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Food >
Fish and Seafood > Product Inspection > Standards and Methods Manual
APPENDIX 3
CANADIAN GUIDELINES FOR CHEMICAL CONTAMINANTS AND TOXINS IN FISH AND FISH
PRODUCTS
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| CONTAMINANTS |
PRODUCT TYPE |
ACTION LEVEL* |
| Mercury |
All fish products (swordfish, shark, fresh and frozen tuna
excepted) |
0.5 ppm |
| Arsenic |
Fish protein concentrate |
3.5 ppm |
| Lead |
Fish protein concentrate |
0.5 ppm |
| Fluoride |
Fish protein concentrate |
150 ppm |
| 2,3,7,8 TCDD
(Dioxin) |
All fish products |
20 ppt
* UNDER REVIEW* |
DDT and
Metabolites
(DDD and DDE) |
All fish products |
5.0 ppm |
| PCB |
All fish products |
2.0 ppm |
| Piperonyl butoxide |
Dried Cod |
1.0 ppm |
| Other agricultural chemicals or their derivatives |
All fish products |
0.1 ppm |
SAMPLING: Samples to consist of a minimum of 5 units
representative of the lot. Analysis may be carried out on a composite of all
sample units.
CRITERIA FOR ACTION: A lot of fish will be considered
reject if the sample value exceeds the action level. Fish or fish products
exceeding these guidelines may be permitted for export if they do not violate
regulations of the importing country.
*Based on contaminants level of edible weight
| TOXINS |
PRODUCT TYPE |
ACTION LEVEL |
| Histamine* |
Enzyme ripened products (e.g. anchovies, anchovy paste, fish sauce) |
20 mg / 100 g |
| All other scombroid fish products (e.g. canned or fresh or frozen tuna, mackerel,
mahi-mahi) |
10 mg / 100 g |
| PSP** |
Molluscan shellfish |
80 µg / 100 g |
| ASP*** |
Molluscan shellfish |
20 µg / g |
| DSP**** |
Molluscan shellfish |
1 µg / g |
ADDITIONAL COMMENTS:
*Histamine
- Samples are collected according to Sampling Plan 1 (AQL 6.5) for initial inspection and
Sampling Plan 2 (AQL 6.5)
for reinspection.
- Any sample exceeding 50 mg/100 g will result in the lot being rejected with no right to
reinspection.
- The acceptance number is that corresponding to the number for
decomposition.
** PSP and
***ASP (Paralytic Shellfish
Poisoning and Amnesic Shellfish Poisoning - Domoic Acid)
- PSP toxin levels
equal to or greater than 80 µg/100 g and/or ASP levels equal to or greater than 20
µg/g will
result in closure of the shellfish area.
- Where shellfish samples collected from a plant are equal to or greater than
the above levels, the production lot is detained. If the lot has already been
distributed, possible product recall will be considered.
- The minimum acceptable sample is that which when shucked will produce 100
g of drained meats from 5 pooled sub-samples.
Depending on the size of animals, the total number of shellfish required varies
from 1 (geoduck) to 25 (pink scallops).
**** DSP
(Okadaic acid and/or DTX-1)
- DSP testing will be
conducted only in suspect harvesting areas or as a result of reported illness.
Okadaic acid and/or DTX-1 levels in
digestive tissue equal to or greater than 1 µg/g, singly or in
combination, will result in closure of the shellfish area.
BACKGROUND LEVELS FOR NON-PERMITTED
ADDITIVES
| ADDITIVE1 |
PRODUCT TYPE |
BACKGROUND LEVEL2 |
| Nitrites |
All fish and fish products (except marine mammal
meat3) |
15 ppm (see note 2) |
| Nitrates |
All fish and fish products |
15 ppm (see note 2) |
| Sulphites4 |
Clams (raw and canned) |
10 ppm |
| Phosphates5 |
Shrimp (raw, cooked and canned) |
1.60 % |
|
Scallops (raw) |
1.47 % |
|
Fish fillets |
1.37 % |
|
Crab (raw and cooked) |
1.70 % |
|
Lobster (raw and cooked) |
1.47 % |
|
Surf clams (raw and cooked) |
1.00 % |
1 The compounds listed in this table are food
additives; however some background levels may occur naturally in some
foods.
2When the additive is not
permitted, then the action level is the background level or detection limit;
when the additive is permitted, then the action level is the
background level or detection limit plus the permitted
amount.
3 Marine mammals, including seals are included in
the definition of "fish" as per the Canadian Food and Drug
Regulations. Sodium nitrite is permitted in marine mammal meats at the maximum
level of 200 ppm
4Calculated as sulphur dioxide.
5Calculated as sodium phosphate, dibasic.
Note:
- If a processor can provide reliable data for naturally occurring background
levels that are higher than those shown above, this may be considered before
product action is taken.
- Some herbs, including parsley, contain high levels of naturally occurring
nitrates. This has to be considered when nitrates are detected in fish products
containing herbs as an ingredient.
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