Operational procedure: Visual inspection of imported meat products

On this page

• 1. Purpose
• 2. Authorities
• 3. Reference documents
• 4. Definitions
• 5. Acronyms
• 6. Operational procedure
  • 6.1 Prepare for the inspection
  • 6.2 Conduct the inspection
  • 6.3 Communicate the results
• 7. Appendices
  • Appendix 1 – Allowable overage of shipping containers per lot size

1. Purpose

The purpose of this document is to provide guidance to Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) inspection staff on how to perform a visual inspection of imported meat products. It outlines procedures for assessing shipping containers, examining outer labels and verifying that the shipment correlates with the Official Meat Inspection Certificate (OMIC) issued by the foreign competent authority of the exporting country (SFCR 11(1) and SFCR 167(d)).

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

The guidance outlined below must be used when meat shipments are identified for either a full inspection or a visual inspection.

2. Authorities

• Safe Food for Canadians Act (SFCA)
• Safe Food for Canadian Regulations (SFCR)
• Food and Drug Act (FDA)
• Food and Drug Regulations (FDR)
• Health of Animals Act (HAA)
• Health of Animals Regulations (HAR)

3. Reference documents

• Operational Procedure: Verification of seal number when foreign seal on shipment broken while in transit
• Operational guideline: Food regulatory response guidelines
• Operational procedure: Organoleptic evaluation of imported meat products
• Operational procedure: Ordering removal or destruction of unlawful food imports
• Industry guideline: Procedures for the use of Official Meat Inspection Certificates (OMIC)
• Industry Guideline: United States meat and poultry certificate for wholesomeness
• Industry guideline: Official Meat Inspection Certificate Form (for all countries other than the United States)
• Food Labelling for Industry: Labelling requirements for meat and poultry products
• Industry guideline: Use of Shipping Marks
• Industry guideline: Use of official seals
• Industry guideline: Certification conditions for importation of meat products
• Industry guideline: Eligible countries and meat products for importation into Canada

4. Definitions

Unless specified below, definitions are located in either the:

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

Lot

For the purposes of this operational procedure, a collection of readily identifiable units of meat product that are processed and/or handled under uniform conditions. A lot is identified as an individual product line on an Official Meat Inspection Certificate (OMIC).

Shipment

For the purposes of this operational procedure, a specific quantity of meat products imported by one importer on a single OMIC at the time of import.

Organoleptic inspection

Is a physical examination of a representative number of sample units (for example, cartons, carcasses, combo bins), drawn at the end of visual inspection, using the senses of touch, smell, sight to determine the wholesomeness and cleanliness of a meat product.

Visual inspection

A visual inspection of the entire lot to assess the shipping containers for evidence of damaged or stained cartons, detect objectionable odours, verify labels of shipping containers, and a document review to establish a correlation between the shipment and the OMIC issued by the competent authority of the exporting country.

5. 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. Operational procedure

Data on all imported meat product shipments can be found in the Import Control Tracking System (ICTS Citrix). The ICTS Citrix allows the CFIA to capture data on all imported meat product shipments, verify the validity of the certificate number and the shipping marks, and verify the eligibility of the exporting country, slaughter, processing and exporting establishments.

The ICTS Citrix generates an Import Inspection Report (IIR) for each shipment. The report is the record of the import transaction for tracking purposes and provides the importer with the type of inspection assigned to each lot in the shipment. Based on the data entered into the ICTS Citrix, the system identifies the imported lots as either a:

• skip lot^Footnote 1 (not subject to import inspection before release)
• full inspection (subject to visual and organoleptic inspection)
• visual inspection

The importer must immediately deliver all meat products designated for a full or visual inspection to an establishment where they must be stored and handled in their imported condition by a licence holder until the inspection is completed (SFCR 14(1)(a)(i)).

6.1 Prepare for the inspection

Before conducting a visual inspection, the inspector must have the following available:

• the OMIC^Footnote 2
• the IIR
• a copy of an Animal Health import permit or other official documents, if required
• any seal change documents, if applicable

Before the inspection, ensure that all the equipment necessary to perform the inspection tasks is available in the establishment.

