5-26 news: Canadian union says there aren't enough food inspectors
"It's just not possible to verify that safety rules are being followed in Canadian processed meat facilities," said union president Bob Kingston, according to Canwest News Service. Kingston and three inspectors are testifying at a parliamentary probe into the listeriosis outbreak at Maple Leaf Foods last year.
Kingston estimated that ready-to-eat plants require inspectors to spend about 800 hours a year (out of 1,900 estimated work hours) to complete all the tasks specified by Canada's new Compliance Verification System. He said that the new inspection system is so time consuming that inspectors are spending less time on the plant floor observing employee behavior and monitoring sanitary conditions.