Safe Food for Canadians Regulations
Update on SFCR requirements for the manufactured food sector / Mise à jour des exigences du RSAC pour le secteur des aliments manufacturés
(Le français suit)
The Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) is working diligently to respond to challenges raised by industry as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic while remaining committed to preserving Canada’s food safety system and its animal and plant resource base.
At the same time, we recognize that industry is prioritizing the health and safety of its employees while working hard to ensure Canada’s food supply remains reliable and safe for Canadians.
Given these extraordinary circumstances, until further notice the CFIA will not prioritize compliance activities associated with the July 15, 2020 coming into force of the Safe Food for Canadians Regulations (SFCR) for the manufactured food sector.
Any changes to the CFIA’s prioritization of these compliance activities will be announced with adequate lead time once the situation allows.
Despite the above, affected businesses are encouraged to apply for a licence under the Safe Food for Canadians Act (SFCA). However, importers of manufactured food will generally not encounter delays or disruptions in their imports simply because of not having a Safe Food for Canadians licence yet. Domestic manufacturers can continue to operate while they apply for a licence.
Industry is responsible for ensuring the safety of their food products at all times. The CFIA will continue to support businesses in their efforts to comply with relevant legislation, including the SFCA and the SFCR.
In the event of a food safety issue, the CFIA will take action to protect consumers. This may include recalling, seizing or detaining food products and using other enforcement and control measures.
We will continue to monitor the COVID-19 situation and may adjust our compliance activities as it evolves.
Please continue to check our website regularly for updates on the CFIA’s response to COVID-19.
For information on the SFCR, please see our Toolkit for food businesses.
Mise à jour des exigences du RSAC pour le secteur des aliments manufacturés
L’Agence canadienne d’inspection des aliments (ACIA) s’emploie avec diligence à répondre aux défis dont l’industrie fait part dans le cadre de la pandémie de COVID-19, tout en demeurant déterminée à préserver le système canadien de salubrité des aliments et sa base de ressources animales et végétales.
En parallèle, nous reconnaissons que l’industrie accorde la priorité à la santé et à la sécurité de ses employés tout en travaillant fort pour veiller à ce que l’approvisionnement alimentaire du Canada demeure fiable et sécuritaire pour les Canadiens.
Compte tenu de ces circonstances extraordinaires, jusqu’à nouvel ordre, l’ACIA ne donnera pas la priorité aux activités de conformité liées à l’entrée en vigueur, le 15 juillet 2020, du Règlement sur la salubrité des aliments pour les Canadiens (RSAC) pour le secteur des aliments manufacturés.
Toute modification apportée à l’établissement des priorités de l’ACIA relativement à ces activités de conformité sera annoncée avec un délai suffisant lorsque la situation le permettra.
Malgré ce qui précède, les entreprises concernées sont encouragées à demander une licence en vertu de la Loi sur la sécurité alimentaire pour les Canadiens (LSA). Toutefois, les importateurs d’aliments manufacturés ne subiront généralement pas de retards ou de perturbations dans leurs importations simplement parce qu’ils ne disposent pas encore d’une licence pour la salubrité des aliments au Canada. Les fabricants nationaux peuvent continuer à exercer leurs activités pendant qu’ils demandent une licence.
L’industrie est responsable d’assurer la sécurité de ses produits alimentaires en tout temps. L’ACIA continuera d’appuyer les entreprises dans leurs efforts pour se conformer aux lois pertinentes, y compris la LSAC et le RSAC.
Si un problème de salubrité des aliments se présente, l’ACIA prendra des mesures pour protéger les consommateurs. Cela peut comprendre le rappel, la saisie ou la détention de produits alimentaires et la mise en œuvre d’autres mesures de contrôle et d’application de la loi.
Nous continuerons de surveiller la situation entourant la COVID-19 et nous pourrions ajuster nos activités de conformité au fur et à mesure que cette situation évolue.
Nous vous invitons à consulter régulièrement notre site pour obtenir les mises à jour concernant les mesures prises par l’ACIA à l’égard de la COVID-19.
Pour obtenir de renseignements sur le RSAC, veuillez consulter notre Trousse d’outils pour les entreprises alimentaires.
New federal food safety requirements now in force for fresh fruits or vegetables
News Release
January 15, 2020 – Ottawa, Ontario – Canadian Food Inspection Agency
Starting today, new requirements of the Safe Food for Canadians Regulations (SFCR) come into force for most businesses in the fresh fruits or vegetables (FFV) sector that import, export or engage in interprovincial trade.
The SFCR make Canada’s food system even safer by focussing on prevention and allowing for faster removal of unsafe food from the marketplace.
Under the new provisions for FFV, most businesses are required to maintain:
- Preventive controls that address food safety hazards such as microbiological contamination to food and that help to prevent contaminated and non-compliant food from entering the marketplace;
- Written preventive control plans that document the risks to food and how these risks are being controlled; and,
- Traceability documentation that track the movement of food one step forward and one step back in the supply chain.
New requirements for lot code labelling of consumer-prepackaged fresh fruits or vegetables that are not packaged at the retail level are also now in force. However, businesses will have until January 15, 2021 to use up existing packaging.
The Canadian Food Inspection Agency website provides SFCR resources tailored specifically for FFV businesses, including a fact sheet, information on traceability-specific labelling requirements and a recorded presentation about the regulations coming into effect today.
Importer licensing
As of today, FFV importers who currently require a Safe Food for Canadians (SFC) licence and do not have one may experience delays or rejection of their shipment at the border, and may be subject to other enforcement actions.
Quick facts
– Most businesses that import or prepare FFV for export or interprovincial trade were required to have an SFC licence as of January 15, 2019.
– Generally, for the purposes of the SFCR, fresh fruits or vegetables are considered to be “any fresh plant or any fresh edible fungus, or any part of such a plant or fungus, that is a food.” This includes any fresh herbs, fruits, vegetables, mushrooms or sprouts, either wild or cultivated.
– In developing provisions in the SFCR that relate to FFV, CFIA consulted industry organizations including the Canadian Produce Marketing Association, the Canadian Horticultural Council and CanadaGAP.
Associated Facts
- Information for media: Safe Food for Canadians Regulations
- Getting started: Toolkit for food businesses
- SFCR timelines – fresh fruit or vegetables
- CFIA Chronicle 360 article: New requirements for businesses in the fresh fruits or vegetables sector
- CFIA Chronicle 360 article: Building the ‘strongest food safety system possible’ – Safe Food for Canadians Regulations begin Year Two with new requirements for various food sectors
To learn more see the original press release here or contact cfia.media.acia@canada.ca
Additional SFCR Links
We encourage all eligible businesses, no matter where you are on the food safety spectrum, to apply for program funding!
