Skip to main content

CFIA tightens restrictions on romaine lettuce imports following E. coli outbreaks

Importers must show product is not from Salinas Valley or is free of E. coli

The Canadian Food Inspection Agency is instituting stronger restrictions around the import of romaine lettuce.

Starting on Wednesday, importers will have to prove that their product does not come from California's Salinas Valley or that their lettuce has "below-detectable" levels of E. coli in laboratory testing.

The move comes after several outbreaks of E. coli have been linked to farms in the area, the last in late 2019.

"Food safety investigations by Canadian and U.S. authorities identified the Salinas Valley growing region as a recurring source of the outbreaks," the agency said in a statement posted to its website.

"To mitigate risk in the event of another outbreak this fall, the Canadian Food Inspection Agency is implementing temporary import measures aimed at preventing contaminated food from entering the marketplace."...

This was excerpted from the 3 October 2020 edition of CBC News.

Topic(s)

Other Government Departments (OGDs) Requirements

Information source

Canadian News Channel
Disclaimer

The foregoing information is provided for informational purposes only and is not intended as, nor should it be considered, professional advice or a substitute for conducting your own thorough research and review. Before making any decisions or taking any action based on the information provided, you should conduct your own independent investigation and/or seek professional advice from a qualified expert in the relevant field. The CSCB disclaims all liability for actions taken or not taken based on the information provided.