Operational procedure: Fish grade verification

On this page

• 1.0 Purpose
• 2.0 Authorities
• 3.0 Reference documents
• 4.0 Definitions
• 5.0 Acronyms
• 6.0 Operational procedure
  • 6.1 Prepare for inspection
  • 6.2 Conduct the inspection
  • 6.3 Communicate the results
  • 6.4 Conduct follow-up
• 7.0 Appendices
  • 7.1 Appendix 1: sampling plans for fish grade verification
  • 7.2 Appendix 2: defects and measurements

1.0 Purpose

The purpose of this document is to provide guidance to Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) inspection staff when conducting a grade verification of fish to verify compliance to the Safe Food for Canadians Act and Regulations (SFCA/R).

The guidance outlined below may be used when verifying compliance to the mandatory and optional fish grade standards to support import and export, to aid in the assessment of a Preventive Control (PC) related sub-element or for follow-up to a complaint.

This document is intended to be used in conjunction with other guidance documents as referenced in Section 3.0, reference documents.

2.0 Authorities

• Agriculture and Agri-Food Administrative Monetary Penalties Act
• Food and Drugs Act (FDA) (as it relates to food)
• Food and Drug Regulations (FDR)
• Safe Food for Canadians Act (SFCA)
• Safe Food for Canadians Regulations (SFCR)

The inspection powers, control actions and enforcement actions authorized by the above legislation are identified and explained in the Operational guideline – Food regulatory response guidelines.

3.0 Reference Documents

• Standard Inspection Process (SIP)
• Food incident response process
• Standard Regulatory Response Process
• Operational guideline: Food sample collection
• Operational guideline – Food regulatory response guidelines
• Canadian Grade Compendium Volume 8: Fish
• Canadian Grade Compendium Volume 9: Import Grade Requirements
• Operational guideline: Categorizing labelling and advertising non-compliance and timeframes for correction in food (accessible only on the Government of Canada network – RDIMS 9912657)
• Operational Procedure: Calibration procedures for common equipment used by the CFIA Inspectorate
• Industry Labelling Tool - Labelling requirements for fish and fish products: Grade name, class name and size designation
• Operational procedure: Basic food label verification
• Organoleptic quality of fish and fish products
• Codex Standard for Salted Fish and Dried Salted Fish of the Gadidae Family of Fishes (CXS 167-1989)
• Worksheet for the verification of fish grades (accessible only on the Government of Canada network - RDIMS 14199036)

4.0 Definitions

Definitions are located in the documents listed below or as a defined word where it is intended to supersede the definitions within the glossary documents:

• My CFIA Glossary of Terms
• Safe Food for Canadians Regulations: Glossary of Key Terms

Advanced sexual maturity (Pacific salmon)

some signs of advanced sexual maturity in Pacific Salmon include: skin colour changes (red, brown or green tints), hooked nose, distinct back humping, thinning of belly walls, loss of colour or bleaching of the flesh, flesh softening and separation. (Maturité sexuelle avancée)

Bellyburn

this is the result of enzymatic spoilage of the belly cavity walls. It causes large areas of discolouration on the belly flaps and lining. In advanced stages, a breakdown of the belly wall can occur, resulting in the protrusion of guts and viscera from the round fish. (Ventre cuit)

Decomposed

fish that has an offensive or objectionable odour, flavour, colour, texture, or substance associated with spoilage. (Décomposé)

Dun

a fish showing an aggregate area of pronounced halophilic mould clusters on more than 1/3 of the total surface area of the face side. (Moisissure brune)

Physical damage (Pacific salmon)

Examples include: skin indentations, perforations, scars, punctures, scale loss, dehydration or freezer burn (in frozen fish), distortion or bending of the body during the freezing operation, oil migration (movement of fish oil to the surface glaze due to prolonged cold storage or storage at elevated cold storage temperatures). (Signe de deterioration)

Pink

any visible evidence of red halophilic (salt-loving) bacteria. This fish spoilage type can be detected by pink-coloured flesh and off odour. (Rose)

Rust

a condition on pickled fish characterized by the appearance of a reddish brown discoloration on the exterior surface. The colour resembles iron rust, and hence the common name "rust". Not only is the appearance of the fish spoiled by this semblance of rustiness, but the flavour of such fish is not so good, and they seem to deteriorate more rapidly than normal pickled fish. (Rouille)

Sunburn

it presents as a greasy textured area of tissue. It's more evident from touch and handling the product. (Brûlé par le soleil)

Note: Refer to Appendix 2: defects and measurements for examples of defects.

5.0 Acronyms

Acronyms are spelled out the first time they are used and are consolidated in the Food business line acronyms list.

6.0 Operational Procedure

This operational procedure provides inspection staff guidance when conducting a fish grade verification for which grades are established in the Canadian Grade Compendium Volume 8: Fish and the Canadian Grade Compendium Volume 9: Import Grade Requirements . Where more specific guidance is required than what is provided in the Standard inspection process (SIP), these will be indicated in this section.

Commodity inspection Operational Guidance (OG) refers the inspector to the SIP for basic guidance on the 4 inspection steps. If the commodity inspection is being conducted to support a preventive control inspection (PCI) currently underway, some or parts of the inspection steps will have already been completed.

