Food from abroad, home-grown safety standards

Cheese from France. Guavas from Mexico. Mandarin oranges from China.

Canadians enjoy access to a wonderfully wide range of imported food, which they expect will meet the same high food safety standards as food grown and produced at home in Canada.

So how does the CFIA make sure that food from abroad meets our own strict home-grown standards? The Agency uses a three-part strategy:

• domestic surveillance and inspection activities;
• audits of foreign government food safety systems; and
• food safety verifications in foreign facilities conducted by the CFIA's Foreign Verification Office.

The Agency's Foreign Verification Office was established in 2016 and targets establishments that manufacture, distribute, re-pack or re-label food for export to Canada. Countries and foreign establishments are selected based on a risk assessment.

During a verification, the foreign verification team observes and reviews the manufacturer's processes and procedures to assess the safety of the final product. Information is gathered through a walk-through of the establishment, interviews with personnel and a review of documents and records. These are done to verify whether the manufacturer complies with Canada's import requirements and internationally recognized standards and principles for the production of safe food.

Scott Rattray led the design and implementation of the Foreign Verification Office in his role as the Acting Executive Director and subsequently, as Acting Inspector General.

"The success of the Foreign Verification Office is attributed to the professionalism and expertise of our verification officers," Rattray says. "Our missions are demanding, mentally and physically, and require both technical and diplomatic skills. Our officers have been excellent representatives of the CFIA and the Government of Canada."

Making a difference: findings and results

When the foreign verification team observes a situation that may pose an immediate food safety risk for products destined for the Canadian marketplace, the team collects information on-site and a food safety investigation is triggered in Canada and carried out by regional CFIA inspection staff.

Findings of these investigations have resulted in increased targeted sampling and inspection of products at the Canadian border, directed sampling of products in the Canadian marketplace, compliance verifications with the importers, product recalls and product re-labelling.

Overall, nearly 100 facilities have been visited in 16 countries by the Foreign Verification Office from November 2016 to December 2017, leading to approximately 200 food safety recommendations issued to foreign facilities and competent authorities.

Verification missions to Europe and Asia are planned for early 2018.

The Foreign Verification Office Annual Summary Report 2016-2017 outlines how foreign establishments are selected, how the Foreign Verification Office's mandate is delivered and provides a summary of the results of the year's verification missions.