Food Recalls in Canada Food Industry Perspective Dr

Food Recalls in Canada Food Industry Perspective Dr. Keith Mussar & Associates Food Safety and Public Policy International Seminar November 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 Standard www. can-trace. org/portals/0/docs/CFTDS%20 version%202. 0%20 FINAL. pdf Consumers Essential: Manufacturing Date Code: E 215 Q 192603 Best Before Date: 2006 AL 23 Manufacturing Date Code Supplier Ingredient Date Code or Product Code Ingredient Suppliers Manufacturing Date Code Manufacturer Manufacturing Date Code Retailers Restaurants Distributors

Food Recalls in Canada Industry’s Responsibility in a Recall Advanced Preparation n n n 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 n Notifies Canadian Food Inspection Agency-CFIA of health concern n Provides required product information to CFIA n Voluntary recall of the product n n Provides distribution list to CFIA n Notifies customers about the recall n Notifies public along with CFIA n Collects and isolates recovered product Verifies amount of product recovered n n Recovery done by retailers, restaurant, third party companies Follow up n Disposal of recalled product [could involve CFIA] n Corrects issue responsible for hazard leading to recall

Food Recalls in Canada Industry’s Responsibility in a Recall Voluntary Recalls n >99. 5 % of recalls done voluntarily n Protect brand equity n Maintain consumer confidence-avoid market share loss n Maintain or enhance investor confidence n Business insurance requirement

Food Recalls in Canada Government’s Function in a Recall n n Health risk assessment Decision to recall Classification of recall Implementation of the recall n n n Verification of the recall n n Requests distribution lists Reviews firm’s recall plan and recall notice Verifies customers were notified, product removed and controlled Follow up n n Monitors company’s actions on recovery, control and disposition of product Monitors company’s corrective actions

Food Recalls in Canada Government Enforcement Mandatory Recalls n n n 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 n 7 mandatory recalls 1997 - 2007 [<0. 5% of recalls] n 1999 Tatamagouche donair sausage http: //www. inspection. gc. ca/english/corpaffr/recarapp/19991124 be. shtml n 2001 Kanjac containing Jelly Cups http: //www. inspection. gc. ca/english/corpaffr/recarapp/20011121 e. shtml n 2002 Janes brand Battered Mozzarella Sticks http: //www. inspection. gc. ca/english/corpaffr/recarapp/20020302 ce. shtml n 2003 Kid 3. com capsules http: //www. inspection. gc. ca/english/corpaffr/recarapp/20030604 be. shtml Ø 2003 Aylmer Meat Inc. http: //www. inspection. gc. ca/english/corpaffr/recarapp/20030824 e. shtml n 2003 Tandori Masala http: //www. inspection. gc. ca/english/corpaffr/recarapp/20031031 e. shtml n 2004 Labonte brand honey http: //www. inspection. gc. ca/english/corpaffr/recarapp/20040403 be. shtml

Food Recalls in Canada Government Enforcement Aylmer Meat Mandatory Recall-2003 n n n 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: n Selling meat unfit for human consumption n False or misleading labelling of meat n Fraud Penalty: $250, 000 fine, 3 years in prison

Food Recalls in Canada Information Provided to Canadian Food Inspection Agency n n n Product brand name Product common name Size of product package Manufacturing date code Universal Product Code-UPC Distribution list [who product shipped to & amount] n n n Amount produced & when Copy of product label Product specifications, analytical test results Information about injuries or illnesses Company contact information

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 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 -4657735 (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 Canada Required Business Documentation n n n 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 n Class I - situation in which the use of the product will cause serious adverse health consequences or death n n Class II - situation in which the use of the product may cause temporary adverse health consequences n n A consumer alert is issued 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 n A consumer alert is not usually issued

Food Recalls in Canada National Recall Statistics April 1, 2006 - March 31, 2007 Class 1 Class 2 Class 3 Total 51 124 71 246 (21%) (50%) (29%) (100%)

Food Recalls in Canada National Recall Statistics April 1, 2006 -March 31, 2007 Allergen Microbial Chemical Extraneous Matter Other Total 89 64 45 26 22 246 Numbers represent total recalls regardless of class (36%) (26%) (18%) (11%) ( 9%) 100%

Food Recalls in Canada National Recall Statistics

Food Recalls in Canada National Recall Statistics April 1, 2005 - March 31, 2006 CFIA inspection activities Industry initiated Consumer complaints Other gov’t dept referrals Food-borne Illness Outbreak Other Total 85 75 51 26 7 15 259 (33%) (29%) (20%) (10%) ( 3%) ( 5%) (100%)

Food Recalls in Canada Industry Recall Training n n n n 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 n n n n Manufacturers Retailers Restaurants Distributors Importers Exporters Meat, Poultry Fresh Fruit & Vegetable Producers

Food Recalls in Canada Industry Recall Training n Industry established “Best Practice” - Supply Chain Food Product Recall Manual n Simulated product recall exercises - food sector specific n Based on government recommended procedures n Manufacturer http: //www. inspection. gc. ca/english/fssa/recarapp/rap/mgguide. shtml n Retailer http: //www. inspection. gc. ca/english/fssa/recarapp/rap/rgguide. shtml n Distributor http: //www. inspection. gc. ca/english/fssa/recarapp/rap/dgguide. shtml n Importer http: //www. inspection. gc. ca/english/fssa/recarapp/rap/igguide. shtml

Food Recalls in Canada Priority Allergen List http: //www. inspection. gc. ca/english/fssa/invenq/inform/20070323 e. shtml n n Peanuts Soya [protein, lecithin] Wheat [flour, starch] Milk [whey, milk protein- n cashews, pine nuts] n n n Eggs Sesame Fish Shellfish [crab, lobster, shrimp] casein] n Tree Nuts [almonds, n Mollusks [clams, mussels, scallops] n Sulfites

Food Recalls in Canada Dr. Keith Mussar & Associates E-mail: kmussar@hotmail. com Tel: 905 -542 -2082