Sunday morning is usually pretty relaxing – fresh-brewed coffee and a leisurely look at the weekend newspapers. So you can imagine how we sprung quickly into work mode when reading this National Post article about food fraud.

It’s a compelling read that opens with the 2008 Chinese milk scandal (which killed six infants and sickened thousands more) and goes on to chronicle other prominent frauds, including rampant – and potentially dangerous – seafood substitutions. It also made us think about olive oil scams, where the genuine product is often substituted for soybean oil – without anyone noticing the difference.

It’s a bit dispiriting because we’ve probably all been taken in, at some point.

The article also points to the need for complete product traceability – one of the three major components of the Safe Food for Canadians Regulations (SFCR), coming into force this spring. With strict traceability rules in place, it will be easier for groups like the Canada Food Inspection Agency to spot fraudulent products before they reach the consumer.

We’ve posted a lot of information about the SFCR on this blog, and will continue to do so to ensure our clients are prepared for enforcement, set for January 15, 2019. Licensing is the first step; don’t wait for January – apply now, and be ready for uninterrupted access to the Canadian food market.

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