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Resource Centre - CFIA Quiz Challenge

Thanks for playing CFIA Quiz Challenge. You are about to be presented with a series of questions relating to the Canadian Food Inspection Agency. All of the questions are multiple choice. We hope that by playing this game you will learn more about our Agency, its programs and services.

Questions and Answers

1. Among Canadians, nine food products are responsible for 90 percent of all severe allergic reactions to food. The most common include all of the following except

  1. peanuts, tree nuts and sesame seeds
  2. milk, soy and eggs
  3. broccoli and Brussels sprouts
  4. fish and shellfish
  5. wheat and sulphites

Answer 1 +/-

C. broccoli and Brussels sprouts. Most people aren't allergic to broccoli and Brussels sprouts, although lots of kids think they are. The CFIA enforces Canada's food labelling laws. When it finds that a food product might put someone in serious danger, such as containing allergens that aren't on the label, the CFIA investigates and may recall the food product.

2. The fastest way to find out about food recalls and allergy alerts in Canada is to

  1. call the companies that make your food
  2. use the CFIA's email subscription service
  3. call your doctor

Answer 2 +/-

B. use the CFIA's email subscription service. If you or anyone you know has a food allergy or would like to get information about food recalls, the CFIA offers an email notification service called "Food Recalls and Allergy Alerts."

3. The CFIA is responsible for

  1. helping Canadians maintain and improve their health
  2. regulating food safety, animal health and plant protection
  3. supporting Canada's food industry
  4. Canada's border security

Answer 3 +/-

B. regulating food safety, animal health and plant protection. The CFIA is Canada's science-based regulator for food safety, animal health, and plant protection. The Agency works not only to keep Canada's food supply safe, but also to protect the health of plants and animals that contribute to the food supply.

4. Which of the following is not a reason you might call the CFIA?

  1. to get a permit to bring a plant or animal into Canada
  2. to report a problem with food in a restaurant
  3. to report a problem with a label on a food product

Answer 4 +/-

B. to report a problem with food in a restaurant. Provincial governments, municipalities, or regional health authorities inspect restaurants and other places that serve food. At the CFIA the safety of Canada's food supply is central to everything we do. The Agency contributes to the security of Canada's food supply as a whole. We strive to protect consumers with a fair and effective food, animal and plant regulatory system.

5. The CFIA protects farmed animals in Canada by

  1. responding to animal diseases
  2. keeping sick animals out of Canada
  3. checking that farm animals are safely transported
  4. all of the above

Answer 5 +/-

D. all of the above. Protecting the animal resource base is very important to the Canadian food supply and to the well-being of all Canadians.

6. The CFIA helps protect the plants that contribute to Canada's food base by

  1. responding to plant pests and diseases
  2. researching ways to make healthier, stronger plants and seeds
  3. keeping invasive species out of Canada so that they do not harm native plants
  4. regulating how plants are moved in, around and out of the country
  5. all the above

Answer 6 +/-

E. all of the above. Canada's plant resource base is critical to the well-being of all Canadians. In fact, something as small as a beetle or fungus can cause widespread damage to our forests and crops. The CFIA plays an important role in protecting Canada's plant resource base from pests and diseases.

7. Who of the following does not play a leadership role at the CFIA?

  1. Chief Veterinary Officer of Canada
  2. Chief Public Health Officer of Canada
  3. Chief Food Safety Officer of Canada
  4. Chief Plant Health Officer of Canada

Answer 7 +/-

B. Chief Public Health Officer of Canada.
  • The Chief Veterinary Officer of Canada is responsible for responding to emerging and future animal and zoonotic diseases.
  • The Chief Food Safety Officer of Canada is in charge of developing a strategy for food safety that clearly reflects the interdependence of public health, food safety, animals, and plants.
  • The Chief Plant Health Officer of Canada is responsible for making sure that pests are reported to plant protection organizations worldwide.

8. Which of the following is not an activity for the CFIA?

  1. testing fertilizers for heavy metals, pesticides and Salmonella
  2. certifying live lobsters to be imported into Canada
  3. making sure meat at the grocery store is refrigerated at the right temperature
  4. giving fines to people for moving firewood

Answer 8 +/-

C. making sure meat at the grocery store is refrigerated at the right temperature. Long before your meat makes it to the grocery store, the CFIA verifies that meat leaving federal establishments or coming into Canada is safe and wholesome. The CFIA also makes sure that the labels used comply with the law.

