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Canadian Food Inspection Agency and Industry Testing for Pathogens in Ready-to-Eat Meat and Poultry Products – April 1, 2015 to March 31, 2019

What are the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) and industry testing programs

National Microbiological Monitoring Program

A CFIA program that samples and tests ready-to eat (RTE) meat and poultry products for pathogens.

Risk Based Verification (RBV) Program

A program implemented by federally registered establishments in Canada to test RTE meat and poultry products for pathogens.

The CFIA and industry work together on ongoing testing for foodborne pathogens to safeguard the food supply.

What is a ready-to-eat product

A RTE product needs no further cooking before eating. Foods that must only be washed, thawed, or warmed are considered RTE.

What pathogens were tested for

What did the CFIA and industry find

The prevalence found via the CFIA and industry testing are comparable and could even be considered low.

Lower prevalence indicates safer food for the Canadian public.

Listeria monocytogenes
Fiscal
year
Sampling
program
Total number
of samples
tested
Total number
of positive
samples
Prevalence Table Note 1
2015-16 CFIA 943 3 0.32%
2015-16 Industry 1543 5 0.32%
2016-17 CFIA 958 5 0.52%
2016-17 Industry 1624 5 0.31%
2017-18 CFIA 961 4 0.42%
2017-18 Industry 1725 8 0.46%
2018-19 CFIA 971 2 0.21%
2018-19 Industry 1985 7 0.35%

Table Note

Table note 1

Comparisons between CFIA and industry testing in a given year do not show a statistically significant difference in the calculated prevalence based on a 95% confidence interval.

Return to table note 1  referrer

Salmonella
Fiscal
year
Sampling
program
Total number
of samples
tested
Total number
of positive
samples
Prevalence Table Note 2
2015-16 CFIA 417 0 0.00%
2015-16 Industry 1590 2 0.13%
2016-17 CFIA 422 0 0.00%
2016-17 Industry 1670 1 0.06%
2017-18 CFIA 424 1 0.24%
2017-18 Industry 1644 0 0.00%
2018-19 CFIA 371 0 0.00%
2018-19 Industry 1889 0 0.00%

Table Note

Table note 2

Comparisons between CFIA and industry testing in a given year do not show a statistically significant difference in the calculated prevalence based on a 95% confidence interval.

Return to table note 2  referrer

405 samples were also tested by CFIA and Industry for Escherichia coli O157 during the same time period resulting in 0 positive results.

What happened after

Appropriate follow-up actions took place for each food product that was found positive for pathogens. These may have included:

The CFIA continues to analyse the data submitted by industry under the RBV program.

Contact us

Email: cfia.surveillancemicro.acia@canada.ca

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