Consumers play an important role in the food safety system by reporting any food safety concerns to the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA). The information you provide may help us ensure that unsafe products are removed from the marketplace and that other consumers are informed.
On average, the CFIA receives 2,044 reports of potential food safety concerns from consumers each year.
To find out more about the consumer's role in the food safety system, and where to report a food complaint, please consult the Food safety for consumers page.
Consumer food safety complaints
Description of graph – April 2019 – March 2024 Table
| - | Apr 19 – Mar 20 | Apr 20 – Mar 21 | Apr 21 – Mar 22 | Apr 22 – Mar 23 | Apr 23 – Mar 24 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Total complaints | 2079 | 1918 | 1840 | 1958 | 2423 |
Consumer food safety complaints by hazard
Description of graph – April 2019 – March 2024 Table
| - | Apr 19 – Mar 20 | Apr 20 – Mar 21 | Apr 21 – Mar 22 | Apr 22 – Mar 23 | Apr 23 – Mar 24 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Allergen complaints | 160 | 156 | 174 | 157 | 200 |
| Chemical complaints | 115 | 100 | 86 | 100 | 181 |
| Extraneous material complaints | 1291 | 1202 | 1162 | 1202 | 1278 |
| Microbiological complaints | 484 | 429 | 405 | 430 | 664 |
| Other | 54 | 69 | 41 | 69 | 100 |
Glossary
- Allergen
- A food product may contain ingredients such as peanuts, milk or eggs that are not identified or are incorrectly identified on the label and that can cause adverse reactions in people who are allergic to the item.
- Chemical
- A food product may contain chemical residues such as lead, mercury or pesticides that, at certain levels, can affect human health.
- Extraneous material
- A food product may contain material from an outside source, such as metal, glass or hair. These are not necessarily a risk to human health.
- Microbiological
- A food product may be contaminated by micro-organisms, such as bacteria, viruses or parasites, which have the potential to cause illness.
- Other
- A food product may be of concern due to the presence of a hazard that does not fall within one of the above categories. Examples include non-permitted ingredients, nutrition concerns and potential tampering.