Canada Issues Recommendations to Enhance Food Safety Following 2008 Listeria Outbreak
Monday, June 22, 2009(American Meat Institute)
A comprehensive analysis by the Canadian Parliament’s Food Safety Subcommittee following last summer’s listeriosis outbreak contains more than a dozen areas for improvement, including the implementation of food safety programs such as Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point (HACCP), traceability, a collaborative effort with the U.S. to develop a common approach to food safety standards, an enhanced foodborne illness surveillance system, better inter-agency protocols and increased inspection resources.
The report, entitled “Beyond the Listeriosis
Crisis: Strengthening the Food Safety System,”
was compiled after a series of public hearings
between April and June 2009 on a number of
issues related to food safety and the role that
industry and the government need to play in
ensuring the safety of the food supply.
The hearings included testimony
from various members of the Canadian
government, producers, processors and other
members of
Hodges told members of the committee that
ultimately, the responsibility for producing
safe food rests with the manufacturer.
“The government, whether it be in the
Hodges pointed out that the meat and
poultry industry has been a strong advocate of
a preventative approach and in fact petitioned
the United States Department of Agriculture
(USDA) to mandate HACCP plans in meat and
poultry plants. That requirement took effect a
decade ago and has helped enhance meat and
poultry safety.
The report, which cites AMI at several
points, notes that if the 14 changes are fully
implemented, the Subcommittee “believes these
recommendations will improve the Canadian food
safety system and mitigate future
tragedies.”
For a full copy of the report, click
here: www.meatami.com/ht/a/GetDocumentAction/i/50978
share on facebook
share on twitter