Editorial: A Word of Warning

Health Canada notes on its website that at-risk groups should avoid unsteamed deli meats, non-dried or salted deli meats, refrigerated pâté or meat spreads, and “hot dogs, especially straight from the package without further heating. The fluid within hot dog packages may contain more Listeria than the hot dogs.” At-risk groups it identifies are pregnant women and their unborn/newborn children, the elderly, and “people with weakened immune systems, such as those undergoing chemotherapy, transplant patients, those with HIV, diabetics and alcoholics.”

However, Weatherill acknowledged that “the majority of Canadians were unaware of which segments of the population were at greater risk of becoming ill if exposed to this deadly bug, and Canadians were also unaware of what food vulnerable people should avoid.” As a result, the report states: “There is a strong argument for public education programs to raise awareness about the disease and its transmission. Information geared to members of high-risk groups or those who care for them is especially important. With some exceptions, public education efforts to raise awareness about listeriosis were minimal when the crisis struck.” This led to the recommendation that Health Canada promote health education targeting vulnerable populations, such as the elderly, pregnant women and the immuno-compromised. And, it notes, point-of-sale warning labels are not unheard of – in the U.K. a “traffic light warning” system identifies “which products are safe, those that require caution and those that should be avoided by certain populations.”

The report doesn’t go so far as to advise establishing warning labels, but taking a proactive and visible role in educating the public would go a long way for the food industry in gaining greater consumer credibility. After all, baked goods generally served to children now routinely list the presence of nuts in products, thereby warning of potentially fatal food allergy reactions. And many foods list Glycemic Index ratings for consumers with diabetes, thereby leading them away from possibly hazardous foods. Like the U.K.’s traffic light program, which is really a part of a larger initiative designed to help consumers make smarter dietary decisions, and our own Nutrition Labelling, warnings are simply a method of conveying more health information. Remember, ensuring the public is safe when they consume Canadian food products should be everyone’s number-1 priority.