Canadian Independent Review Board Highlights Need for Third Party Help
24th July 2009 by Alex Briggs
This article in the Canadian Star talks about the recent listeria outbreak that caused the death of 22 people and cost the government over $3 million.
The independent commission has come back to the government with six key suggestions to improve the state of Food Safety in Canada.
• The Public Health Agency of Canada should take the lead role in future food-borne illness outbreaks.
• Food companies should be required to report all threats to public health to the federal government, not just positive bacteria tests.
• Consumer education, perhaps including product labelling, should ensure at-risk groups such as seniors and pregnant women are aware of the possible hazards of ready-to-eat meats.
• To stem the spread of bacteria, manufacturers should design equipment that is easy to clean.
• Health Canada should consider fast-tracking food additives and technologies shown to improve food safety.
• Third-party experts should be retained to do a “resources” audit to determine number of inspectors needed at the Canadian Food Inspection Agency.
• The federal government should make food safety a priority this fall because globalized food production and distribution increase risk of food-borne illness.
The statement regarding third parties and the key role they have to play in reassuring the public on food safety issues echoes the findings of a recent US commission.