At the present time, the Public Health Agency of Canada has documented 84 cases of salmonellosis presumably due to S. Enteritidis (SE).  After extensive investigation it was determined that the vehicle of infection was frozen whole kernel corn.  Early in the outbreak, avocados were implicated based on recollections by patients.

The Canadian Food Inspection Agency has issued food recall warnings for Alasko brand corn distributed in four western provinces and in Quebec. This outbreak illustrates the wide range of food products other than eggs that are associated with SE foodborne infection.

Frequently it is difficult to determine the vehicle of infection in outbreaks involving a limited number of patients spread over a wide area.  Premature and incorrect disclosure of a food as a vehicle of infection may have serious implications for producers.  This was the case in 2008 when tomatoes from Florida and Georgia were incorrectly implicated by the FDA in an outbreak of Salmonella Saintpaul resulting in widespread rejection of the late spring crop with severe losses for producers and distributors.