Part 4 of the Safe Food for Canadians Regulations (SFCR) contains the requirements for preventive controls and preventive control plans. Understand what's required and find guidance to help you comply.
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Requirements for preventive controls
Your business needs to comply with the preventive control requirements if you:
- hold an SFC licence to:
- manufacture, process, treat, preserve, grade, store, package or label food
- slaughter food animals
- store and handle an edible meat product in its imported condition for inspection by the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA)
- import food
- grow or harvest fresh fruits or vegetables for interprovincial trade or export
- handle fish on a vessel for interprovincial trade or export
Find a detailed explanation of each requirement and examples of ways to comply:
Regulatory requirements: Preventive controls
Guidance to help you comply
- Controls for establishments
- Controls for food
- Controls for the packaging of food
- Recall procedure: A guide for food businesses
Requirements for preventive control plans
Your business may also need to comply with the requirements for a written preventive control plan. Find out if your business needs one:
- Interactive tool: Determine if your business needs a preventive control plan
- Exceptions for small food businesses: Preventive control plans
Find a detailed explanation of each requirement and examples of ways to comply:
Regulatory requirements: Preventive control plan
Guidance to help you comply
General guidance for developing a preventive control plan
- Conducting a hazard analysis
- Evidence showing a control measure is effective
- Determining critical control points and their critical limits
- Monitoring procedures
- Corrective action procedures
- Verification procedures
- Record keeping
- Short video: Creating a preventive control plan under the SFCR
Guidance for domestic food businesses
- A guide for preparing a PCP – for domestic food businesses
- PCP templates for domestic food businesses
Guidance for food importers
Guidance for food exporters
Examples of approaches to develop a preventive control plan
- The Food Safety Enhancement Program approach to a preventive control plan
- The Quality Management Program approach to a preventive control plan