9. Most foodborne illnesses are preventable. Good at home food safety practices can be summed up in four key words

  1. clean, separate, cook and chill food
  2. store, wash, prepare, and eat food
  3. eat, chew, swallow and digest food

Answer 9 +/-

A. clean, separate, cook and chill food.
Clean: Wash your hands and surfaces often.
Separate: Don't cross-contaminate.
Cook: Cook food to proper temperatures.
Chill: Refrigerate and freeze foods promptly.

10. Travellers are required, by law, to declare all plant, animal, and food items they bring into Canada. If you don't declare them, what could happen?

  1. you will never be allowed to bring that item into the country again
  2. you could get a fine for each undeclared item
  3. you will immediately go to jail

Answer 10 +/-

B. you could get a fine for each undeclared item. Canadian law requires that you declare all food, plants, and animals, and their related products, or you could be fined. This includes declaring the following at the border
  • meat and dairy products
  • plants, seeds and firewood
  • pets, live animals and feathers
  • baby formula

If you do not declare goods, or if you falsely declare them, your goods may be seized. If you have an infraction record, you may have to undergo a more detailed examination on future trips.

11. If you visited a country where you went to a farm or zoo, you should

  1. avoid contact with animals (wildlife, farm and zoo animals) for at least 14 days after returning
  2. wash the clothing and disinfect the footwear you wore when you visited
  3. complete the part of your Customs Declaration Card regarding farm visits
  4. all of the above

Answer 11 +/-

D. all of the above. If you have recently been out of the country, avoid contact with animals (wildlife, farm and zoo animals) for at least 14 days after returning to Canada. This is because you could accidentally introduce animal diseases from other countries. For example, introducing foot-and-mouth disease to Canada could have a devastating impact on our animals and economy.

12. What is the best way to be sure that you can take food, plants, or animals with you into Canada?

  1. ask the border services officer when you get there
  2. check before you leave
  3. guess

Answer 12 +/-

B. check before you leave. The best way to be sure that you can take food, plants or animals into Canada is to find out before you leave. Because pest and disease situations are constantly changing, updates are regularly made to the list of products allowed into Canada. To check what is allowed, travellers and importers should use the Automated Import Reference System (AIRS) as a first step. AIRS is an extensive database for commercial importers but it does include helpful information for people who are familiar with the products they are bringing into Canada.

When you are at the border, if you aren't sure if an article is admissible or should be declared, always declare it first and then ask the border services officer. If travellers have more questions, they should contact the Canada Border Services Agency ( CBSA).

13. Are tobacco, alcohol, and firearms imported using the same rules as foods, plants, and animals?

  1. yes
  2. no

Answer 13 +/-

B. no. Tobacco, alcohol, and firearms are governed by different regulations and are also enforced by the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA). Check with your local CBSA office for details.

14. Which of these is not a disease of farm animals?

  1. foot-and-mouth disease
  2. scrapie
  3. avian influenza
  4. wazoomaflu

Answer 14 +/-

D. wazoomaflu. Wazoomaflu is not a real disease. In Canada, foot-and-mouth disease, scrapie and avian influenza are all reportable diseases under the Health of Animals Act, and all cases must be reported immediately to the CFIA. To protect human and animal health, the CFIA conducts inspections and has monitoring and testing programs in place. These help prevent and control the spread of animal and zoonotic diseases to livestock and poultry.

15. Travelling with your pet can be great fun. Which of the following is a good way to make sure your pet stays safe and healthy during the trip?

  1. take your pet to a vet for a health check-up before any long trips
  2. make sure your pet has food and water during the trip
  3. use a carrier that is big enough with good ventilation
  4. all of the above

Answer 15 +/-

D. all of the above. All of these will help your pet have a safe trip. It is also important to know whether you need a health certificate or proof of vaccination if you plan to take your pet to another country, even to the United States.

16. Invasive species invade new areas with no predators and cause a lot of environmental damage. Which of these is not an invasive species in Canada?

  1. Asian long-horned beetle
  2. emerald ash borer
  3. mosquito
  4. brown spruce longhorn beetle

Answer 16 +/-

C. mosquito. Unfortunately mosquitoes are native to Canada. The increased movement of people and things around the world has increased the chances for an invasive species to be introduced to new ecosystems. These pests can cause trees to disappear from our forests, cities, streets and parks. This can affect air and water quality. It can deprive us of shade and animals of habitats, as well as damage private property and reduce land value.

