The Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) announced a recall of beef products on the weekend because it may contain e.coli 0157:H7. This is just the latest food scare related to this deadly strain of e.coli – the same strain that killed seven people and sickened hundreds more in the Ontario town of Walkerton in 2000 when its drinking water became contaminated.
No matter how hard farmers, food processors, restaurants and consumers try to prevent this strain of e.coli from making people ill, no method is fool-proof. Trying to eliminate the source of the bacteria instead of merely treating the symptoms seems to me to be a much better option – and this is now possible thanks to the development of a vaccine against e.coli 0157:H7 by a Canadian company.
Belleville, Ontario-based Bioniche’s ground-breaking cattle vaccine will dramatically reduce the amount of the bacteria – which most frequently is shed by the animals in their manure – produced, thereby reducing the risk of people getting sick.
Problem is, the vaccine is fairly expensive and it seems unfair to me to saddle farmers – already struggling with high feed costs, a rising Canadian dollar and low prices – with yet another cost. This is especially true when you consider that this is something that will benefit every Canadian, as well as the millions of people around the world who eat Canadian beef.
E.coli-related illnesses cost the Canadian economy millions every year, so if ever there was a good news public health story for the government to support, this is it.
