Food Safety

Frequently Asked Questions about Food Safety:

Can I prepare and sell food from my home?

All food sold in Canada must comply with the requirements of the Food and Drugs Act and the Consumer Packaging and Labelling Act and their related regulations. You can access the Food and Drugs Act, Consumer Packaging and Labelling Act and other legislation enforced by the CFIA at: https://www.inspection.gc.ca/about-cfia/acts-and-regulations/eng/1299846777345/1299847442232. You can review labelling related requirements in the Canadian Food Inspection Agency`s Guide to Food Labelling and Advertising.

Before beginning a home-based food business, you should verify municipal and provincial licensing requirements. Health related requirements may also be regulated by your local health authority or board of health. The authorities who are responsible for restaurant and food service inspection in Canada are also generally responsible for inspecting home food businesses.

How can I access information about the latest food recalls?

See the Canadian Food Inspection Agency INDEX OF FOOD RECALLS.

How do I report a potential food safety incident?

If you believe a product presents a health and safety risk, you can report a potential food safety incident to the CFIA:

• by contacting an area recall coordinator – https://www.inspection.gc.ca/food-safety-for-industry/information-for-consumers/report-a-concern/eng/1364500149016/1364500195684
• through the Internet at cfiamaster@inspection.gc.ca
• by telephone at 1-800-442-2342

If you suspect that your health has been compromised because of food, contact your family physician or local health authority who will follow-up with the appropriate treatment. You can report any concerns about restaurant food to your local inspection authority. If they determine that food appears to be the likely cause of illness, they will contact the CFIA to initiate an investigation.

What are the regulations regarding genetically engineered foods?

See the Canadian Food Inspection Agency REGULATION OF BIOTECHNOLOGY IN CANADA;

BIOTECHNOLOGY;

Health Canada NOVEL FOODS AND INGREDIENTS – Regulations; and

Heatlh Canada GENETICALLY MODIFIED FOODS.

What does the CFIA do?

CFIA delivers 14 inspection programs related to foods, plants and animals across Canada. Our role is to enforce the food safety and nutritional quality standards established by Health Canada and, for animal health and plant protection, to set standards and carry out enforcement and inspection.

Activities range from the inspection of federally-registered meat processing facilities to border inspections for foreign pests and diseases, to the enforcement of practices related to fraudulent labelling. We also verify the humane transportation of animals, conduct food investigations and recalls, perform laboratory testing and environmental assessments of seeds, plants, feeds and fertilizers.

We regulate the import, export and domestic movement of horticulture, forestry and plan tproducts where they are regulated. We also work with exotic pest introductions and the control or eradication of quarantine pests. In a nutshell, were Canadas federal food safety, animal health and plant protection enforcement agency.

What food products can I bring into Canada?

It depends where you are coming from. For more information, please see the publication What Can I Bring into Canada?

What is HACCP or Hazard Analysis Critical Control Point System?

See CFIA`s FOOD SAFETY ENHANCEMENT PROGRAM.

What is the CFIA`s role in labelling?

The Canadian Food Inspection Agency is responsible for the administration of food labelling policies related to misrepresentation and fraud in respect to food labelling, packaging and advertising (Food and Drugs Act), and the general agri-food and fish labelling provisions respecting grade, quality and composition, (Canada Agricultural Products Act, Meat Inspection Act and Fish Inspection Act). In addition, responsibility for the administration of the food related provisions of the Consumer Packaging and Labelling Act, including basic food label information, net quantity, metrication and bilingual labelling was transferred to the CFIA from Industry Canada in 1999.

The Canadian Food Inspection Agency is also responsible for the enforcement of all of the above requirements at all trade levels.

Health Canada is responsible for the administration of health and safety standards and the development of food labelling policies related to health and nutrition under the Food and Drugs Act.

For more information on labelling, check out the CFIA’s Guide to Food Labelling and Advertising.

Where can I find a listing of food allergy alerts recently issued?

See the Canadian Food Inspection Agency INDEX OF FOOD RECALLS.

Where can I find information about food safety, such as safe food handling and food preparation tips?

See the Canadian Food Inspection Agency – “FOOD FACTS“
See also the CANADIAN PARTNERSHIP FOR CONSUMER FOOD SAFETY EDUCATION.