How It Works: Canada's Food Safety System
As a science-based regulator, the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA)
- helps protect Canadians from preventable food safety hazards, and
- helps effectively manage food safety emergencies.
It does this together with industry, other government departments and agencies, and consumers.
Food complaints, food safety investigations and food recalls
On average, the CFIA receives 2,000 reports from consumers concerning food safety issues each year.
On average, the CFIA conducts 3,000 food safety investigations each year. The goal of a food safety investigation is to determine whether a food safety hazard exists, assess the nature and extent of the issue, and take appropriate actions to eliminate or minimize potential risks to consumers.
The CFIA coordinates food recalls with our external food safety partners. The CFIA manages about 350 recalls each year.
- Beef processing and inspection
- Food safety information for consumers
- The food recall process
- Food recall warnings – high risk
- What to do when food is recalled
- Protocol for CFIA's Sharing of Information during Food Safety Investigations and Recalls
- Statistics: Consumer Food Safety Complaints
- Statistics: Food Safety Investigations
- Statistics: Food Recall Incidents
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