In establishments where inspectors are not continuously present, CFIA may delegate certain activities to the licence holder to avoid delays in the inspection process. These activities may include removing seals, receiving imported shipments, selecting sample units, sorting non-compliant shipments, stamping non-compliant shipping containers, etc. These activities can be delegated when appropriate documented control procedures are in place and have been accepted by the inspector.

The licence holder's procedures should include:

• detailed description of all steps of the activity
• list of responsible employees
• records to be kept

When the visual inspection is completed, continue to section 6.3 Communicate the results of this document.

If one or more lots are identified for full inspection refer to Operational procedure: Organoleptic evaluation of imported meat products.

6.2 Conduct the inspection

6.2.1 Documentation review

Before proceeding with the inspection of the shipping containers, the inspector must review the following documents and ensure they are acceptable:

• Review the OMIC
  • Confirm the OMIC is complete, legible and accurately captures the product information. Refer to the Procedures for the use of Official Meat Inspection Certificates (OMIC) as well as the United States meat and poultry certificate for wholesomeness or the Official Meat Inspection Certificate Form (for all countries other than the United States) page to determine the acceptability of the OMIC
  • Review the documentation requirements, certification statements and attestations required on the OMIC by referring to the Certification conditions for importation of meat products
• Confirm that the type of product is accepted from the country of origin by referring to the Eligible countries and meat products for importation into Canada
• Verify that the exporting establishment(s) are eligible to export to Canada as per the List of foreign establishments approved to export meat to Canada
  • Confirm that the establishment(s) are approved to conduct the applicable slaughter and/or processing activities for the type of product imported by verifying their functional activity codes

The information on the OMIC should correlate to the actual shipment. If the inspector determines a discrepancy at any point during the inspection they will cease the inspection and reject the shipment in ICTS. The importer may request and receive a replacement OMIC depending on the situation. The inspection can proceed once a replacement OMIC is submitted and processed by the National Import Service Centre (NISC).

If there is a discrepancy between the OMIC and the IIR, contact the NISC or your Area Operations Specialist (AOS), depending on the established communication protocol, to request that the information on the IIR be corrected.

If there are any concerns regarding the authenticity of a Public Health Information System (PHIS) generated OMIC from the United States (US), designated CFIA staff can validate the export certificate's details and digital signature using the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) PHIS Certificate Signature Viewer (CSV).

To have a US OMIC validated:

• during regular working hours, contact your Area Operations Specialist at:
  • Western Area: cfia.westmeatimport-importationdeviande.acia@inspection.gc.ca
  • Ontario Area: cfia.ontimport-importation.acia@inspection.gc.ca
  • Quebec Area: cfia.queimportdesviandes-meatimport.acia@inspection.gc.ca
  • Atlantic Area: cfia.atlanticoperations-operationsatlantique.acia@inspection.gc.ca
• outside regular working hours and on weekends, contact a NISC supervisor at cfia.niscsupervisors-superviseurscsni.acia@inspection.gc.ca

If the AOS or NISC determines that a US OMIC is not valid (for example, the certificate cannot be found in the system or does not match what is in the PHIS Certificate Signature Viewer (CSV)), cease the inspection and contact your AOS for further guidance.

If there are any concerns regarding the authenticity of an OMIC from any country other than the US, contact your AOS for further guidance.

6.2.2 Seal verification

Confirm that the conveyance is secured by an official seal as per the Use of official seals and:

• the seal number on the conveyance is the same as the seal number on the OMIC, if required
• if a tamper-resistant seal is used (bearing the official inspection mark of the foreign state of origin), shipping containers are sealed in such a manner that they cannot be opened without breaking the strap or destroying the tape or sticker [SFCR 287 (3)]

If the seal number on the shipment does not match the OMIC, follow the Operational procedure: Verification of seal numbers when foreign seal on shipment is broken while in transit.

