Following the Inspector General's review of plant-based manufactured food establishments, the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) has developed a comprehensive action plan to address the recommendations and further enhance Canada's food safety system.
This multi-pronged plan focuses on strengthening inspection oversight, licensing controls, risk modelling, and enforcement. The actions include:
- conducting risk-based inspections of over 2,400 manufactured food establishments
- strengthening licensing conditions for new and renewed licences
- requiring businesses to provide complete information for risk assessment
- enhancing risk intelligence and modelling
- continuing clear communication and engagement with industry
- and applying stronger enforcement actions where needed
These measures will enable the CFIA to improve risk management decisions, prevent unsafe foods from reaching the marketplace, and ensure that businesses are held accountable for meeting their responsibilities under the Safe Food for Canadians Regulations.
The 2024 Listeria outbreak underscored the importance of strong oversight in emerging product categories such as plant-based beverages, and the CFIA is taking decisive steps to modernize and strengthen its systems. This includes targeted testing of plant-based beverages for Listeria, advancing faster and more accurate methods to detect harmful microbes, reviewing the Safe Food for Canadians Act, auditing the Establishment Risk Assessment Model, and providing ongoing training and updated guidance for inspectors.
The CFIA is committed to continuous improvement so that Canada's food safety system keeps pace with the evolving and growing food sector. Above all, the Agency remains dedicated to protecting the health and safety of Canadians by ensuring the integrity of our food supply and maintaining the highest standards of food safety.
The full action plan: CFIA's response to the Inspector General recommendations regarding manufactured foods