Food Recalls: The Importance of Consumer Safety

By Nika Tolley, Summer Student, Communications Branch, Regina

September 2024

Food and food safety; two priorities that co-exist. Saskatchewan producers have a common goal of providing sustainable and healthy food for the public while also ensuring growth, production and output are held to the highest safety standards. The Canadian food supply is among the safest in the world; however, no food safety system can guarantee zero risk. Even with the most robust systems, food can still become contaminated with harmful bacteria, foreign objects or other unintended substances. This can happen at any point in the production system.

To ensure a continued safe supply of food, recalls are an essential protocol. Although the term may be alarming to some, the agricultural and food industry have food recalls set up to protect consumers. Recalls can be viewed as a success of our food assurance system, as it demonstrates the prompt action taken to ensure consumer safety.

The Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) defines a food recall as “the removal of a food from further sale or use, or the correction of its label, at any point in the supply chain as a risk mitigation action.” When there is a reason to believe that food is unsafe or does not follow federal regulations, the CFIA initiates a five-step process to investigate and determine if a food recall is needed.

The first step in deciding a recall is defining the trigger. Several causes can start a food safety investigation, which could lead to a food recall. Some may include: a company-initiated recall, a suspected foodborne illness outbreak, government referrals, food inspection findings and so on.

Next in the process is a food safety investigation. These are complex inspections that include experts at the CFIA to identify and mitigate risks. Once activities are done to determine where the food originated and was distributed from, an on-site inspection is conducted and documented. The findings are then assessed to determine if a potential health risk is a concern. The severity of exposure and possible illness or injury are seriously considered. If the risk assessment is high, the recall process begins.

The CFIA then requests the company initiate a voluntary recall. The recalling firm must contact its clients and the CFIA will inform the public and verify that the recalled food is removed from the marketplace. Lastly, once the recall is complete, the CFIA continues to work with the processor, manufacturer or importer to ensure any problems that led to the recall are resolved.

The food recall system is in place so consumers can have trust in the food supply chain. Producers and the food industry are committed to protecting public health. Because food companies themselves are part of reporting the occurrence of food issues, consumers can be assured that these companies are committed to public safety. Traceability and further outbreak prevention are also key benefits to Canada’s reporting protocols.

Food assurance is an essential aspect of the trust between industry and consumers. Canada’s robust regulatory system ensures Canadians are kept informed and food on the grocery shelves is safe. For more information on food recalls visit the Government of Canada's webpage.

Article Sources:

• Recall procedure: A guide for food businesses
• How we decide to recall a food product
• CFIA notification and recall contact list
• Statistics: Food recall incidents and food recalls