For shipments of casing from United States, the following seal requirements apply to shipping containers:

• Each shipping container must be sealed with a security tape and sticker
• The security tape must be affixed at the opening
• The sticker must:
  • Bear the shipping mark
  • Be applied over the security tape
  • Be long enough to touch the container and the top of the lid to avoid their opening

6.2.3 Assessment of staging

All imported lots to be inspected must be staged inside the establishment by the operator. This allows the inspector to carry out a cursory, overall inspection of the lot(s). Ensure that the product is staged so that:

• the lots to be inspected are unloaded in their entirety
• the lots are separated to verify the size of each lot easily
• the lots are displayed in such a manner that the inspector:
  • can safely view each lot as a whole and verify the count
  • can examine for transportation damage
  • can easily see the main panel of all shipping containers to facilitate the reading of the label's mandatory information and other mandatory markings (for example, shipping marks)
  • has adequate space for sample selection so that each unit has an equal chance of being selected as a sample

No shipping containers are opened at this time.

If the inspector determines that the staging of the lot(s) does not meet the above criteria, the lot must be restaged to allow the inspector to conduct their inspection safely and adequately.

6.2.4 Assessment of general conditions of the shipment

Observe the general condition of the entire shipment for possible signs of transport damage, defrosting, temperature abuse or stained shipping containers. Shipping containers affected by transport damage or with evidence of temperature abuse to the extent that the safety of the meat product may be compromised should be considered non-compliant.

In cases where only some of the shipping containers show transport damage or signs of temperature abuse, sorting and removal of the affected part of the lot may be considered if requested by the importer. Sorting a lot may be considered only in cases where the defect is clearly visible and identifiable, and the removal of affected containers from the lot can be conducted without damaging or staining other shipping containers.

Rework and handling of exposed meat products during the sorting process are not permitted. Sorting must be carried out in the establishment where the imported meat product is being presented for import inspection. Follow the procedures in the Operational procedure: Ordering removal or destruction of unlawful food imports to determine if an order to remove or destroy from Canada is appropriate for the non-compliant part of the lot. After sorting out the non-compliant units, the remainder of the lot may be accepted following a secondary inspection by a CFIA inspector.

Depending on the general condition of the product in the conveyance, the inspector may determine that a full inspection is required to verify compliance. Consider consulting with your AOS before expanding the inspection scope to ensure a full inspection is warranted.

6.2.5 Correlation of shipping marks with OMIC

Shipping marks are unique numbers, or combinations of letters and numbers, that positively identify each and every shipping container within the shipment with the corresponding OMIC.

Each shipping container in an imported lot must be clearly marked with the appropriate shipping mark. Verify that the shipping marks on the OMIC correspond to those on every shipping container and meet the requirements outlined in the Use of shipping marks document/industry guidance

Shipping containers with shipping marks that are missing, illegible or do not correlate to the OMIC are considered non-compliant. Shipping containers with missing, incorrect, or illegible shipping marks may be brought into compliance provided an official of the exporting country's government inspection and certification agency oversees the correction of the shipping marks to these containers. The stickers with the shipping marks can be printed by the license holder or provided directly by the government official. The government official must supervise the correction in person or virtually. The inspector must verify the government official's credentials by having them present an official identification card.

The importer is responsible for arranging for a government official of the exporting country to oversee the correction of shipping marks.

Note: The visual or full inspection must be complete, and the shipping containers deemed compliant before they can be released to the importer.

6.2.6 Count verification

Compare the number of shipping containers present in each lot, identified for full or visual inspection, with the number of cartons on the OMIC. When more cartons are presented than those certified, the extra cartons should be considered as not having been certified.

6.2.6.1 Overage

When the number of shipping units is more than the amount stated on the OMIC, use the table "allowable overage of shipping units in lot size" in Appendix 1 to accept or reject the lot.

If the overage is within the limit stated in the table for the applicable lot size, perform the following procedures:

• note the actual count and net weight of the shipment on the IIR
• email your AOS to advise of the overage and request an amended IIR
• proceed with the inspection and provide updated IIR to importer once complete

If the overage is not within the allowable limit in Appendix 1, reject the lot in ICTS Citrix, and the importer can request a replacement certificate.

6.2.6.2 Underage

When the number of shipping units is less than the amount stated on the certificate, perform the following procedures:

• note the actual count and net weight of the shipment on the IIR
• email your AOS to advise of the underage and request an amended IIR
• proceed with the inspection and provide updated IIR to importer once complete

Replacement OMICs are not needed for underage.

