a Maple Leaf foods plant in Ontario last week.

Justin Canam, meat cutter at Coleman's grocery store in Mount Pearl, said a large part of his day is now spent talking to customers concerned about the bacteria and listeriosis, the sickness it can cause, and who are returning meat products.

"We get plenty of phone calls on a daily basis. And lots of customers come in and ask and wonder what's still OK," Canam said. "It's getting worse by the day.… There's a few dozen every day brought back."

Coleman's has pulled 35 products, about $5,000 to $10,000 worth, from its shelves since the recall.

Extreme Pita, a fast food sandwich store with several outlets in the St. John's area, as well as McDonald's restaurants, have removed some meat sandwiches from their menus. Deli counters in stores such as Marie's Mini Mart outlets have stopped selling some roast beef and bologna.

Health officials, stores acted quickly

The medical officer for Labrador Grenfell Health said health officials and store operators in Labrador were quick to act as soon as Maple Leaf Foods announced the recall.

"We have been pretty vigilant and getting to the public and food services ahead of time to try and remove products from the shelves, so I think the risk overall is low for this area," Dr. Muna ar-Rushdi told CBC News.

In Happy Valley-Goose Bay, customers and shop owners say they aren't too worried about the recall and listeriosis outbreak.

In the meat room in North Mart, workers put a couple of dozen boxes of recalled meat toward the back of the cold room.

"Everything was pulled off our shelves at 9 a.m. before our customers started shopping, and everything has been boxed, taped and labelled not to put onto a sales floor," North Mart Manager Dave Pelly said.

Meanwhile, shoppers said the recall isn't having much of an effect on them. Bill Ramey said living in Labrador allows him to eat other kinds of meat.

"I eat a lot of wild meat and game," Ramey said. "I don't think that food is too healthy for you to tell you the truth. I do eat the occasional hot dog and the occasional steak, but not much."

No reported N.L. cases

There have been no reported cases of listeriosis in the province since the recall. However, contaminated meat has lead to 26 confirmed cases of listeriosis in people across the country, and 12 people have died as of Tuesday morning. Canada's Health Minister Tony Clement said Sunday that the number of suspected and confirmed cases is expected to increase in the coming weeks because of the bacterium's 70-day incubation period.

Symptoms of listeriosis include vomiting, nausea and diarrhea.

Provincial health officials said that the people most at risk are the sick, elderly, pregnant women and young children.