6.1 Prepare for inspection

Refer to SIP, section 3, step 1 - Prepare for the inspection. In addition to the general guidance provided in SIP, the following applies.

6.1.1 Prepare the toolkit

In addition to the list of equipment found in section 3.5 of the SIP - Prepare the toolkit, the following equipment is needed to complete the grade verification:

• scale
• calipers
• ruler
• tape measure

6.2 Conduct the inspection

Refer to SIP, section 4, step 2 - Conduct the inspection. In addition to the general guidance provided in the SIP, the following applies.

The Worksheet for the verification of fish grades (accessible only on the Government of Canada network –- RDIMS 14199036) can be used to assess compliance of a lot to the grade requirements.

Note: Some grades described in the Canadian Grade Compendium Volume 8: Fish are optional, (i.e. frozen gutted Pacific salmon). However if a grade appears on the product label, the product must meet the grade requirements.

6.2.1 Determine the sample size

To determine the number of units to be collected from the lot for a grade verification see Appendix 1: sampling plans for fish grade verification. Select the samples randomly according to the procedure found in Appendix 4: Random sample collection of the Operational guideline: Food sample collection.

Note: All individual units of each selected container in the lot must be assessed against the grade standard. This will also apply when there is a count requirement in a container for instance Table of Size Designations of Pickled Fish by Count per 90.7 kg Barrel.

6.2.2 Grade verification

Refer to the Canadian Grade Compendium Volume 8: Fish and Canadian Grade Compendium Volume 9: Import Grade Requirements for grade verification details. Additional information for certain product types are found below.

1. Measurements
   • Atlantic Oyster measurements:
     • to ensure that Atlantic Oysters meet the grade requirements, the length and width of the shell must be taken using calipers to ensure accuracy. (Refer to Appendix 2: defects and measurements)
   • Pacific Salmon, Atlantic Smelts and Pickled Fish Measurements:
     • when the grade identifies that the length of the fish must be measured, refer to Appendix 2: defects and measurements which demonstrate the length from the tip of the nose to the round of the tail (fork length). A ruler or tape measure can be used for this activity depending on the size of the fish.
2. Weight of Whitefish:
   • the grade of whitefish is related to the weight range of each individual fish within a container. Refer to Operational Procedure: Calibration procedures for common equipment used by the CFIA Inspectorate.
   • Note: This is not a net quantity verification of a prepackaged product. Each individual fish within a container must be weighed to ensure the grade is met.
3. Assessment of minimum product quality:
   • for guidance regarding assessing the acceptability of fish and seafood products as it relates to minimum product quality, see Organoleptic quality of fish and fish products. For explanation of certain defects found in the grade standards, see definitions section of this guidance document and refer to Appendix 2: defects and measurements.

6.2.3 Determine compliance

For the acceptance number to determine compliance of a lot, see Appendix 1: sampling plans for fish grade verification. If a non-compliance is identified, refer to SIP section 4.5 - Determine if immediate control action is required, SIP section 4.6 - Determine compliance and the Operational guideline: Categorizing labelling and advertising non compliance and timeframes for correction in food (accessible only on the Government of Canada network – RDIMS 9912657).

If the product does not meet the grade standard as declared on the label, control or enforcement action may be required. Refer to the Standard Regulatory Response Process and the Operational guideline – Food regulatory response guidelines.

Any lot that is non-compliant for grade can be reworked as part of the corrective action measures taken by the regulated party.

6.2.4 Capturing notes related to commodity inspection in DSDP

For information on capturing notes relating to commodity inspections in DSDP, refer to SIP Appendix A section 5.4.1 - Inspection verification activities for preventive control inspections, sample collection, and commodity inspections and section 3.5.1 - Commodity Details (if applicable) of the DSDP SOP INS- conducting an inspection (accessible only on the Government of Canada network – RDIMS 9839405).

In addition to capturing an accurate description (brand name, common name, net quantity, lot number) of the commodity inspected in the "Commodity Description" field in DSDP, enter the same commodity description in the "objective evidence" field along with the non-compliances found so that it appears on the final inspection report.

If the worksheet for the verification of fish grades (accessible only on the Government of Canada network – RDIMS 14199036) is used to assist inspectors in verifying compliance of the grade it should be saved as an RDIMS file and referenced in the "Notes" section of the document record of the inspection task record in DSDP. Upon request, the completed worksheet may be given to the licence holder.

6.3 Communicate the results

Refer to SIP, section 5, step 3 - Communicate the inspection results.

6.4 Conduct follow-up inspection

Refer to SIP, section 6, step 4: Conduct the follow-up inspection.

7.0 Appendices

7.1 Appendix 1: sampling plans for fish grade verification^Footnote 1

Selection of the appropriate Sampling Plan is dependent on the inspection trigger. Sampling Plan 1 is chosen for all triggers except "Incident Response" Sampling Plan 2 is used for an "Incident Response" trigger.

7.2 Appendix 2: defects and measurements

Refer to examples of defects and illustrations of how measurements are taken (accessible only on the Government of Canada network - RDIMS 14577034).