Food Recalls in CanadaFood Industry Perspective

Dr. Keith MussarKeith Mussar & Associates

Food Safety and Public Policy International SeminarNovember 15-16, 2007

Shanghai, China

Food Recalls in Canada

Recall: A company’s removal from the market of an unsafe food, a potentially unsafe food or a food that violates the regulations enforced by the Canadian Food Inspection Agency

Food Recalls in Canada

Recall: The final food safety intervention that can protect Canadian consumers from the risk of food borne illness

Food Recalls in Canada

Canadian Food Traceability Data Standardwww.can-trace.org/portals/0/docs/CFTDS%20version%202.0%20FINAL.pdf

Essential: Manufacturing Date Code: E215Q192603Best Before Date: 2006 AL 23

ManufacturerIngredientSuppliers

RetailersRestaurantsDistributors

Consumers

ManufacturingDate Code

ManufacturingDate Code

ManufacturingDate Code

SupplierIngredient

Date Code orProduct Code

Food Recalls in Canada Industry’s Responsibility in a

Recall

Advanced Preparation Recall management team Primary contact – “recall coordinator” Internal company, supply chain & distribution

contacts Recall plan Practiced recall plan-mock recall exercise

minimum yearly “Manufacturing Date Code” or “Best Before

Date” on product labels

Food Recalls in Canada Industry’s Responsibility in a

Recall

Notifies Canadian Food Inspection Agency-CFIA of health concern Provides required product information to CFIA Voluntary recall of the product

Provides distribution list to CFIA Notifies customers about the recall Notifies public along with CFIA Collects and isolates recovered product

Verifies amount of product recovered Recovery done by retailers, restaurant, third party companies

Follow up Disposal of recalled product [could involve CFIA] Corrects issue responsible for hazard leading to recall

Food Recalls in Canada Industry’s Responsibility in a

Recall

Voluntary Recalls >99.5 % of recalls done voluntarily Protect brand equity Maintain consumer confidence-avoid market

share loss Maintain or enhance investor confidence Business insurance requirement

Food Recalls in Canada Government’s Function in a

Recall

Health risk assessment Decision to recall Classification of recall Implementation of the recall

Requests distribution lists Reviews firm’s recall plan and recall notice

Verification of the recall Verifies customers were notified, product removed and

controlled Follow up

Monitors company’s actions on recovery, control and disposition of product

Monitors company’s corrective actions

Food Recalls in Canada Government Enforcement

Mandatory Recalls An order served upon company manufacturing,

selling, marketing or distributing the product to recall the product

Health risk is high Minister of Agriculture orders the company who is

manufacturing, selling, marketing or distributing the product to recall

Can be used when firm is unwilling or unable to recall the product

Consequences of contravention of a recall order are fines and/or imprisonment

Food Recalls in Canada Government Enforcement

Mandatory Recalls 7 mandatory recalls 1997 - 2007 [<0.5% of recalls]

1999 Tatamagouche donair sausagehttp://www.inspection.gc.ca/english/corpaffr/recarapp/1999/19991124be.shtml

2001 Kanjac containing Jelly Cupshttp://www.inspection.gc.ca/english/corpaffr/recarapp/2001/20011121e.shtml

2002 Janes brand Battered Mozzarella Stickshttp://www.inspection.gc.ca/english/corpaffr/recarapp/2002/20020302ce.shtml

2003 Kid3.com capsuleshttp://www.inspection.gc.ca/english/corpaffr/recarapp/2003/20030604be.shtml

2003 Aylmer Meat Inc.http://www.inspection.gc.ca/english/corpaffr/recarapp/2003/20030824e.shtml

2003 Tandori Masalahttp://www.inspection.gc.ca/english/corpaffr/recarapp/2003/20031031e.shtml

2004 Labonte brand honeyhttp://www.inspection.gc.ca/english/corpaffr/recarapp/2004/20040403be.shtml

Food Recalls in Canada Government Enforcement

Aylmer Meat Mandatory Recall-2003 Aylmer Meat Inc. sold slaughtered dead beef to

companies that further processed into retail meat products

> 100 products recalled from 18 companies 110 food stores Aylmer Meat unwilling to execute recall Owner & 2 employees charged with:

Selling meat unfit for human consumption False or misleading labelling of meat Fraud

Penalty: $250,000 fine, 3 years in prison

Food Recalls in Canada

Product brand name Product common name Size of product package Manufacturing date code Universal Product Code-

UPC Distribution list [who

product shipped to & amount]

Amount produced & when

Copy of product label Product specifications,

analytical test results Information about

injuries or illnesses Company contact

information

Information Provided to Canadian Food Inspection Agency

OTTAWA, August 17, 2007 - The Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) is warning the public not to consume Los Angeles Salad Company Baby Carrots described below because the product may be contaminated with Shigella.

The affected product, Los Angeles Salad Company Genuine Sweet Baby Carrots, is labeled as product of Mexico and imported by Los Angeles Salad Company. It is sold in 672 g/1.5 lb plastic bags bearing ITM 50325, UPC 8 31129 00137 7 and Sell By dates up to and including 8 /13 /07.

This product was sold in Costco stores in British Columbia, Alberta, Ontario, Quebec and Newfoundland.