6.2.7 Label verification

Use the Food labelling for industry: Labelling requirements for meat and poultry products to verify that all shipping containers:

• have all mandatory labelling information (SFCR 286-292)
• bear evidence of inspection, such as the inspection legend or the official inspection mark of the foreign state of origin (SFCR 287(1))

Note: For imported meat/poultry products from the US, multiple marks of inspection are permitted on the outer packaging only. For the inner (immediate) packaging, only one mark of inspection is permitted, from the last establishment that processed the meat/poultry product. All marks of inspection correspond to the same facility and company located at the same physical address in the US.

6.3 Communicate the results

A. For shipments found in compliance:

• complete the "Inspected and released" box on the IIR
• enter the inspection results in the ICTS Citrix
• provide a signed copy of the IIR to the importer, and
• release the shipment to the importer

B. Non-compliant shipments

Follow the Operational procedure: Ordering removal or destruction of unlawful food imports to determine if an order to remove or destroy from Canada is appropriate.

B.1 For complete shipments ordered removed or destroyed

All original OMICs covering shipments ordered removed or destroyed must be stamped in red ink "Refused CFIA/ACIA Refusé." The inspector must record the date and their initials adjacent to the stamped impression.

The shipment's IIR must also be stamped in red ink "Refused CFIA/ACIA Refusé." The inspector must record the date and their initials adjacent to the stamped impression and will not complete the "Inspected and released" box on the IIR.

B.2 For partial lots ordered removed or destroyed

This refers to situations where only part of a lot is ordered removed or destroyed. If the import failure is limited to a clearly identifiable part of a lot covered by one certificate, the inspector may order only that part removed or destroyed. For example, in cases where only some of the shipping containers show transport damage or signs of temperature abuse, sorting and removal of the affected part of the lot may be considered. The importer must request permission to sort the non-compliant lot and organize the removal of the non-compliant shipping containers from the lot. The importer must re-present the sorted, acceptable part of the lot for secondary inspection.

Indicate the number of cartons accepted and their net weight on the shipment's IIR. Similarly, the amounts ordered removed or destroyed must also be indicated on the IIR. When entering inspection results in ICTS, enter the number of non-compliant cartons and why they are being ordered removed or destroyed in the remarks section of the ICTS program only.

Complete the "Inspected and released" box on the IIR once the rest of the shipment has passed inspection.

B.3 For partial shipment ordered removed or destroyed

This refers to situations where there are compliant and non-compliant lots (product lines) on the same OMIC and only the non-compliant lots are ordered removed or destroyed.

Circle the entire product line(s) being ordered removed or destroyed on the OMIC in red ink. The text "Refused CFIA/ACIA Refusé" must be handwritten within the circle along with the date and the inspector's initials. Follow the same procedure for the corresponding IIR.

Complete the "Inspected and released" box on the IIR once the rest of the shipment has passed inspection.

Note: If a Notice to remove or destroy unlawful imports is issued for part of or the whole shipment, the inspector should provide the Notice and other applicable documents (including pictures and/or videos, where appropriate as per Use of digital recording (Camera, Video, Audio) devices during inspections) to their AOS through established channels within 48 hours. Refer to the above Operational procedure for further instruction on submitting the package.

6.3.1 Stamping of shipping containers ordered removed or destroyed

When a lot or shipment of meat products has been unloaded and ordered removed or destroyed for any reason, each non-compliant shipping container MUST be stamped "Refused CFIA/ACIA Refusé", unless the shipment is sent for destruction. In this case, the inspector may use their discretion regarding stamping of shipping containers.

For all other shipments refused:

• The "Refused CFIA/ACIA Refusé" stamp must be applied on the main panel of the container without obliterating any information. If this is not feasible, the "Refused CFIA/ACIA Refusé" stamp should be applied on an adjacent panel
• CFIA may delegate the stamping of boxes to the licence holder when appropriate documented control is in place and has been accepted by the inspector
• The non-compliant meat products must be stored separately from any other product until proper disposition [SFCR 61(b)]

For general inquiries related to this OG, follow established communication channels, including submitting an electronic Request for Action Form (e-RAF) – (accessible only on the Government of Canada network).

7. Appendices

Appendix 1 – Allowable overage of shipping containers per lot size