European Commission Audit FAQ
February 2001
Canada's Control of Chemical Residues in Live Animals and Animal Products
In September 2000, a team from the European Commission (EC) conducted
an audit of Canada's control of chemical residues in live animals and
animal products, some of which are exported to the European Union. The
Government of Canada has published an official response which addresses
the concerns and recommendations of the EC's final audit report. This
response can be found on the Canadian Food Inspection Agency's website
at www.cfia-acia.agr.ca
and the Health Canada website at www.hc-sc.gc.ca.
The following are some of the more frequently asked questions on Canada's
control of chemical residues in foods of animal origin.
Is Canadian food of animal origin safe?
Yes. Canadian foods of animal origin are among the safest in the world.
Canada has a comprehensive regulatory and monitoring program to protect
the health and safety of Canadian consumers and consumption of these foods
does not pose a safety risk to the health of consumers in Canada or the
EU. The European Commission has provided no evidence or test results indicating
that our exports have ever been found in non-compliance. We have reviewed
the EC's final audit report and will be taking appropriate action as necessary.
Why did the EU perform an audit of Canada's residue monitoring system?
These kinds of foreign-country audits are an ongoing routine part of
determining the safety of international foods of animal origin and Canada
performs similar reviews in other countries. In fact, quite recently,
a Canadian audit was conducted of the residue monitoring programs of selected
member states of the EU.
Who has authority for the control and monitoring of drug residues in
Canada?
Health Canada and the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) share responsibility
for administering Canada's residue control program. Health Canada is responsible
for the approval of veterinary drugs and the establishment of maximum
residue limits (MRLs) for chemical compounds in food products. The CFIA,
in turn, is responsible for the monitoring and enforcement of these standards.
In addition, the authority and accountability for the prescribing of veterinary
drugs by veterinary practitioners is embodied in provincial legislation
governing the licensing of veterinarians and others who would use these
drugs.
Why is Canada's residue monitoring program different from that of the
EU?
No two countries have identical systems of control. While our system
may differ from that of the EU, it produces the same, if not better, results
in relation to food safety issues.
What is the Government of Canada doing about this report?
The Government of Canada has published a response which it feels addresses
the recommendations/concerns in the European Commission's audit report.
The Canadian response is part of Canada's efforts to continuously improve
our food safety system.
Why does the CFIA use both government and private labs in their residue
monitoring program?
The CFIA carries out residue testing in federal laboratories certified
in accordance with the International Standards Organization (ISO) as well
as in private laboratories that have been specifically accredited for
this purpose by the Standards Council of Canada. Private labs use CFIA
testing methods and their performance is evaluated on a regular basis
by CFIA experts. This expanded capacity is necessary to ensure the timely
and accurate reporting required to meet Canada's domestic and international
obligations.
Are Canada's labs equipped to detect very low levels of growth hormone
or other chemical residues?
CFIA labs and private labs accredited for residue testing are fully capable
of testing for the presence of residues in meat down to the limits established
by Health Canada for chemical compounds in food products.
Why does Canada have a hormone-free cattle program?
The World Trade Organization (WTO) has agreed with Canada's view that
beef from cattle treated with growth hormones in accordance with approved
methods is safe and that the EU ban on the importation of beef from such
cattle is not based on science and therefore contravenes the provisions
of the WTO Agreement on Sanitary and Phytosanitary Measures. The EU lost
a WTO Panel and appeal in this case, yet has still refused to lift the
hormones ban. While Canada continues to press the EU to remove its ban,
we have developed this program to accommodate Canadian industry interested
in exporting beef to the EU.
Has diethylstilbestrol (DES) ever been detected in Canadian food?
DES residues are not allowed in Canadian foods. No DES product is licensed
or available for use in food producing animals in Canada. The CFIA continues
to monitor food for this substance and it has not been detected in food
in Canada or in Canadian food exported to the EU or any other country.
For more information, visit the CFIA's web site at
http://www.cfia-acia.agr.ca or
Health Canada's web site at
http://www.hc-sc.gc.ca
Revised December 14, 2001
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