Food Recalls & Consumer Perception in Canada

1. Food Recalls & Consumer Perception in Canada Dr. Keith Mussar Keith Mussar & Associates Canadian Association of Importers and Exporters 7th World SME Expo December 12-14, 2007 Hong Kong

2. Food Recalls in Canada Recall: A company’s removal from the market of an unsafe food, a potentially unsafe food or a food that violates the regulations enforced by the Canadian Food Inspection Agency

3. Food Recalls in Canada Recall: The final food safety intervention that can protect Canadian consumers from the risk of food borne illness

4. Food Recalls in Canada Canadian Food Traceability Data Standard www.can-trace.org/portals/0/docs/CFTDS%20version%202.0%20FINAL.pdf Consumers Essential: Manufacturing Date Code: E215Q192603 Best Before Date: 2006 AL 23 Manufacturing Date Code Supplier Ingredient Date Code or Product Code Manufacturing Date Code Manufacturing Date Code Retailers Restaurants Distributors Ingredient Suppliers Manufacturer

5. Food Recalls in CanadaIndustry’s Responsibility in a Recall Best Practice: “Advanced Preparation” • Recall plan • Recall management team • Primary contact – “recall coordinator” • Internal company, supply chain & distribution contacts • Practiced recall plan-mock recall exercise minimum yearly • “Manufacturing Date Code” or “Best Before Date” on product labels

6. Food Recalls in CanadaIndustry’s Responsibility in a Recall • Notify Canadian Food Inspection Agency-CFIA of health concern • Voluntary recall of the product • Provides required product information to CFIA Provides distribution list to CFIA • Notify customers about the recall • Notify public along with CFIA • Collect and isolate recovered product • Verifies amount of product recovered • Recovery done by retailers, restaurant, third party companies • Follow up • Disposal of recalled product [could involve CFIA] • Corrects issue responsible for hazard leading to recall

7. Product brand name Product common name Size of product package Manufacturing date code Universal Product Code-UPC Distribution list [who product shipped to & amount] Amount produced & when Copy of product label Product specifications, analytical test results Information about injuries or illnesses Company contact information Food Recalls in Canada Information Provided to Canadian Food Inspection Agency

8. Food Recalls in CanadaIndustry’s Responsibility in a Recall Voluntary Recalls >99.5 % of recalls done voluntarily • Protect consumers-”right thing to do” • Protect consumer confidence • Protect brand equity • Protect market share • Maintain or enhance investor confidence • Business insurance requirement-SME

9. Food Recalls in CanadaGovernment’s Oversight in a Recall • Health risk assessment • Decision to recall • Classification of recall-health risk, consumer notification • Implementation of the recall • Reviews firm’s recall plan and recall notice • Requests distribution lists • Verification of the recall • Verifies customers were notified, product removed and controlled • Follow up • Monitors company’s actions on recovery, control and disposition of product • Monitors company’s corrective actions

10. Food Recalls in CanadaGovernment Enforcement Government Enforced Recalls • Health risk is high • Minister of Agriculture orders the company who is manufacturing, selling, marketing or distributing the product to recall • Can be used when firm is unwilling or unable to recall the product • Consequences of contravention of a recall order are fines and/or imprisonment

11. Food Recalls in CanadaGovernment Enforcement Government Enforced Recalls • 7 mandatory recalls 1997 - 2007 [<0.5% of recalls] • 1999 Tatamagouche donair sausage http://www.inspection.gc.ca/english/corpaffr/recarapp/1999/19991124be.shtml • 2001 Kanjac containing Jelly Cups http://www.inspection.gc.ca/english/corpaffr/recarapp/2001/20011121e.shtml • 2002 Janes brand Battered Mozzarella Sticks http://www.inspection.gc.ca/english/corpaffr/recarapp/2002/20020302ce.shtml • 2003 Kid3.com capsules http://www.inspection.gc.ca/english/corpaffr/recarapp/2003/20030604be.shtml • 2003 Aylmer Meat Inc. http://www.inspection.gc.ca/english/corpaffr/recarapp/2003/20030824e.shtml • 2003 Tandori Masala http://www.inspection.gc.ca/english/corpaffr/recarapp/2003/20031031e.shtml • 2004 Labonte brand honey http://www.inspection.gc.ca/english/corpaffr/recarapp/2004/20040403be.shtml

12. Food Recalls in CanadaNational Recall Statistics

13. Food Recalls in CanadaNational Recall Statistics April 1, 2006-March 31, 2007 Allergen 89 (36%) Microbial 64 (26%) Chemical 45 (18%) Extraneous Matter 26 (11%) Other 22( 9%) Total 246 100% Numbers represent total recalls regardless of class

14. Chinese ProductsCanadian Consumer Perception When you think about products from each of the following countries, please indicate if you feel very positively about them, positively, negatively, or very negatively?

15. Chinese ProductsCanadian Consumer Perception Product Safety When you think about the safety of products that you buy that are made in the following countries, please indicate if you consider them very safe, safe enough, not safe enough, or very unsafe?

16. Chinese ProductsCanadian Consumer Perception Which of the following best describes you…

17. Food Safety in CanadaUseful References Best Practices: “Importer Food Safety Workbook” http://iecanada.com/publications Best Practices: “Good Importing Practices for Food” http://www.inspection.gc.ca/english/fssa/imp/goodbonne.shtml Government recommended recall procedures • Manufacturer http://www.inspection.gc.ca/english/fssa/recarapp/rap/mgguide.shtml • Retailer http://www.inspection.gc.ca/english/fssa/recarapp/rap/rgguide.shtml • Distributor http://www.inspection.gc.ca/english/fssa/recarapp/rap/dgguide.shtml • Importer http://www.inspection.gc.ca/english/fssa/recarapp/rap/igguide.shtml

18. Food Recalls & Consumer Perception in Canada Food Dr. Keith Mussar Keith Mussar & Associates Canadian Association of Importers & Exporters E-mail: kmussar@hotmail.com E-mail: kmussar@iecanada.com