Fresh Fruits and Vegetables

The Canadian Food Inspection Agency monitors fresh fruits and vegetables that are imported and domestically grown and traded under federal standards.

CFIA activities include:

• inspecting products for their safety and wholesomeness;
• verifying compliance with the federal grade, packaging and labelling requirements;
• supporting orderly marketing to provide fairness in the marketplace.

The key acts and regulations we enforce are:

• Canada Agricultural Products Act
  • Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Regulations
  • Licensing and Arbitration Regulations
• Consumer Packaging and Labelling Act
  • Consumer Packaging and Labelling Regulations
• Food and Drugs Act
  • Food and Drug Regulations

Information we provide for consumers includes:

• Fresh fruit and vegetable fact sheets
• Common causes of food borne illness

Information we provide for the food industry includes:

• Imports and interprovincial trade
  • Canadian Import, Export and Interprovincial Requirements for Fresh Fruit and Vegetables
     
• Food safety
  • Chemical Residue Sampling Program
  • Code of Practice for the Hygienic Production of Sprouted Seeds
  • Code of Practice for Minimally Processed Ready-to-Eat Vegetables
     
• Quality inspection and certification
  • Destination Inspection Services
  • Fruit Inspection Manuals
  • Vegetable Inspection Manuals

Additional government and industry information can be found at:

• Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada - InfoHort
• Blue Book Services
• Canadian Produce Marketing Association
• Canadian Horticultural Council
• Fresh Produce Alliance
• Fruit and Vegetable Dispute Resolution Corporation
• United States Department of Agriculture - Agricultural Marketing Service
  • Fruit and Vegetable Market News