New Import Requirements for Food Products from China Containing Milk or Milk-derived Ingredients

CFIA
October 2008

Melamine - Certain products from China - 2008

The Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) is advising all importers of food
products from China containing milk or milk-derived ingredients that the Agency will
require documentation demonstrating certain safety and compliance for these
products. Importers are reminded of their responsibility for the safety of products
imported into Canada. Under the Food and Drugs Act and Regulations, manufacturers
and importers have primary responsibility to ensure that the foods they import and
sell meets Canadian regulatory requirements. 


Import requirements


For infant formula and baby food that contains milk or milk-derived ingredients,
documentation will be required attesting that the product and its milk ingredients
were not sourced from China. Documentation must be available for CFIA review upon
request.

For infant formula and baby food that contains milk or milk-derived ingredients from
China, documentation of analytical results will be required indicating that melamine
levels do not surpass the interim standards set by Health Canada. Laboratory
results must be obtained through a laboratory acceptable to the CFIA and results
must be available for CFIA review upon request. 

For foods imported from China that contain milk or milk-derived ingredients,
documentation of analytical results will be required indicating that melamine levels
do not surpass the interim standards set by Health Canada. Laboratory results must
be obtained through a CFIA-recognized lab and be available for CFIA review upon
request. 


Interim standards


The presence of melamine in food at very low levels is known to occur on occasion
due to environmental exposure (e.g., from packaging or processing). The presence of
low levels in food is not indicative of adulteration and at such levels does not
pose a health risk. In other words, detection of melamine in a food product does
not automatically indicate that there is a risk to human health. 

For the purpose of differentiating between the presence of low background levels of
melamine in food and the problem of intentional adulteration, Health Canada has set
the following interim standards for melamine in products containing milk and
milk-derived ingredients:

* Infant formula and sole source nutrition products, including meal replacement
products - maximum of 1.0 part per million* (ppm); and 
* Other food products containing milk and milk-derived ingredients - maximum of 2.5
ppm *. 

[*These levels will apply to a combined concentration of melamine and cyanuric acid
(a chemical generally found together with melamine).]

It remains Health Canada's policy that levels of potential contaminants in infant
foods should be kept as low as reasonably achievable.

These interim standards are set to ensure that all age groups and segments of the
population are protected and were developed using a consistent approach adopted by
other food regulatory agencies in Europe, Australia, New-Zealand and the United
States. Should new scientific evidence become available, Health Canada's risk
assessment will be reviewed and the interim standards will be re-examined.


Government actions


The CFIA will be conducting random inland verifications to ensure that the above
import requirements are being respected. Enforcement action, such as detention of
products and other legal measures, may be taken by the CFIA if these import
requirements are not met.

The CFIA will be conducting random verifications to ensure that the above import
requirements are being respected. Enforcement action, such as detention of products
and other legal measures, may be taken by the CFIA if these import requirements are
not met.

For more information and to find out which laboratories are acceptable to the CFIA,
please contact a CFIA Area Import Coordinator:

Atlantic Area
1081 Main St
PO Box 6088
Moncton, New Brunswick
E1C 8R2
Tel: 506-851-3015
Fax: 506-851-2801
Contact: Luce Petitclerc
http://www.inspection.gc.ca/english/tools/feedback/commene.shtml?petitclercl

Ontario Area
Room 2
1124 Finch Ave. W, Unit 2
Toronto, ON
M3J 2E2
Tel: 416-665-5035
Fax: 416-665-5069
Contact: Howard Stanley
http://www.inspection.gc.ca/english/tools/feedback/commene.shtml?stanleyh

Quebec Area
Room 600 - 7101 Jean-Talon St. E.
Anjou, Quebec
H1M 3N7
Tel: 514-493-8859
Fax: 514-493-9965
Contact: Lise Benoit
http://www.inspection.gc.ca/english/tools/feedback/commene.shtml?benoitl

Western Area
Floor 4, Room 400
4321 Still Creek Drive
Burnaby, BC
V5C 6S7
Tel: 604-666-8813
Fax: 604-666-1963
Contact: Nerissa Allen
http://www.inspection.gc.ca/english/tools/feedback/commene.shtml?allennl