Inspection
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Food Safety and Quality Assurance
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Canadian beef is recognized world wide for its consistent quality and wholesomeness. Some of the government and industry quality assurance programs include:
Canadian Cattlemen Quality Starts Here
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This is a voluntary program that is directed towards cattle producers. The aim is to provide producers with information on the best cattle handling practices that will yield high quality beef.
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The Canadian Food Inspection Agency and provincial inspectors: Are responsible for meat inspection. Any suspect animals are further tested and if they fail to meet the government's high standards, it is condemned and removed from the food system.
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Individual plants and distributors
Incorporate their own additional food safety programs that utilize the latest technology such as steam pasteurization, steam vacuum and other food safety programs. The guiding principles for these systems centres on HACCP (Hazard Analysis Critical Control Point). This system identifies potential hazards and implements control procedures including a recall process. Ask your supplier if they have a HACCP type system in place.
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Canadian Food Inspection Agency
All boxes or carcasses containing this stamp meet Canadian requirements for food safety and also applies to the products imported into Canada. The stamp will also have a number listed on the bottom that refers to the plant at which the product was processed.
At federally registered establishments, inspection and safety of meat and meat products is the responsibility of Health Canada and the Canadian Food Inspection Agency. Inspection at these plants is mandatory before any inter-provincial trade or export of meat is possible.
At these federally registered facilities, random tests for residues in meat are taken. Over the past few years, results from the Canadian Food Inspection Agency showed beef consistently in 99.7% compliance or higher for the substances monitored. Any carcass or organs that do not meet the government's high standards are condemned and destroyed. These rigorous inspection procedures are a means of ensuring only wholesome foods end up in the hands of the consumer.
Imported meat products are allowed only from countries that have been approved by the Canadian government. These products must be inspected at a registered establishment in Canada before they are made available for sale to Canadian consumers.
Provincially inspected meat may only be distributed within the province of inspection. Depending on the province, meat inspection is the responsibility of the Ministry of Health or Agriculture.
CFIA's meat inspection program (Meat Inspection Act)
Links to provincial meat inspection programs:
British Columbia
Alberta
Saskatchewan
Manitoba
Ontario
Nova Scotia
