In what could be a first for the North American food industry, Maple Leaf Foods said Wednesday it has appointed a chief food safety officer in the aftermath of a deadly listeria outbreak that originated at one of its meat plants.

Randall Huffman, who has a PhD in meat and animal science, and is currently the president of the American Meat Institute, will move into the new job on Jan. 5, the company said.

Michael McCain, the CEO of Maple Leaf Foods, is shown at a news conference in August 2008. (Canadian Press)

"I think we're the first in Canada and … possibly in North America to have that role inside a major food company," Maple Leaf president and CEO Michael McCain said Wednesday.

Huffman will be responsible for spearheading Maple Leaf's food safety and quality programs across the country, and will report to McCain.

In August, Maple Leaf Foods closed a Toronto meat processing plant temporarily after a listeriosis outbreak was traced back to the facility. In the end, 20 people died from the infection and approximately 4,000 became ill from consuming tainted meat.

When the company re-opened the Toronto plant on Sept. 17, it announced several measures to prevent a similar outbreak in the future, including the appointment of a food safety chief.

"We experienced a very deep tragedy in what occurred a few months ago and took responsibility for that outcome," McCain said.

"Part of that responsibility is [to] develop an action plan looking forward."

Huffman will also help set up a food safety advisory council at Maple Leaf. It will consist of a team of international microbiologists, public health specialists and food safety experts to guide the company in its operations.

On Oct. 29, Maple Leaf said the crisis cost the company $14 million in terms of plant cleanup and lost sales through adverse publicity. The company lost $12.9 million in the third quarter as a result of the outbreak.

Maple Leaf is still not shipping food from two production lines within the plant affected by the recall after the facility underwent an intensive sanitization following the outbreak, McCain said Wednesday.

With files from the Canadian Press