Advocacy
Attention ALL FOOD IMPORTERS
The Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) has introduced new systems to help reduce the risk of the importation of food that is not fit for human consumption OR is at risk of introducing animal diseases into Canada. These changes include heightened inspections of small importers, with new processes for businesses applying for, or amending, a CFIA SFC Licence. As a result of these new processes, plan for significant delays in the issuance of new or amended licences.
In addition to more rigorous reviews during the application or amendment process, CFIA is also placing a great deal more emphasis on supply chain approval/supplier approval which means that importers must be able to show that the food they are importing was made as safely as if it had been made in Canada. CFIA’s preferred means to show this is through third-party certification to a global standard such as ISO or GFSI.
Why has CFIA been forced to shift from trusting licence application attestations to a more consequential regulatory approach?
There have been TWO recent major human and animal health incidents that have led to these changes.
The first incident, which has been well-communicated, is the issue of Salmonella in pistachios from Iran. So far there have been 178 outbreak cases confirmed in six provinces, twenty-five individuals have been hospitalized, while, fortunately, there have been no deaths. The investigation is ongoing and there continues to be a ban on importing pistachios from Iran.
The second incident has been slightly less well publicized but is, in some cases, potentially more significant than the pistachio issue. Not for human health but for hog farming in North America. A Vietnamese pork processor was discovered in 2025 to have used diseased pork meat to produce canned meat as well as pork-based spring rolls. The diseased pork had African Swine Fever virus in it. Some of this meat made it into Canada through illegal importation by a Canadian importer, possibly through the UK.
The risk with these products and African Swine Fever is strictly limited to pig health, not human health. Because there is no known way to vaccinate or otherwise treat hogs infected with African Swine Fever, North America’s only way to prevent it infecting hogs here is to exclude it from entry. This single importer could potentially have caused a significant cull of pigs all over North America, similar to the one China underwent starting in 2018. China lost an estimated 27.9 million metric tons of its pork output to African Swine Fever https://www.ers.usda.gov/publications/pub-details?pubid=107924
CFIA has suspended the licence for the importer responsible for importing this illegal meat product.
The decision was based on the following non-compliances:
· insufficient import controls,
· misdeclaration of goods traded internationally,
· and the importation of meat products from a non-approved country.
The move follows revelations that Halong Canfoco, the manufacturer of the canned pork products allegedly used pork infected with African swine fever as raw material for canned food production. This is adulteration for economic gain on a potentially disastrous outcome.
On September 8 last year, Hai Phong police discovered two trucks transporting 1,274.5 kilograms of pork of unknown origin that showed signs of spoilage and later tested positive for African swine fever.
Subsequent searches led authorities to seal four cold storage warehouses containing over 130 metric tons of frozen pork linked to Halong Canfoco, all of which were later destroyed.
On September 12, investigators launched criminal proceedings for violations of food safety regulations.
On December 24 the same year, investigators issued decisions to prosecute nine suspects for supplying and trading food originating from dead or sick pigs infected with African swine fever.
By January 10, the company’s CEO Truong Sy Toan and three quality control employees were arrested for their alleged roles in managing, storing, and using diseased pork in production.
The company annouced the cessation of its production in Hai Phong following this arrest.
From the contaminated meat, the company processed more than 1.7 tons of finished pate products, equivalent to around 14,000 cans, from September 6-7, 2025, police said.
Other products were also found to be contaminated, including more than 4,000 kg of spring rolls and over 3,000 kg of premium spring rolls testing positive for African swine fever virus.
African swine fever (ASF) is a serious viral disease of pigs that can cause fever, internal bleeding and high death rates. It is contagious and can spread between pigs through both direct and indirect contact with other infected pigs or pig products.
The virus can survive for several months in fresh pork and processed pork products, which can be a risk for transmitting disease.
There is no treatment or vaccine for ASF.
As an importer, be aware of your legal and regulatory obligations to import SAFE FOOD. Use only trusted suppliers who can provide you with current valid documents showing the manufacturer has food safety controls in place. Get those certificates of analysis for each lot shipped. Work with your distributors to get that communication link in place to ensure you receive those documents in a timely way. Make sure the food you import is tested for known risks for that food, preferably by a certified lab. If you can’t get that documentation, be prepared to take the risk to import, quarantine, test the food here, and release it only once it has been shown to be safe.
And understand that there are significant penalties – having a licence suspended or cancelled – as well as monetary fines. If, during a CFIA investigation CFIA discovers that fraud was intentional – and this includes using incorrect HS codes for fraudulent shipping purposes – in addition to monetary penalties, there could be criminal charges.
IMPORTANT CHANGES TO THE SAFE FOOD FOR CANADIANS LICENSING PROCECESS
We posted this information last week, but here is another reminder! Be aware of important changes to the Safe Food for Canadians (SFC) licensing process that may affect your ability to operate under a SFC licence without interruption.
- Processing times have increased as compared to your previous experience, and SFC licence applications will no longer be processed within 48 hours. Pre-issuance verification by Case Management Officers may result in requests for additional information or trigger an application to be referred to an Area Inspector for a pre-issuance inspection. When any of these scenarios occur, additional processing time may be required. The service standard for Safe Food for Canadians Licence Applications is 70 business days.
If you have any questions about these changes, please contact permission@inspection.gc.ca.
