Canada’s Risky Business

Carly Weeks, The Ottawa Citizen

Published: Tuesday, August 07, 2007

Up to 13 million Canadians, more than 40 per cent of the population, will suffer from food-borne illnesses this year, an epidemic that medical experts say costs up to $1.3 billion annually in lost productivity and medical expenses….

The Canadian farmer’s lament

Rules abound and spot checks are common — but for his competitors, maybe not

Carly Weeks, The Ottawa Citizen

Published: Wednesday, August 08, 2007

Second of Three Parts
Special Report - From Farm to Table: How Safe Is Your Food?

Andy Terauds runs his 100-acre farm at Carp like the captain of a ship. Neat rows with dozens of varieties of lettuce, strawberries, onions and nearly 60 other crops are planted and picked by hand. Irrigation tubes connected to a small pond run through fields of pumpkins and squash insulated by sheets of clear plastic to provide the optimal growing temperature….

Safety of meats has been assured — but at a cost

Carly Weeks, The Ottawa Citizen
Published: Wednesday, August 08, 2007

OTTAWA - The federal government has issued nearly 90 food recalls and alerts so far this year - and only four involved meat contaminated with potentially dangerous bacteria.
Many people think of tainted meat when they hear food poisoning horror stories. In reality, federal health officials say they’re actually becoming more worried about the risks presented by contaminated fruits and vegetables….