Operational procedure: Issuing an export certificate for processed egg products

On this page

• 1.0 Purpose
• 2.0 Authorities
• 3.0 Reference documents
• 4.0 Definitions
• 5.0 Acronyms
• 6.0 Operational procedure for the export of processed egg products
  • 6.1 Receipt of an application
  • 6.2 Reviewing the application
  • 6.3 Processing the certificate
  • 6.4 Issuing the certificate
  • 6.5 Replacement of issued certificate

1.0 Purpose

The purpose of this document is to provide guidance to Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) inspection staff on issuing export certificates for processed egg products intended for human consumption.

The guidance outlined below should be used when an inspector receives a request for an export certificate at the issuing CFIA office from an exporter and the Digital Service Delivery Platform (DSDP) is not accessible to the inspector (for example, DSDP is down, offline) or until such time the certificate is available in DSDP. The guidance for using TRACES (Trade Control and Expert System) for export to the European Union (EU) is also included.

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

2.0 Authorities

• Food and Drugs Act (FDA)
• Food and Drug Regulations (FDR)
• Safe Food for Canadians Act (SFCA) 48
• Safe Food for Canadians Regulations (SFCR) 17

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

• Industry guidance –  Food Exports
• Industry guidance – Exporting Food: A step-by-step guide
• Industry guidance – Food export requirements library
• Industry guidance – Guide for preparing an Export Certification Control Program (ECCP) plan
• Standard Inspection Process (SIP)
• Food export certificate application request (accessible only on the Government of Canada network – RDIMS 11409529)
• Export certification inspection task tables (accessible only on the Government of Canada network)
• Operational guidance: Interim guidance on entering food commodity inspection data into DSDP (accessible only on the Government of Canada network - RDIMS 12369415)
• Operational procedure –Export tasks completed while on export status for processed egg to the United States (accessible only on the Government of Canada network - RDIMS 11444325)
• Operational procedure – Export tasks completed while on export status for processed egg to countries other than the United States (accessible only on the Government of Canada network - RDIMS 13693482)
• Operational procedure – Replacing export certificates for food
• Operational guideline – Guidance on the purchase, use, control and decommissioning of the Canadian Food Inspection Agency official export certificate stamp (OECS)OG/OO-20150831 (accessible only on the Government of Canada network – RDIMS 12181558)
• Canadian Standards of Identity: Volume 2 – Processed Egg Products

4.0 Definitions

Unless specified below, definitions are located in either the:

• Safe Food for Canadians Regulations: Glossary of key terms
• My CFIA Glossary of terms

5.0 Acronyms

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

6.0 Operational procedure for the export of processed egg products

6.1 Receipt of an application

Upon receipt of a Food export certificate application request (accessible only on the Government of Canada network – RDIMS 11409529), inspectors must ensure that the exporter meets the regulatory requirements:

• holds a valid licence [SFCR 17(2)]
• has a written Preventive Control Plan (PCP) [SFCR 86(2)]

The inspector checks the importing country's requirements and where applicable, that the exporter is on the importing country eligibility list. Refer to Industry guidance: Food export requirements library.

Exports of processed egg products to a foreign country must be packed, marked and certified in accordance with the provisions of the SFCR.

As indicated on the CFIA Food exports page, exporters are responsible to verify and meet the import requirements of the destination country. Documentation of import requirements as issued by the competent authority of the importing country is to be maintained by the exporter for at least two years [SFCR 16(2)]. When no requirements are available, exporters can export at their own commercial risk.

If the shipper wishes to export processed egg product that does not meet the requirements of the regulations in respect of standards, packing or marking, they must:

1. demonstrate that the processed egg has been prepared in a licenced processed egg establishment
2. provide the inspector with a signed statement:
   • confirming that the container and markings comply with the requirements of the importing country, and
   • setting out the quality specifications of the contract under which the processed egg is being exported.

6.2 Reviewing the application

The inspector will review the Food export certificate application request to verify completed accurately. Before issuing a certificate, inspection staff must review:

• if there are any negotiated or identified requirements for the country of destination
• if there are any inspection tasks to be conducted as listed in the respective Export certification inspection task tables (accessible only on the Government of Canada network).

The identified additional tasks that are completed in support of an export certificate are stored in DSDP as per the Interim guidance on entering food commodity inspection data into DSDP (accessible only on the Government of Canada network - RDIMS 12369415).

6.3 Processing the certificate

6.3.1 The Certificate of inspection for processed egg (CFIA/ACIA 2684) contains mandatory fields for laboratory analysis. At a minimum before issuing an export certificate, all lots must be sampled for:

• salmonella
• aerobic colony count (ACC)
• coliform
• solids (where applicable)
• moisture (where applicable)
• odour

These tests must be performed either by a CFIA lab or by an accredited laboratory. The inspector will verify that the results meet the regulatory requirements of the FDR [B.22.033] and the SFCR including the Canadian Standards of Identity: Volume 2 – Processed Egg Products.

Additional sampling may be required to meet the requirements of the foreign country. The inspector will review the Industry guidance – Food export requirements library and the Export certification inspection task tables (accessible only on the Government of Canada network) to determine if additional requirements apply.