Federal
Posted For Public Comment | Canadian Beef Grading Agency
On March 3, 2026, the Canadian Beef Grading Agency (CBGA) launched a public consultation on proposed changes to the Beef grade requirements. To learn more about the proposed changes and provide your comments, visit Posted For Public Comment | Canadian Beef Grading Agency
AIRS registration types – inspection.canada.ca
Please be advised of the creation of the following registration type:
145 – Code to import samples of pet food to a CFIA-inspected Facility
Revised_approach_to_Fragrance_Allergen_Requirements.pdf
Health Canada confirmed that new requirements to disclose certain fragrance allergens on cosmetic labels will take effect on April 11, 2026. Reporting the concentration of most fragrance allergens on the Cosmetic Notification Form will be optional, although allergens must still be listed as ingredients on labels and notifications when above specified thresholds, with enforcement following a compliance-promotion period from 2026–2027.
In response to a formal request from the Canadian Association of Vegetable Growers and Processors, the government has directed the Canadian International Trade Tribunal to conduct an inquiry on global imports of frozen and canned vegetables. The Tribunal will have 180 days to determine if increased imports of these products are causing, or threatening to cause, serious injury to Canadian vegetable growers and processors, and to make recommendations to the government on appropriate remedies. The Tribunal is also tasked to consider the impact on food affordability and security for Canadian households in its recommendations.
Impact report – Food Allergy Canada
Take a look through our impact reports below, we hope you learn something new and get inspired to help us #MakeFoodAllergyCount!
PMRA Recent postings of consultations and decisions
The Health Canada Pest Management Regulatory Agency (PMRA) is responsible for pesticide regulation in Canada. The public registry is where you can learn more about all pest control products registered for use in Canada.
- Etofenprox, RF2129 EC and RF2220 Premium Aerosol II-M Premise Spray (PRD2026-04) Open consultation Posted: March 12, 2026
Provincial
WorkSafeBC targets musculoskeletal injuries as claim costs skyrocket | Canadian Occupational Safety
Between 2020 and 2024, WorkSafeBC accepted more than 88,000 timeloss claims for MSIs, representing about 30 per cent of all timeloss claims in the province and more than a quarter of overall claim costs. Over that period, MSI claim costs exceeded $2.35 billion.
New funding will help up to 27,000 workers in Ontario retrain, upskill and stay competitive in the face of U.S. tariffs
USA
FDA Launches New Adverse Event Look-Up Tool | FDA
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration today launched a new unified platform for analyzing adverse event reports. This platform — called the FDA Adverse Event Monitoring System (AEMS) — represents a major achievement in the agency’s mission to modernize and provide radical transparency into the safety of regulated products.
FSIS Foodborne Illness Outbreak Investigations, Fiscal Year 2025
A summary of foodborne illness outbreaks investigated during fiscal year (FY) 2025 is now available on the FSIS website. This report summarizes outbreaks investigated by FSIS during FY 2025, including the number of outbreaks, pathogens, information on outbreaks that resulted in a product recall, and products investigated. The annual report also highlights lessons learned from outbreak after-action reviews.
Dole makes the most of minimal packaging | Supermarket Perimeter
Under Dole Food Co’s commitment to “reduce, reuse, recycle” approach, the company champions initiatives that create less waste, which includes its packaging, through design and material components, said Bill Goldfield, director of corporate communications.
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration announced another major step in its initiative to streamline the development of biosimilar medicines, which are like “generic” versions of biologic drugs. In new draft guidance issued today, the agency recommended streamlining unnecessary clinical pharmacokinetic (PK) testing when scientifically justified. This change could save biosimilar developers up to 50% of their PK study costs, or approximately $20 million, and help lower drug costs.
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has released a risk assessment evaluating the potential for human illness associated with consuming produce grown using untreated biological soil amendments of animal origin (BSAAO), including raw manure.
International
Looking ahead to 2026: A stronger, future‑ready ECHA
Europe’s chemical safety landscape is expanding rapidly, driven by new pieces of legislation, new expectations, and new opportunities to protect people and the environment.
Sweeteners under scrutiny as scientists find links to cognitive decline
New research linking popular sweeteners to cognitive decline has again raised concerns over their safety. What does this mean manufacturers?
Nanopinion – European Observatory for Nanomaterials
NanoPharos is a public database that applies the FAIR principles (findable, accessible, interoperable and reusable). It offers ready-for-modelling datasets on novel and advanced materials. Scientists, companies and regulators can use the database to run computational analyses using high-quality data with minimal pre-processing.
Instant coffee in EUDR: Implications for industry
Insiders say instant coffee will be added to Europe’s deforestation regulation, impacting some of the biggest names in the business
EFSA and FAO Sign Memorandum of Understanding – Quality Assurance & Food Safety
The European Food Safety Authority and the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations signed a MoU Feb. 19 that will promote science-based solutions for safe, sustainable and resilient food systems, aligned with One Health principles.
Safety Share
Noise and sound: Protect your hearing health – Canada.ca
Depending on how loud a noise or sound is and how long you are exposed, it can cause hearing loss, tinnitus or both, and negative effects on mental health and well being. Find out how to protect your hearing.
Events
The GFSI Conference, set for March 24-26, 2026, in Vancouver, Canada, will bring together more than 600 experts and business leaders from more than 40 countries to find ways to ensure greater action on food safety challenges.
To find out more about the conference and register, click here.
Safety Connection: Working For Workers Act – Where Are We Now | WSPS
FREE Webinar 8-Apr-2026 10:30 am EST 1.5 hours
In this session we will review why the working for workers acts were created, and all of the OHSA and Regulation changes that have occurred though the working for workers act releases. The session will also provide guidance and tips to help Employers navigate and implement the various updates and changes.
CFIN’s latest report, Building Resilient Food Supply Chains Through Canadian Innovation, maps those vulnerabilities and profiles the Canadian companies building commercially validated solutions to address them. In this webinar, we’ll unpack the report’s findings with the operators and innovators deploying these solutions across the sector.
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