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CHAPTER 11 - CONTROL OF MARINE BIOTOXINS

ANNEX A - CONSUMER COMPLAINT RECORD

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Consumer Complaint Record - Download Abobe PDF file

INSTRUCTIONS FOR COMPLETING THE CONSUMER COMPLAINT RECORD

PLEASE PRINT ALL INFORMATION. WHEN NO INFORMATION IS AVAILABLE ENTER "N/A" (NOT AVAILABLE) IN THE BOX.

1. Enter the name of the Fisheries and Oceans laboratory or Inspection office and the region where the complaint was received.

2. Enter the date the complaint was received (e.g. Y/A 93 (1993); M 06 (June); D/J 15).

3. Enter the laboratory identification number. The ten-digit number is generated as follows:

i) the first two digits identify the region and district where the complaint originated. The first digit is to indicate the region. The second digit should be zero (0) if the complaint was received at the Regional Office or the correct digit if the complaint was received in one of the area offices in the region.

i.e.,

Headquarters	NHQ	70
Newfoundland	NFLD	10
Scotia-Fundy	SCFU	20
Gulf	GULF	30
Central and Arctic	C+A	50
Pacific	PAC	60
Quebec	QUE	80

ii) the third to eighth digits identify the date the complaint was recorded:

- third and fourth digits - the year (e.g. 93)
- fifth and sixth digits - the month (01 (January) to 12 (December))
- seventh and eighth - the day of the month (01 to 31)

iii) the ninth and tenth digits are used to indicate the number of the complaints in consecutive order as they are received each day (e.g. 50-930615-01 would mean the first complaint received by Central and Arctic regional office on the fifteenth of June, 1993).

iv) trade complaints are to be identified by the addition of the letter T to the end of the consumer complaint number, (e.g. 50-930615-01T)

If other than Canada, enter the country of origin in the second part of box #3.

4. Check the box which indicates how the complaint was received. Did the consumer contact the department directly or was the complaint received through another department such as the Health Protection Branch (HPB) of Health Canada (HC), Industry Canada, a provincial ministry/department of health, etc.

5. If the complaint was received from another agency, enter the name and address.

6. Check if the complainant reported illness as a result of eating fish or fish products. If yes, complete the Supplementary Form for Suspected Food Poisoning (FP1580, reverse).

7. Print the complainant's name.

8. Print the complainant's home telephone number.

9. Print the complainant's home address.

10. Print the complainant's business telephone number.

11. Print the product brand name as printed on the product label.

12. Print the common name of the product including descriptive terms, noting the species name first (e.g. tuna chunk light, or shrimp peeled, deveined). Note packing medium (e.g. tuna chunk light vegetable broth).

13. Enter the net weight of the product package unit.

14. Enter the unit price of the item, or the retail price paid by the consumer.

15. Enter the manufacturer's container code placed on the packing carton or individual product package.

16. Identify the container pack type (e.g. canned, packaged, bulk).

17. Print the name and address of the manufacturer/distributor of the product as it appears on the product label. (If the manufacturer or distributor is also the responsible agent, enter "the same" on the form.)

18. Print the name and address of the dealer/vendor where the item was purchased.

19. Enter the date of purchase (e.g. Y/A 93 M 06 D/J 15).

20. Briefly describe the nature of the complaint, providing all pertinent details. If possible, the following terms should be used in the description:

a) illness;
b) odour/flavour;
c) appearance;
d) foreign material;
e) extraneous matter;
f) parasites;
g) label;
h) other.

21. Check if the original complaint sample was examined by Fisheries and Oceans personnel. Note under what conditions the sample was stored, e.g. unopened, frozen, refrigerated, etc.

22. Enter the date the sample was inspected or examined.

23. Check if additional sample units were taken for investigation from any of the locations listed. Note the number of additional samples taken and from where.

24. Record the results of the inspection of the original product and the additional sample units, providing observations, action and comments.

25. Check the method of communication used to advise the complainant of the inspection results.

26. The Inspector is to print his/her name and sign the form.

27. Record if the complaint was referred to the Regional Office, the distributor, the manufacturer, HPB, etc.

28. Enter the date the report was completed.

29. If illness was involved, complete the supplementary form for suspected food poisoning.

Supplementary Form for Suspected Food Poisoning - Download Abobe PDF file

INSTRUCTIONS FOR COMPLETING THE SUPPLEMENTARY FORM FOR SUSPECTED FOOD POISONING

PLEASE PRINT ALL INFORMATION. WHEN NO INFORMATION IS AVAILABLE ENTER "N/A" (NOT AVAILABLE) IN THE BOX.

1. Enter the name of the Fisheries and Oceans laboratory or Inspection office and the region where the complaint was received.

2. Enter the date the complaint was received (e.g. Y/A 93 (1993); M 06 (June); D/J 15).

3. Enter the ten digit laboratory identification number (see Section 3, Appendix A of this chapter).

4. Enter the date the illness occurred (e.g. Y/A 93; M 06; D/J 15).

5. Enter the date the illness was reported (e.g. Y/A 93; M 06; D/J 15).

6. Record the number of people affected.

7. Record the total number of people that consumed the food containing fish or fish products.

8. Check the symptoms reported by the complainant. Print any other symptoms not listed but experienced by the complainant.

9. Indicate the length of time which elapsed from the time of eating to the time the symptoms occurred.

10. Indicate the length of time the illness lasted.

11. Check if a doctor was consulted.

12. Print the doctor's diagnosis.

13. Print the doctor's name, business address and business telephone.

14. Check where the food was eaten. If applicable, provide the name of the public establishment.

15. Check if the meal was catered.

16. Print: "see attached". On a separate page(s) list the complainant's 24-hour food recall noting all foods and beverages, including the food suspected of causing food poisoning, and all meals and snacks consumed immediately prior to the illness.

Note: Items 17 to 32 inclusive deal primarily with fish or fish products purchased and prepared at home or in a private residence.

17. Check the form in which the fish or fish product was purchased.

18. Indicate the period of time which elapsed from purchase to consumption (generally in hours for fresh product and in months for canned or frozen product).

19. Indicate the amount of time that elapsed following opening of the package until consumption.

20. Enter the cooking time in hours or minutes.

21. Enter the cooking temperature or microwave power level.

22. If frozen, indicate if the product was thawed prior to cooking.

23. Indicate how the product was thawed.

24. Describe how the product looked prior to cooking.

25. Record the size or approximate weight of the portions consumed.

26. Check if there was a noticeable "off" odour prior to cooking.

27. Record the method used for cooking, e.g. baking, broiling, frying, sautéeing, steaming.

28. Record the product odour when the food was served. The following examples may serve as a guide:

Taint - rancid, abnormal, contaminated;
Decomposition - fruity, vegetable, sour, yeasty fermented, ammonia, putrid or faecal.

29. Record in minutes, hours or days the time delay between cooking and serving.

30. Check if the product was refrigerated between cooking and serving.

31. Record in minutes, hours, days, etc., how long the product was refrigerated.

32. Check which ingredients were used in the food preparation. Note any special ingredients.

33. Check if a sample of the suspect product was collected for bacteriological or chemical testing.

34. Record the date the analysis was completed. (e.g. Y/A 93 M 06 D/J 15)

35. Summarise the results of the analyses indicating possible causative agents. Attach bacteriological and/or chemical work sheets, if available.

36. Evaluate the validity of the complaint and record action taken.

37. Enter the date of the report. (e.g. Y/A 93 M 06 D/J 06)

38. The officer finalizing the investigation is to print his/her name and sign the report.