List of Products Exempt from Evaluation by CFIA

The following products may be used in federally registered food establishments as long as the labels of the products bear the required information for non-food chemicals. In addition, CFIA inspection staff must be satisfied that the use of these products will not directly or indirectly contaminate food products during either their application or storage.

Every label shall show the following basic information:

• the name and address of the firm manufacturing or distributing the product. The address may be that of the head office of the firm;
• the descriptive name of the product. This is required prominently, immediately adjacent to the brand name, to denote the function and include a statement on the specific intended use in food plants;
• a list of major ingredients. If there is an active ingredients list on the label and the other major ingredients in the product, are non-active, they should be declared under a separate heading such as contains or ingredients...;
• direction for use, including any precautionary statements necessary to avoid contamination of food, such as potable water rinse, where applicable;
• net content statement; and
• where applicable, the words "Product of...." indicating the country of origin. The statement should be placed below the descriptive name of the products.

Exempted products:

• Pesticide products for outdoor use, such as herbicides. These must bear Pest Control Product (PCP) registration number on the label and be used in keeping with label instructions to preclude direct or indirect contamination of food products. They are not, under any circumstances, to be used in or around outside food handling areas;
• Products used in offices or similar non processing areas such as furniture, polishes and upholstering and rug shampoos or cleaners;
• Products used in washrooms, cafeterias and lunch rooms such as rinse additives, hand washing soaps or detergents, paper towels and facial tissues, as well as tarnish removers, bowl cleaners which are not intended to be used in processing areas;
• Products used in heating systems such as fuel additives, fire-box or flue treatments or cleaners;
• Products for outdoor use for sewage or waste water systems such as grease solvents for external traps or lines, odour control compounds in lagoons or holding ponds;
• Products used in cooling towers or evaporator condensers such as corrosion inhibitors, cleaning compounds (algaecides and biocides must bear PCP registration number);
• Products used for the cleaning or maintenance of the exterior of vehicles such as car washes or shampoos, combustion engine cleaners, parts cleaner used in the maintenance areas, tire cleaners and body brighteners;
• Products used for fire protection and security. These should be installed or used in a manner that they do not present a sanitary maintenance problem.

Exemptions for Working Apparel & First Aid Items for use in Food Plants:

• Protective clothing used in food processing plants by clean-up and maintenance personnel, when performing duties in a food handling areas;
• Hair nets/ bouffants, head, hearing, eye and face protection & non food contact working gloves, with the understanding that they are maintained in a hygienic condition and used in keeping with GMPs;
• First Aid Items (band aides, bandages, etc) with the understanding that all precautionary controls are to be taken to preclude direct contact with food products or accidentally being incorporated into a food product.