The union representing employees at the XL Foods facility in Brooks, Alberta, confirmed that the facility is shipping beef for the first time since a widespread E. coli outbreak led to the plant’s closure in September. The shipments include a full range of products, reports CTV News.

"They are shipping product to retailers," Doug O'Halloran of the United Food and Commercial Workers union said Thursday. "The people they were supplying before, I think they are loyal, their customers are going to come back. That is a good sign."

The one major change is that the beef is being packaged under the JBS brand. The Greely, Colo. Processor took over management of the plant from XL Foods last month.

Canadian Food Inspection Agency officials were not immediately available for comment on the shipments. The agency would only say that beef slaughtered at the plant has been tested for E. coli and held at the facility until it is found to be acceptable.

"Once products are found to be negative for E. coli, they are allowed to enter the marketplace," a CFIA official wrote in an email.

Source: CTV News