The Canadian Food Recall System

This chart shows the steps involved in a food recall.

The triggers for food recalls which are external to the CFIA are:

• Health Officials
• Customer Complaint
• Companies
• Other Governments

These triggers initiate an investigation which is referred to the CFIA.

The triggers for food recalls which are internal to the CFIA are:

• Inspection
• Testing

There are 4 steps involved in the food recall process:

• Investigation. Investigations activities include Processing information, evidence gathering, lab testing, determination of food origin, tracing the distribution.
• Decision Making. Decisions are made by conducting a risk assessment.
• Response. Responsive activities include recall notice and implementation and verification of effectiveness.
• Follow-up. Follow-up activities include control of recalled product, corrective action, and expanding the investigation.

The 4 stages of a food recall are conducted by: the Canadian Food Inspection Agency, Health Canada, the Public Health Agency of Canada, industry, municipal, provincial, territorial and international governments.