Advocacy
The Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) is informing feed manufacturers, importers, and distributors about a recall involving contaminated lots of Copper (II) Sulfate Pentahydrate originating from China and labelled as “Feed Grade/Qualité alimentaire.” CFIA has been monitoring the effectiveness of this recall and is providing this notice to reinforce industry awareness and compliance.
The affected lots were found to contain non-compliant concentrations of dioxins, furans, and dioxin-like polychlorinated biphenyls (dl‑PCBs) (collectively referred to as “dioxins”).
Federal
Competition Bureau to focus on improving affordability and choice in 2026-2027 – Canada.ca
Competition Bureau to focus on improving affordability and choice in 2026-2027
The Competition Bureau has published its 2026-2027 Annual Plan – Advancing Competition to Improve Affordability and Choice.
Exploring Mars Discovery District’s foodtech mission – Food In CanadaFood In Canada
Last fall, Mars Discovery District in Toronto launched a national ag and foodtech mission. Funded by Farm Credit Canada (FCC), this Mission aims to strengthen Canada’s food systems by increasing the flow of investment, building resilience into the agri-food sector, and reducing operational emissions.
Database: List of Local Food Infrastructure Fund projects (Large Scale Projects intake) – Canada.ca
On March 2, 2026, the Government of Canada announced 58 projects under the Large Scale Projects intake of the Local Food Infrastructure Fund (LFIF), valued at a total of $17.5 million.
Provincial
Alberta schools now benefit from having stock epinephrine available onsite, but the impact of this legislation extends far beyond access to medication. By prompting widespread training and awareness, the policy is helping to build a culture of preparedness — one that can reduce the likelihood of reactions occurring in the first place.
Ontario Increasing WSIB Benefits to Protect Injured Workers | Ontario Newsroom
The Ontario government is delivering on its plan to protect Ontario workers by proposing the first increase in nearly 30 years to income replacement benefits workers receive through the Workplace Safety and Insurance Board (WSIB) if they are injured on the job.
USA
The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) is retracting the public health alert issued on April 1, 2026, for Walmart Great Value Fully Cooked Dino Shaped Chicken Breast Nuggets with “Best If Used By” date “Feb 10 2027” produced by Dorada Foods after confirming that the product does not pose a public health concern.
Chemical Residues and Contaminants | Food Safety and Inspection Service
FSIS’ National Residue Program Quarterly Report (July to September 2025) and associated datasets are now available on the FSIS website. The report and datasets cover residue sampling data for domestic surveillance, inspector-generated, and import sampling programs for the fourth quarter of fiscal year 2025. The quarterly report summarizes the chemical residue results for the U.S. National Residue Program for meat, poultry and egg products, helping to ensure a safe food supply.
Plant and Process Considerations for Switching to Natural Food Colors | Food Engineering
To anyone outside the industry, swapping out a colorant may sound small. But engineers know that changing a single functional ingredient can cascade through an entire process. A synthetic dye that was once stable across wide pH ranges, heat loads and storage conditions may be replaced with a pigment that behaves very differently under shear, thermal cycling or light exposure.
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is adding per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), microplastics, pharmaceuticals, and other hazards to the Sixth Contaminant Candidate List (CCL 6) for drinking water.
The drinking water CCL is a list of contaminants that are not currently subject to any proposed or promulgated national primary drinking water regulations, but are known or anticipated to occur in public water systems. EPA is required to publish an updated CCL every five years.
International
CRISPR-Edited Wheat Leads to Reduced Acrylamide Without Yield Loss | Food Safety Magazine
Scientists at UK-based Rothamsted Research have developed gene-edited wheat with substantially reduced levels of free asparagine, a precursor to acrylamide. The success was demonstrated through two years of food trials and was published in Plant Biotechnology Journal.
Unilever spins-off food as McCormick megamerger confirmed
Unilever separates Foods, McCormick scales-up – a new force in food and beverage emerges
Hydroponic cultivation is experiencing rapid global expansion, driven by demand for nutrient-dense, year-round fresh produce. Currently, the U.S. hydroponic market is valued at approximately $961.8 million USD and is projected to grow annually at a rate of 10.7 percent. However, this intensive form of production presents unique food safety challenges, particularly the potential for contamination with human pathogens.
Trouble at the Top: Nestlé, Unilever, Barry Callebaut, Coca-Cola, Kraft Heinz, Hershey
CEO scandals and surprise shake-ups – the world’s biggest food and drink giants are undergoing a leadership overhaul. But is this a moment of crisis or a chance for positive change?
Safety Share
Workplace Violence Assessment Tool | An Overview
Some workdays are more chaotic than others. But even on the busiest days, respectful treatment of your staff is non-negotiable and violence is never okay. In fact, it’s the law!
As a store manager or shift supervisor, you’re balancing a lot: staffing shortages, customer expectations, loss prevention, and the growing reality of aggression and theft in retail settings. With so much competing for your attention, keeping your teams safe needs to be practical, fast, and easy to implement.
That’s where a new, free online Workplace Violence Risk Assessment (WVRA) Tool comes in. This easy-to-use tool gives you a clear, structured way to meet your stores legal requirements while strengthening the safety, wellbeing and productivity of your team.
Events
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.
Inscriptions visiteurs | SIAL Canada
Registration for SIAL Canada 2026 is now open!
Join us from April 29 to May 1 at North America’s leading trade show dedicated to the agri-food industry
Food Safety Virtual Training Courses Presented by National Sanitation Foundation (NSF)
The Food Safety Excellence program provides Ontario meat processors with access to free, National Sanitation Foundation (NSF)-delivered food safety courses designed to build confidence, strengthen food safety systems and support continuous improvement. Each session is instructor-led and each attendee will receive a certificate upon successful completion.
Eligibility: Free training is available only to provincially licensed meat plants in Ontario.
April 21-22, 2026 & April 28-29, 2026
This course is designed for processors who want to build, implement and maintain a robust HACCP-based food safety system aligned with Codex and GFSI expectations.
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