There have been four reported illnesses associated with the consumption of this product. Food contaminated with Shigella may not look or smell spoiled. Shigella infection can cause diarrhea (which may be bloody), fever, nausea, and vomiting. Illness usually lasts from 4 to 14 days. In some persons, especially very young, and very old people and people with compromised immune systems, the diarrhea can be more severe. Infection can occur after eating and drinking food and water that is contaminated with Shigella and can be passed from person to person.

Costco Wholesale, Ottawa, Ontario, is voluntarily recalling the affected product from the marketplace. The CFIA is monitoring the effectiveness of the recall.

For more information, consumers and industry can call the CFIA at 1-800-442-2342 / TTY 1-800-465-7735 (8:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. Eastern time, Monday to Friday).

For information on Shigella, visit the Food Facts web page at http://www.inspection.gc.ca/english/fssa/concen/causee.shtml For information on receiving recalls by e-mail, or for other food safety facts, visit our web site at www.inspection.gc.ca. - 30 - Media enquiries: Shashi Kulkarni (English) Canadian Food Inspection Agency Food Recall and Emergency Response 613-368-1622

Assemble Company Recall Management Team

Notify the CFIA [risk assessment, classification]

Company identifies all products to be recalled

Detain and Segregate all products to be recalled which are in your firm's control

Provide product “distribution list” to CFIA

Distribute “Notice of Recall” to all customers

Prepare consumer notice [press release, if required]

Recover & control recalled product

Decide what to do with the recalled product

Verify effectiveness of the recall

Fix the cause leading to product recall

Food Recalls in CanadaRequired Business

Documentation Raw material or ingredient receiving records [what was

receive, supplier name, date received, amount, supplier’s product identity code]

Ingredient inventory records [what ingredients, supplier name, supplier’s date code, amount]

Production records [production date, product name, amount produced, production date code]

Finished product inventory records [product name, production date code, number of cases]

Shipping records [product name, date shipped, product date code, amount shipped, shipping destination]

Customer list [name, contact person, postal address, method of contact]

Food Recalls in Canada Recall Classification

Class I - situation in which the use of the product will cause serious adverse health consequences or death

A consumer alert is issued Class II - situation in which the use of the

product may cause temporary adverse health consequences

A consumer alert may be issued Class III - situation in which the use of the

product is not likely to cause any adverse health consequences

A consumer alert is not usually issued

Food Recalls in Canada National Recall Statistics

April 1, 2006 - March 31, 2007

Class 1 51 (21%)

Class 2 124 (50%)

Class 3 71 (29%)

Total 246 (100%)

Food Recalls in Canada National Recall Statistics

April 1, 2006-March 31, 2007

Allergen 89 (36%)Microbial 64 (26%)Chemical 45 (18%)Extraneous Matter 26 (11%)Other 22 ( 9%)Total 246 100%

Numbers represent total recalls regardless of class

Number of Recalls: Imported vs. Domestic Products

0

50

100

150

200

250

300

350

400

450

2002-03 2003-04 2004-05 2005-06 2006-07

Year

Nu

mb

er o

f R

ecal

ls

Total Recalls

Imported Products

Domestic Products

Food Recalls in Canada National Recall Statistics

Food Recalls in Canada National Recall Statistics

April 1, 2005 - March 31, 2006

CFIA inspection activities 85 (33%) Industry initiated 75 (29%) Consumer complaints 51 (20%) Other gov’t dept referrals 26 (10%) Food-borne Illness Outbreak 7 ( 3%) Other 15 ( 5%) Total 259 (100%)

Food Recalls in CanadaIndustry Recall Training

Primarily Food Safety Specialists-Keith Mussar & Associates

Government-limited “Best Practices” & “Recall

Simulation Exercise” More than 2,000 Canadian

companies trained Small < 5 employees & large

>500 employees Across Canada “Food Science” graduate

students National & Regional Food

Trade Associations

Manufacturers Retailers Restaurants Distributors Importers Exporters Meat, Poultry Fresh Fruit & Vegetable

Producers

Food Recalls in CanadaIndustry Recall Training

Industry established “Best Practice” - Supply Chain Food Product Recall Manual

Simulated product recall exercises - food sector specific Based on government recommended procedures

Manufacturer

http://www.inspection.gc.ca/english/fssa/recarapp/rap/mgguide.shtml Retailer

http://www.inspection.gc.ca/english/fssa/recarapp/rap/rgguide.shtml Distributor

http://www.inspection.gc.ca/english/fssa/recarapp/rap/dgguide.shtml Importer

http://www.inspection.gc.ca/english/fssa/recarapp/rap/igguide.shtml

Food Recalls in Canada Priority Allergen List

Peanuts Soya [protein, lecithin] Wheat [flour, starch] Milk [whey, milk protein-

casein] Eggs Sesame

Tree Nuts [almonds, cashews, pine nuts]

Fish Shellfish [crab, lobster,

shrimp] Mollusks [clams,

mussels, scallops] Sulfites

http://www.inspection.gc.ca/english/fssa/invenq/inform/20070323e.shtml

Food Recalls in Canada

Dr. Keith MussarKeith Mussar & Associates

E-mail: kmussar@hotmail.comTel: 905-542-2082