BROOKS, AB (NEWS1130) – The slaughterhouse at the centre of a massive E. coli scare is now allowed to partially re-open, but only under strict supervision.

You won’t be seeing any of its product on store shelves; no meat can leave the XL Foods facility in Brooks, Alberta until the Canadian Food Inspection Agency is satisfied an E. coli action plan has been fully implemented. However, since some deficiencies have been fixed, in-house cutting and processing can resume.

Dr. Harpreet Kocchar with the CFIA insists inspections will be enhanced and more frequent.

“We are in the process of deploying two additional inspectors who will focus on [overseeing] E. coli controls, sanitation, general food hygiene… and this is actually in addition to the 40 inspectors and six veterinarians already working full-time in the plant.”

“At this time, there is no timeline when it comes to ensuring consumer safety. The CFIA will take as long as necessary to confirm the safety of foods,” he adds.

Kocchar notes the plant will be immediately shut down if any problems reoccur.

Meanwhile, the office for BC’s medical health officer says it is probing whether other cases of E. coli in BC are linked to tainted beef from an XL Foods plant.

So far, there has been no confirmation of a second case, and the office is awaiting test results.

A man from Vancouver Island has since recovered after he became ill from tainted ground beef packaged at the Alberta facility.