...In January 2012, Inspectors of the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) conducted a routine visit to the Ontario Food Terminal in Toronto. They observed greenhouse peppers for sale represented as Product of Canada, at a time of year when domestic greenhouse peppers are not customarily available.
Subsequent investigation by the CFIA substantiated that Mr. Impens had purchased Mexican peppers from an importer and removed the country of origin stickers. He then sold them as "product of Canada" to another dealer.
Mr. Impens entered a guilty plea to two counts of contravening Section 5(1) of the Food and Drugs Act, relating to the labelling and the selling of the misrepresented peppers, thereby committing offences under Section 31.1 of the Food and Drugs Act.
Section 5(1) of the Food and Drugs Act states that no person shall label, package, treat, process, sell or advertise any food in a manner that is false, misleading or deceptive or is likely to create an erroneous impression regarding its character, value, quantity, composition, merit or safety...
This has been excerpted from the 21 October 2013 news release by CFIA, and is available in its entirety at: http://www.inspection.gc.ca/about-the-cfia/newsroom/prosecution-bulletins/2013-10-21/eng/1382138620384/1382138627815.
Topic(s)
Other Government Departments (OGDs) Requirements
Information source
Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA)
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