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Milk and Regulated Milk Products

AHPD-DSAE-IE-2001-4-4

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Commodity Characteristics

Milk and regulated milk products as per the Health of Animals Regulations are:

• Milk (lacteal secretion obtained from the mammary gland of any ruminant)
• Partly Skimmed Milk
• Skim Milk
• Cream
• Butter
• Buttermilk
• Butter Oil or Ghee
• Whey
• Whey Butter
• Whey Cream

in concentrated, dried, frozen or reconstituted or fresh form, but does not include when destined for human consumption, milk proteins, milk sugars and milk enzymes.

Procedures

1. Milk and milk products as ingredients* of a food product from any country, for any end use (except for livestock feed):

NO ANIMAL HEALTH RESTRICTION

2. Any dairy product imported for human use (indicated on Canada Customs Invoice (CCI) or other documentation), other than those listed above:

NO ANIMAL HEALTH RESTRICTION

3. Milk and milk products imported from U.S.A. ** (proof of origin - such as CCI or labelling is required)

NO ANIMAL HEALTH RESTRICTION

Note: All dairy products including milk and milk products and other dairy products, as such or as ingredients that are destined for animal feed are regulated. See section 5. below.

Rationale

The risk of introducing and spreading exotic animal diseases through dairy products of U.S.A. origin or as an ingredient of a food product is considered very low.

4. Milk and regulated milk products (as such) for any use except for livestock feed:

From countries designated free of foot-and-mouth disease by the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA): may be imported if the importer presents a certificate signed by an official of the government of the country of origin that shows that the country of origin or part thereof is a designated country or part thereof.

From non foot-mouth-disease-free countries :

may be imported if the importer presents a certificate signed by an official of the government of the country of origin stating that the product has been subjected to one of the following treatments:

Pasteurization: Minimum of 72 degrees celsius for at least 15 seconds OR
Ultra-High temperature (UHT): Minimum of 140 degrees celsius for at least 5 seconds OR
Low final pH (less than 5) for a period of 2 hours AND
that every precaution was taken to prevent contamination of the product after completion of the processing. OR
may be imported if accompanied by an import permit.

For milk and cream including dried milk powder from non FMD-free countries:

may be imported if the importer presents a certificate signed by an official of the government of the country of origin stating that the milk or cream has been subjected to an initial pasteurization (72 degrees celsius/15 secondes), followed by one of the following treatment:

a) a second heat treatment (pasteurization at 72 degrees celsius/15 secondes), UHT ( at least 132 degrees celsius for at least 1 second ) OR
b) a drying process which includes a heat treatment with an equivalent effect to a) OR
c) treatment whereby the pH is lowered below 6.0 and held there for at least one hour AND
that every precaution was taken to prevent contamination of the product after completion of the processing. OR
may be imported if accompanied by an import permit.

Rationale

The risk of introducing and spreading exotic animal disease by importing regulated dairy products from FMD-free countries or dairy products, for example for human consumption, that have been previously treated, is considered to be low. Section 34.1 (1) of the Health of Animals Regulations allows the importation of such treated dairy products, if accompanied by a valid certificate attesting to the treatment. Please note that currently a major review on dairy products is underway. Pending the completion of this review the measures stated in this directive will apply.

* "Ingredient" means an individual unit of a food product which is combined with one or other individual units to form the integrated food product. "Ingredient" excludes milk proteins, milk sugars, milk enzymes, vitamins, minerals, flavourings or any other substance intended to fortify or increase the nutritional value of or to alter taste, appearance or supplemental value of the milk or regulated milk product, while the end product remains commonly recognized as milk or regulated milk product.

Transport media or packing material (in association with non-regulated products) is not considered as an ingredient and should therefore be considered as a separate regulated product, i.e. cottage cheese in whey, the whey is regulated and must be accompanied by a certificate as mentioned in Section 4 of this import directive.

** These products, for human consumption, are not regulated by Animal Health and Production Division.

5. Any dairy products including milk and milk products and other dairy products, as such or as ingredients for livestock feed:

(regulated as animal products under Section 53, 41(1) and not under section 34 Health of Animal Regulations):

From the U.S.A.: Proof of origin acceptable to Canadian Border Services Agency (CBSA).

From designated countries: countries recognized free of foot-and-mouth disease by the CFIA and for milk only (liquid or dry) as such, countries or part thereof must be free of brucellosis and tuberculosis.

May be allowed into Canada if the importer presents a certificate signed by an official of the government of the country of origin that shows that the country of origin or part thereof is a designated country OR if accompanied by a certificate of treatment signed by an official of the government of the country of origin stating that the product has been submitted to :

Pasteurization: Minimum of 72 degrees celsius for at least 15 seconds OR
Ultra-High temperature (UHT): Minimum 140 degrees celsius for at least 5 seconds.

In the case of milk (liquid or dry) if the country is recognized free of FMD by the CFIA but is not free of brucellosis and tuberculosis, the milk may be allowed into Canada if accompanied by a certificate of treatment signed by an official of the government of the country of origin stating that product has been submitted to:

Pasteurization: Minimum of 72 degrees celsius for at least 15 seconds OR
Ultra-High temperature (UHT): Minimum 140 degrees celsius for at least 5 seconds.

From non (FMD)-free countries: Case by case review by Headquarters, requires an animal health import permit. An import permit will be granted after the successful completion of a risk assessment.

Implementation

This general import directive supersedes all animal health specific or general import directives related to dairy products including the special E.U. measures of March 2001 and dairy import directive AHPD-DSAE-IE-2001-4-1 (AH-96-DP-PL-02).

This directive relates to Animal Health (AH) import requirements and does not remove any obligation to the Canadian importer to comply with the import requirements of other CFIA programs and/or other governmental departments.

Amendment: August 09, 2006