6.3.2 When the inspector is satisfied that the applicant and the consignment meet the requirements and has reviewed and determined that the information submitted by the applicant is acceptable, the inspector will generate the applicable export certificate as indicated on the Industry guidance – Food export requirements library.

The inspector will populate the certificate with the compulsory information which is found on the Food export certificate application request.

When indicated in the Industry guidance – Food export requirements library that a health of animal declaration is required, it must be done on a separate certificate signed by a veterinarian.

6.4 Issuing the certificate

6.4.1 All certificates must be signed in blue ink and stamped using red ink. The stamp used for the certificate must be in the format as per the Operational procedure: Guidance on the purchase, use, control and decommissioning of the Canadian Food Inspection Agency official export certificate stamp (OECS)OG/OO-20150831 (accessible only on the Government of Canada network – RDIMS 12181558)

6.4.2 A certificate must be issued with the actual date of signing. A certificate must not be dated after the date of departure from Canada (as documented on the bill of lading for the shipment).

6.4.3 When an inspector issues a certificate, all documentation related to this certificate must be kept on file at the local CFIA office. This includes, but is not limited to:

• a copy of the original certificate, a replacement certificate, or any other documents used to issue the certificate
• any correspondence from the exporter applying for a certificate
• a copy of inspection results, if applicable

6.4.4 Until DSDP is used for the issuance of processed egg export certificates, the certificates are tracked using the system in use currently. Until the use of DSDP has been established, each office must keep a log of export documents issued. There is no standard format but this log must include the tombstone information of the product being exported.

6.4.5 An inspector may sign a certificate based on a documented official inspection or decision by another inspector. The process is described below.

When shipments of processed egg are exported by a company that did not manufacture the product, the inspector of the manufacturing establishment can provide supporting documentation to the certifying inspector.

Supporting documentation includes:

• Inspection report of shell eggs/processed egg (CFIA/ACIA 5109, accessible only on the Government of Canada network)
  1. Inter/intra provincial movement (accessible only on the Government of Canada network RDIMS 15073942). This form is completed by the inspector in an establishment that breaks eggs and ships unpasteurized liquid to another establishment for processing.
  2. Export requirement attestation (accessible only on the Government of Canada network RDIMS 15073992). This form is completed by the inspector in an establishment that breaks or receives unpasteurized liquid, pasteurizes and packages the product.

The following scenarios explain the circumstances and documentation for such shipments.

Scenario a)

Licensed processed egg product establishment "X" breaks the eggs, heat treats and packages the product, loads and transports them to licensed processed egg product establishment "Y" and the product is exported from "Y"

• the Certificate of inspection for processed egg (CFIA/ACIA 2684, accessible only on the Government of Canada network) shall be generated by the responsible inspector at licensed processed egg product establishment "Y" based on the receipt of an the Inspection report of shell eggs/processed egg (CFIA/ACIA 5109, accessible only on the Government of Canada network) subtitled "Export requirement attestation" completed by the responsible inspector at "X"

Scenario b)

Licensed processed egg product establishment "X" breaks the eggs, loads and transports them to licensed processed egg product establishment "Y" for heat treatment and packaging. Licensed processed egg product establishment "Y" then loads and transports the finished pasteurized product to either a 3rd licensed processed egg product establishment or a licensed 3rd party premises (for example, storage) "Z" and the product is subsequently presented for export certification at "Z".

• the Certificate of inspection for processed egg (CFIA/ACIA 2684, accessible only on the Government of Canada network) shall be generated by the responsible inspector at the licensed processed egg product establishment or licensed 3rd party premises "Z"
• the responsible inspector at "Z" shall request receipt of an Inspection report of Shell eggs/processed egg (CFIA/ACIA 5109, accessible only on the Government of Canada network) subtitled as "Export requirement attestation" from the responsible inspector at "Y". The responsible inspector at "Y" may only attest to the products eligibility after receiving and reviewing the Inspection report of shell eggs/processed egg (CFIA/ACIA 5109, accessible only on the Government of Canada network) subtitled as "Inter/intra provincial movement" from the responsible inspector at "X" for the applicable product used in the manufacture of the finished pasteurized product that has been presented for export certification. This is to ensure the importing country's requirements were met at both "Y" and "X".

Scenario c)

Licensed processed egg product establishment "X" breaks the eggs, applies a heat treatment and packages the finished pasteurized product. The product is subsequently presented for export certification at a 2nd licensed processed egg product establishment or licensed 3rd party premises "Z".

• the Certificate of inspection for processed egg (CFIA/ACIA 2684, accessible only on the Government of Canada network) shall be generated by the responsible inspector at the licensed processed egg establishment or licensed 3rd party premises "Z"
• the responsible inspector at "Z" shall request receipt of an Inspection report of shell eggs/processed egg (CFIA/ACIA 5109, accessible only on the Government of Canada network) subtitled as "Export requirement attestation" from the responsible inspector at "X".

6.5 Replacement of issued certificate

For the procedure to issue a replacement certificate, please refer to the Operational procedure: Replacing export certificates for food.

For export certificates that are issued through TRACES NT, the comparative table (accessible only on the Government of Canada network – RDIMS 15803292) has additional information regarding the replacement function.

For general inquiries related to this operational guidance Document, please follow established communication channels, including submitting an electronic Request for Action Form (e-RAF).