CANADA: Food agency to investigate fishmongers nabbed by The Sun

05.jun.09
Vancouver Sun
Larry Pynn

VANCOUVER -- The Canadian Food Inspection Agency says it will
investigate The Vancouver Sun's findings of mislabelled retail fish
products in Metro Vancouver based on DNA testing.
Alison Pinsent, a national compliance manager with CFIA, said in an
interview from Ottawa that her office is responsible for enforcing food
labelling laws and routinely acts on complaints.
"We'll follow up," she said. "We do verify restaurants are advertising
food accurately. That is our mandate."
Pinsent noted that the Food and Drugs Act prohibits misleading practices
in the sale of food, including seafood, and provides penalties of up to
$50,000 and/or six months in jail on summary conviction and $250,000
and/or three years in jail on indictable conviction.
But just how aggressively Ottawa enforces the act remains a mystery. For
two days running, CFIA could not supply any statistics about enforcement
actions taken in B.C. related to mislabelled seafood.
Pinsent said she is unaware of any recent charges for fish mislabelling
in the province, noting inspectors prefer to work with offenders to
ensure compliance rather than rush to court.
Bob Hanner, a DNA expert at the University of Guelph in Ontario, whose
lab conducted the DNA tests for The Sun, noted there are also potential
health risks, including allergic reactions, associated with mislabelled
seafood.