Talk:2008 Canada listeriosis outbreak

Sterilize or Sanitize
The article refers to the Maple Leaf plant undergoing "sterilization". When I was trained as a professional brewer, I was told that sterilization of a plant was not possible, the best one could do was to sanitize. Sterilization is only possible in an autoclave that can achieve and maintain suitably high temperatures and pressures. The application of disinfectants can never sterilize, just reduce the bacteria count by many orders of magnitude.

Perhaps the article ought to be edited to use sanitize in place of sterilize? Gep3 (talk) 23:36, 26 August 2008 (UTC)

Epidemiology!
It seems that some epidiomilogical reasoning should be applied in this article as it seems completely absent from the "hysteria over listeria" happening in Canada. In the US death rates from listeriosis are 3 per million. If similar rates hold for Canada then we can expect 90 deaths a year. How many deaths have so far been recorded in Canada this year and why do we think the present so-called outbreak deviates from trend? Also, since the bacterium is UBIQUITOUS in the environment, why pin every single infection now on Maple leaf? —Preceding unsigned comment added by 72.138.7.77 (talk) 16:12, 31 August 2008 (UTC)

Un-updated info
The comfirmed deaths part should be updated! There should be more info about the outbreak on that part. —Preceding unsigned comment added by 99.250.198.100 (talk) 00:39, 10 October 2008 (UTC)

clarify
It is my understanding that Gerry Ritz is the Federal Agriculture Minister, it would be nice to specify this, in light of the extensive work the provincial govt had done 5 yrs before to protect public health. (after SARS) If appropriate, could the author add the word "federal" to his title. thank you. — Preceding unsigned comment added by 132.205.102.22 (talk) 18:22, 11 September 2012 (UTC)