Assessment Report Of The Canadian Food Inspection Agency Activities Related To The Safety Of Imported Fresh Fruits And Vegetables

The objective of the assessment reported in this document was to determine the effectiveness of Canadian Food Inspection Agency activities related to the safety of domestic & imported aquaculture products. The assessment examined inspection, laboratory, and policy development activities relating to those products as well as the activities of the Feed Program related to aquaculture products. The roles & responsibilities of the various partners involved (provincial governments, other federal departments, other countries, industry) were also evaluated, since aquaculture is an area of shared jurisdictions. The scope of the assessment covered Agency programs in place & food safety activities which took place between April 1, 1997 and March 31, 2000. Recommendations to address deficiencies, along with Agency responses, are provided throughout.

Like other nations, the U.S. faces growing food safety challenges resulting from 3 major trends: (1) imported food makes up a growing share of the food supply; (2) consumers are increasingly eating foods that are raw or have had minimal processing and that are often associated with foodborne illness; (3) more of the U.S. population is, and increasingly will be, susceptible to foodborne illness. This report describes how Canada, the EU, Germany, Ireland, Japan, the Netherlands, and the U.K.: ensure the safety of imported food; respond to outbreaks of foodborne illness; and measure the effectiveness of their reorganized food safety systems. Also, identifies emerging food safety challenges that they expect to face over the next decade. Charts and tables.