The finding of listeria in a food plant may occur daily. The goal of a well designed program is to generate those findings, create data patterns for additional investigations and to use the results of these findings on a daily basis to eradicate it at the location in which it was found. The greater food safety risk to the Canadian public are those plants which are not finding positive results, largely due to the inexistence or lack of penetration of a properly designed testing program.

Recent evidence of routine detection of listeria at the Company's Coppola plant was evidence of a properly functioning protocol, with a successful outcome for food safety and the Canadian public. Additionally, this plant produces predominantly dry cured meats, which don't promote the growth of listeria so pose considerably low health risk according to Health Canada. There was and is no food safety risk to the public. The Company is working cooperatively with the CFIA, who have confirmed there is no food safety risk. There is no investigation underway; the CFIA is at the plant verifying and validating the unprecedented levels of data that Maple Leaf has shared.

"Our food safety protocols are working and we have implemented the highest food safety practices in Canada, well above government and industry standards," said Michael H. McCain, President and CEO. "The greatest risk to the Canadian food safety system is the multitude of Canadian plants which do not find positive test results simply because they don't test adequately. If you test, you will find and you can eradicate with the proper protocols. If you don't test, you won't find, but there will be no eradication which is the real food safety risk in this country."

Key features of the Maple Leaf enhanced environmental and product testing protocols include:

• A program of testing daily in plants, designed to find listeria that is known to always exist in a ready to eat food plant. It is at or above the most rigous testing protocol in North America.
  
  
• Over the past three months Maple Leaf has collected over 42,300 test results across its 24 packaged meat plants. This represents an average of 1,760 results per plant. This level of listeria testing is an unprecedented level of testing to provide an early warning system.
  
  
• The rate of positives tests across various plants is consistently less than 1 per cent, which is 50-80 per cent better than industry data available from the US.
  
  
• All test results are maintained in an analytical data base to monitor and review results constantly, and allow investigative analysis for patterns.
  
  
• The Company treats all positives in the most aggressive way possible to ensure the safety of our products. Tests detect any listeria species, which includes all six strains of the bacteria, even though only one strain (listeria monocytogenese) presents any risk to human health.
  
  
• Company operating, scientific and technical staff review test results and action plans daily across the entire network.
  
  
• Product quarantine procedures have been implemented to ensure product doesn't leave our plants if we any concerns.
  
  
• If early warning environmental testing systems indicate listeria at a plant location, we product test at statistically relevant levels to ensure the safety of the product.
  
  
• Maple Leaf's protocols are working and it has the highest food safety standards in Canada. It encourages ALL food processors across the country to match this level of rigour.

"Maple Leaf has implemented best practices of listeria testing and control in North America," said Randy Huffman, Chief Food Safety Officer. "While this provides an excellent early detection system, the Company's commitment to food safety will involve ongoing investment, training and adoption of global best practices."