A salmonella outbreak has sickened at least 61 people in Canada, with the majority of those affected being female. The outbreak, which spans across various provinces, has hospitalized 17 individuals, affecting a wide age range from three to 88 years old. This health crisis has been traced back to an imported brand of Italian mini-pastries distributed in several provinces, including Quebec, Ontario, British Columbia, and Alberta.
The Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) promptly responded by recalling the implicated pastries on Saturday. These recalls involve 12 varieties of baked goods such as berry tarts and lemon cream puffs, all of which were reportedly pasteurized according to documents from the manufacturer. Despite this, the evidence points to these pastries as the source of the outbreak. Notably, this situation is unrelated to another recent salmonella recall involving Canadian egg brands, with the timing of these events being purely coincidental.
The CFIA is currently deliberating on potentially dispatching inspectors to Italy to further investigate the source of the outbreak. The decision will depend on several factors, including the extent of the manufacturer's distribution network in Canada and the level of cooperation from Italian authorities. Meghan Griffin highlighted the potential need for such measures, stating:
“If there’s some huge gaps that are found there, and then it turns out to be a bigger issue, I think it’s always a possibility that we may have to go,” – Meghan Griffin
Meanwhile, Sweet Cream, the manufacturer responsible for these pastries, has paused production and is actively retrieving the recalled products from Canadian consumers. The company is collaborating with authorities to address the situation and prevent further cases of illness.
There remains a possibility that more individuals could report illnesses due to the typical two-to-seven-week delay before an infected person seeks medical attention and confirms their illness. Health officials are urging anyone who may have consumed these pastries and is experiencing symptoms to contact a healthcare provider promptly.
