The Canadian Food Inspection Agency's integrated inspection system

On 1 April 1997, the government of Canada consolidated the federally mandat ed food inspection, animal health and plant protection programs under the n ew Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA). This was an important step in en hancing the efficiency and effectiveness of the federal food inspection sys tem. The new agency is now focusing on developing a fully integrated inspec tion system that provides the appropriate level of food safety and consumer protection; and continues to facilitate market access for Canadian food pr oducts. The agency is evolving its programs through the development of an Integrate d Inspection System (IIS) which will bring a consistent inspection approach to all agency programs and will be based on risk, sound science and will p romote the use of Hazard Analysis Critical Control Point (HACCP) principles by the food industry. The development of the "Integrated Inspection System " involves two inter-related initiatives; 1. The development of a single integrated inspection system reference stand ard that will outline the essential elements of a comprehensive food inspec tion system and will serve as a benchmark for the re-engineering of the exi sting food inspection programs within the agency. 2. The analysis and redesign of the current food inspection strategies that will entail mapping the food continuum from production to consumption, ide ntifying the hazards along the continuum, examining the effectiveness and e fficiency of the control strategies in place and designing new strategies w here required. Through the development of the IIS, the Canadian Food Inspection Agency is continuing to evolve a more effective and efficient inspection system which will better equip the agency to meet its mandate of safe food, consumer pr otection and market access. (C) 1999 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reser ved.