The Canadian Food Inspection Agency says an Ontario facility producing plant-based milks was not adhering to Health Canada’s policies on listeria prevention prior to an outbreak that led to three deaths.

The federal agency says the facility was not properly conducting environmental swabbing and finished product testing for listeria prior to a national recall of several Silk and Great Value plant-based milk products on July 8.

The CFIA says Joriki, a third-party facility in Pickering, Ont., used by plant milk manufacturer Danone Canada, was not considered “high risk” prior to the contamination.

However, it did visit the plant in response to consumer complaints about allergens and mould beginning in 2018.

Health Minister Mark Holland called the outbreak a “tragedy,” and noted it’s the first time plant-based beverages have been linked to listeria illness in Canada.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Oct. 29, 2024.