B.C. meat plant covered up E. coli contamination

A meat processing plant in Pitt Meadows, B.C. will not be required to test for E. coli even though plant officials were recently caught covering up evidence of contaminated meat. While testing for E. coli is required for meat plants that are federally licensed by the Canadian Food Inspection Agency, provincial regulations are not mandated to do the same. A spokesman for the B.C. Centre for Disease Control says testing at provincial plants isn’t required because “the likelihood of finding a contaminated sample is very low.” Nevertheless, plant officials at the Pitt Meadows plant failed to report test results showing the presence of E. coli after an employee brought positive test results to their attention. After being told to stay silent about the results, the employee, whom company officials accuse of trying to “sabotage” the plant, contacted CBC News about the discovery.

CBC News