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Archived - Testing requirements for corn intended for livestock feed imported from India

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Ottawa, May 26, 2015 – Effective immediately, the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) will be detaining all incoming shipments of corn imported from India, including organic corn, intended for use as livestock feed until it has been tested for aflatoxins. This is to prevent contamination of livestock feed in order to protect Canadian livestock and public health. This action is being taken as high levels of aflatoxin have been detected in organic feed corn originating from India.

Importers must sample the imported corn, including organic corn, upon arrival in Canada and provide test results to the CFIA. The sampling must be done immediately after arrival at the Canadian destination because mould can grow and produce aflatoxins during shipping. Sampling and analysis conducted prior to shipping will not be accepted.

Shipments will only be released once an original laboratory result (e.g. Certificate of Analysis (CoA)) demonstrates that the shipment meets the acceptable aflatoxin levels (i.e., does not contain aflatoxins in an amount exceeding 20 parts per billion). Only original documents containing the following information will be considered acceptable:

  1. Date of sampling
  2. Date of analysis
  3. Analysis for total aflatoxins and for aflatoxin B1
  4. Unit of measurement expressed in parts per billion (ppb)
  5. Name of the method(s) used to generate the CoA
  6. Each result indicated by the limit of quantification and/or limit of detection, and
  7. The name and signature of the personnel responsible for carrying out the analyses
  8. Laboratory name

Testing must be done in a laboratory accredited to test for aflatoxins in feed. Acceptance of results is limited to those tests and analytical matrices included in the current scope of accreditation for the laboratory. Canadian private sector laboratories accredited by the Standards Council of Canada to ISO 17025 may be found on the Standards Council of Canada website.

Imported corn destined for livestock feeds must comply with the regulatory standards as specified in the Feeds Regulations. The importation of corn or other feed ingredients containing levels of aflatoxin in excess of 20 ppb and/or deemed to be musty, mouldy or damaged from heat or any other cause that would render the feed unfit or unsafe for feeding, is a contravention of the Feeds Regulations (i.e., sections 19(1)(i) and 19(1)(c) respectively).

Importers, purchasers, feed manufacturers and livestock producers are encouraged to request further information from their suppliers regarding the source of any corn, and contaminant specifications of any ingredients, they are purchasing.

If you have any questions, please contact your local CFIA office.

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