Japan Earthquake - Questions and Answers

Food Safety / Imports

Q1. What is the CFIA currently doing in response to the situation in Japan?

The Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA), is in contact with the Japanese government, international food safety organizations, trading partners and embassy staff to keep close tabs on developments in Japan.

CFIA, in collaboration with the Canada Border Services Agency and Health Canada, has implemented enhanced import controls on all food and animal feed products from the affected areas in Japan.

These products will not be allowed entry into Canada without acceptable documentation verifying their safety. These measures will be adjusted, as warranted, to ensure the Canadian food supply remains protected

Q2. How do Canada's import controls compare with those of the United States and other countries?

Like domestic products, all imported foods must comply with rigorous Canadian standards. Regardless of the country of origin, if the CFIA identifies products that do not meet regulatory requirements, enforcement action, including the refusal of shipments and potential prosecution, is taken.

Canada's recently announced enhanced import restrictions add an additional safeguard to Canada's existing import controls, which are maintained by the Canadian Food Inspection Agency and the Canada Border Services Agency. These controls will prevent the entry of certain foods from the affected areas of Japan unless the safety of these foods is demonstrated.

This approach is consistent with measures taken by other countries, including the US Food and Drug Administration. While the specific mechanisms of various countries' restrictions may differ, the outcomes are the same.

Q3. Radiation has been detected in spinach and other foods in Japan. Are any of these contaminated products in Canada?

Canada imports only a small quantity of food from Japan.

All food and animal feed products from the affected areas in Japan, are not allowed entry into Canada without acceptable documentation verifying their safety.

In addition, the Japanese government issued an order preventing the sale of food products demonstrating elevated levels of radiation.

Q4. How much food is imported to Canada from Japan?

The total volume of agri-food imports from Japan to Canada was approximately $42.6 million in 2010, which is less than 0.3% of food entering Canada.

Q5. Does Canada import dairy products and fruit and vegetables from Japan?

In 2010, Canada imported 2,833 kg of dairy products from Japan.  This represents approximately 0.001% of all dairy products imported into the country.  Fresh fruit and vegetables accounted for 1,778,145 kg  or approximately 0.045% of all fruit and vegetables imported into Canada.  We are not accepting these products into Canada without acceptable documentation verifying their safety.

Q6. Is the CFIA planning to monitor seafood from Japan?

The CFIA will continue to monitor all food products, including seafood, coming from Japan.  Additional documentation will be required for any products coming from the affected areas in Japan. In addition, a sampling and testing strategy has been launched to monitor radiation levels of food products being imported. This approach targets the commodities posing the greatest risk to consumers but also focuses on a broader range of other commodities.

Canada's actions complement steps taken by the Japanese government to ban the sale of food contaminated with radioactive material in Japan. These controls also consistent with our international partners and add an additional safeguard to Canada's existing import controls.

Q7. Could fish and shellfish in Canadian waters be affected by the situation in Japan?

According to the expert advice of the Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission, any radionuclides released into the Pacific Ocean near the reactor would be diluted to negligible amounts by large quantities of sea water. Fish and shellfish on the Canadian west coast are not expected to be impacted by the situation in Japan.

Q8. Are travellers from Japan required to declare any food they are bringing in to Canada?

Canadian law requires any travellers entering Canada to declare all food, plants and animals they are bringing into the country.

Undeclared food, plants, animals, and related products brought into Canada by travellers could pose a potential threat to the health of Canadians and Canada’s environment.

For information regarding what food is admissible in Canada visit the Be Aware and Declare website.

Radiation and Food

Q1. Is testing for radiation in food a normal practice of the Government of Canada?

As part of Health Canada's total diet study, the government collects information on normal background levels of radionuclides in food. The total diet study is a survey of contaminants in food and is an important tool used to estimate Canadian's exposure to contaminants through the food supply.

In fact, Canada is one of the only countries in the world that includes the measurement of levels of radionuclides as part of a national total diet study. This information gives us a very good idea of the normal levels of these materials in food, and will allow us to be much better prepared to respond to situations such as the one currently underway in Japan.

• Canadian Total Diet Study

Q2. What has Health Canada found in these tests?

Since the Total Diet Study in 2000, Health Canada has been evaluating levels of radionuclides in food on an annual basis. All results to date have indicated extremely low background levels of radionuclides, below the limits of our testing technology.

The study provides us with baseline data; since any results above that detection level would be clearly noticeable.

Q3. What is the detection limit of the Total Diet Study, and would levels above that limit represent a risk to Canadians?

Currently, the tests used as part of the total diet study can detect radionuclides as low as 2 becquerel per kg. This is an incredibly low level.

Our ability to detect contaminants in food is constantly improving. We can now test for microscopic levels of contamination that would not have any impact on the health of the consumer. This is why it's important to consider not only the substance, but also the amount we are exposed to before knowing whether there is a risk.

In this case, even if we detected a level slightly higher than our detection levels, it would not necessarily mean that there was a risk to Canadians. It would depend on the level found, what food it was found in and how much of that food Canadians eat.

Q4. Has Health Canada set maximum levels for radiation in food?

Health Canada has implemented what are called action levels for radionuclides in food, which can be applied during a radiation related emergency. The action level is applied to specific radionuclides based on the risk they represent and are significantly higher than the detection limits used.

• Canadian Guidelines for the Restriction of Radioactively Contaminated Food and Water Following a Nuclear Emergency

The CODEX Alimentarius, an international scientific organization focussed on food additives and contaminants has also established recommended limits for specific radionuclides in food which are consistent with Health Canada's action levels.

Q5. How does the Government of Canada test for radiation in food?

Testing for radiation in food is a complicated process that is only conducted in a laboratory setting. For the total diet study, samples of foods are collected and prepared as they would be eaten in the home (cooked vs. raw, cooking methods etc).

Once the food is prepared, samples are taken and are tested for the various contaminants that the total diet study measures.

In the case of radionuclides, the samples are sent to a specialized laboratory in the Radiation Protection Bureau of Health Canada where radiation experts use specific equipment to detect targeted radionuclides of concern that may be present in the food.

Q6. Are there risks to food, plants and animals produced in Canada?

Negligible levels of radioactivity have been detected on Canada's west coast. The quantities of radioactive material reaching Canada are very small and within normal ranges. They do not pose any health risk to Canadians, the food we eat, or the plants and animals in Canada.

In line with ongoing Government of Canada radiation surveillance and monitoring activities across Canada, the CFIA is conducting sampling and testing of domestic milk from British Columbia. Testing of drinking water, in collaboration with federal and provincial government partners, is also under consideration. Health Canada will also continue its monitoring and surveillance at stations across the country in strategic locations and major population centres.

Action Levels

Q1. What are Health Canada’s action levels and what do they mean?

All products tested by Health Canada laboratories specific to the situation in Japan were below Health Canada action levels for pertinent radionuclides which are 1000 bq/kg. This level is based on Canadian guidelines for emergency situations.

Action levels are the food safety thresholds for which a specific radionuclide should not exceed. Should these levels be exceeded, appropriate risk management action would be taken depending on the exposure and the potential impact of the product on humans.

Q2. What are pertinent radionuclides?

As part of the CFIA’s food safety monitoring strategy in response to the ongoing emergency in Japan, samples are being tested for all gamma radionuclides. These include iodine 131, cesium 137 and 134.