The Asian long-horned beetle is a pest from Asia that is especially fond of maple and hardwood trees. The emerald ash borer is a beetle from Asia that destroys native ash trees by boring holes in them. The brown spruce longhorn beetle is native to Europe and Asia and attacks weakened or dead spruce trees.

17. Invasive species can easily travel unnoticed from one area to another. Which of these ways could they use to travel?

  1. under the bark of firewood logs
  2. in packing material or wooden crates used to ship items
  3. mixed in with wildflower mixes or in plant soil
  4. all of the above

Answer 17 +/-

D. all of the above. The different ways invasive species travel are called "pathways". Notice that almost all pathways involve people and their activities.

Remember, all it takes to create a lot of damage is just one harmful pest. Invasive species create an imbalance in nature by using up the resources that native species need to survive. Like a ripple in a pond, the impact is far-reaching and can cause widespread damage to Canada's forests.

18. Bacteria can live almost anywhere but they prefer places that are moist and not too hot or too cold. Which of these foods is likely to have the most bacteria?

  1. crackers from the pantry
  2. a boiling pot of soup
  3. a ham sandwich on the counter
  4. popsicles from the freezer

Answer 18 +/-

C. a ham sandwich on the counter. Bacteria can grow in the danger zone between 4°C and 60°C (40°F to 140°F). A ham sandwich is just right for bacteria: it's moist and it's at the right temperature for bacteria to grow. A small number of bacteria can multiply into thousands in an hour and those bacteria can make you sick.

19. The CFIA works with other governments and groups in Canada to keep our plants safe and healthy. It does this by

  1. inspecting imported vegetables, seeds and lumber for plant pests
  2. researching how to treat plant diseases
  3. educating people about protecting native plants
  4. all the above

Answer 19 +/-

D. all the above. The CFIA is Canada's plant protection organization. Canada's plant resource base is critical to the well-being of all Canadians. The CFIA plays an important role in protecting Canada's plant resource base from pests and diseases.

20. Phytosanitary measures

  1. deal with the health of plants
  2. make sure plants stay clean
  3. are the chemicals that come from house plants

Answer 20 +/-

A. deal with the health of plants. Phytosanitary measures are laws, regulations, or procedures that prevent pests from being introduced into a country and then spreading. The CFIA is involved with developing national, regional and international standards to help keep plants healthy around the world.

21. Zoonoses are

  1. areas at the zoo where it really smells
  2. diseases or infections that spread between animals and humans
  3. schools for zookeepers

Answer 21 +/-

B. diseases or infections that spread between animals and humans. The CFIA is committed to preventing the spread of disease to and from animals, to protect both the animal and human population of Canada. To prevent zoonotic diseases that spread by contact, wash your hands before and after handling animals and/or food products. This will not only reduce the diseases from spreading but will also help you to avoid getting sick.

22. Biosecurity means

  1. taking simple and inexpensive steps to prevent diseases from being introduced and then spreading
  2. having your fingerprints taken at the airport
  3. building alarm systems using biology

Answer 22 +/-

A. taking simple and inexpensive steps to prevent diseases from being introduced and then spreading. Practising biosecurity not only reduces the diseases from spreading but will also help you to avoid getting sick. Plant and animal diseases can have significant and widespread negative impacts. They are a threat to the agricultural industry and can affect the economy, the environment, wildlife and even human health. The CFIA develops national biosecurity standards, protocols and strategies with industry, provincial/territorial governments, and academia.

23. What is the CFIA's role in animal welfare?

  1. fining domestic pet owners for causing animals to suffer
  2. inspecting on-farm conditions for animals
  3. protecting farm animals when they travel

Answer 23 +/-

C. protecting farm animals when they travel. Animal welfare in Canada is a shared responsibility between federal and provincial governments, as well as farmers and transporters. The CFIA works with provincial and territorial governments on humane transport. We encourage any animal welfare concerns to be reported immediately to the CFIA so that we can investigate promptly. The CFIA administers federal regulations that prohibit anyone from directly or indirectly causing animals undue pain or suffering as a result of transportation.

The CFIA also administers federal regulations requiring that animals slaughtered for human consumption are treated humanely during these processes, and that food derived from these animals is safe.

Date Modified: 2010-11-26

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