In order to provide food safety guidelines that are practical and relevant for the wide variety of fruit and vegetables grown in Canada, the CHC developed commodity-specific on-farm food safety manuals for six different crop groupings. These manuals are based on an internationally recognized system called Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points or HACCP, which helps identify where hazards in the production of fruit and vegetables may occur. The manuals were developed by producers, packers, industry representatives and food safety experts to ensure that they are based on the best available science and are realistic. The CHC requirements compliment food safety programs that wholesalers, repackers, truckers, processors, retailer and food service distributors are using and are consistent with other international initiatives.
Content of Manuals
Each crop grouping has an OFFS manual which has been designed to be economical, easy to use and practical for producers, storage intermediaries and packers. The manuals provide users with standards for all practices on the farm, in storages and in the packing house, from planting until produce is shipped. Some key areas included in the manuals are:
- Employee hygiene
- Clean water
- Clean food contact surfaces
- Good agricultural practices (including agricultural chemical, fertilizer and manure application)
- Equipment and supplies
- Storage
- Transportation
- Traceability
Most of these food safety practices are not new. Canadian producers, storage intermediaries and packers have been using these practices for years. The CanadaGAP (OFFS) Manuals provide a useable and consistent way that this can be demonstrated to buyers and customers.
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Process for Developing the Manuals
Commodity-specific Working Groups for each crop grouping use the HACCP approach to complete a generic HACCP model, which provides the foundation for each manual. This includes completing a process flow diagram showing all facets of production and primary packing, inputs and production steps; brainstorming all the risks associated with biological, chemical and physical hazards; identifying areas where more research is needed; reviewing published, peer-reviewed science and working closely with qualified technical experts in fresh produce food safety; and identifying and describing Good Agricultural Practices (GAPs) or Critical Control Points (CCPs) that will control each hazard. Specific requirements and procedures are then transferred into each manual.
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Pilots
An integral part of the development process included testing each commodity specific manual at farms and packinghouses in regions across Canada. Pilot participants were owners/operators of farms and packinghouses who volunteered to try out the manuals with the support of a consultant. Pilot sites were chosen from across all producing provinces to include as diverse as possible a mix of commodities within each group, processes used by producers/packers and types of operations (e.g., small and large, those already implementing food safety programs and those who are new to food safety). The process of pilot testing ensured that manuals were “user friendly”, workable and understandable, and that all food safety risks relating to that commodity had been adequately addressed and in such a way as to incur the minimum burden on producers/storage intermediaries/packers. Pilot testing of the manuals concluded at the end of 2007.
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Technical Review
Final drafts of the manuals and generic HACCP models for each crop grouping are submitted to representatives from the federal and provincial governments for a rigorous review process. The Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) manages the Technical Review process on behalf of federal-territorial-provincial teams. Once the review is complete, the CHC receives a letter from the CFIA recognizing the technical soundness of the OFFS program on behalf of the federal and provincial governments. Benefits of receiving this letter include:
- Government endorsement of the industry-led initiative
- Added credibility and assurance that the industry’s program is based on the best available science
- Foreign acceptance of the Canadian government process lends credibility to industry-developed programs that have undergone Technical Review.
To maintain the technically reviewed status of CanadaGAP, the CHC is required to undergo regular reviews of program updates by the Canadian government.
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Ongoing Program Maintenance
The CHC OFFS Technical Working Group is responsible for ongoing maintenance of the technical program documents, including the CanadaGAP (OFFS) Manuals, Audit Checklist, Auditor Training program, etc. The Technical Working Group reports to the CHC Food Safety Management Committee.
For more information about stakeholder involvement and processes related to program development and maintenance, click here.