Patients and visitors at Huronia District Hospital may have been exposed to the listeria bacteria at the centre of a huge product recall of Maple Leaf deli meats, says the North Simcoe Hospital Alliance.

In a press release issued Monday, the NSHA stated some of the recalled lots of deli meats were served at the Midland hospital prior to the notification by the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) and Maple Leaf Consumer Foods of the possible contamination of these products.

The hospital's food services department has determined that the potentially contaminated items included: deli-style roast beef, served to patients and in the hospital’s cafeteria on Aug. 10; corned beef served to patients and in the cafeteria on Aug. 15;  sliced salami served during the week of Aug. 11; hot Italian sausage served Aug. 22; and Bratwurst sausage served in July. As well, pepperoni was used regularly on pizza served at the hospital.

The hospital said it has no way of knowing if any of the deli meats served were actually contaminated.

All deli meats listed by the CIFA have been removed, and hospital officials say they are exercising extreme diligence in taking all of the necessary actions to address and respond to this issue.-