The Food Directorate of Health Canada is the federal department that is primarily responsible for the regulation of mycotoxins in foods sold in Canada. It establishes policies and standards, and provides advice and information on the safety and nutritional value of food; it also administers the provisions of the Food and Drugs Act and Food and Drugs Regulations that relate to public health, safety and nutrition. The Food Directorate conducts toxicological research, generates food residue data, and assesses the human health risks associated ith dietary exposure to mycotoxins in Canada. The Canadian Food Inspection Agency conducts regular surveillance of a variety of mycotoxins in the Canadian food supply and is responsible for enforcing the standards established by the Food Directorate. Such enforcement actions may involve recalling products from the Canadian marketplace, if deemed necessary based on the results of the Food Directorate's health risk assessment. The Canadian Grain Commission (CGC) is responsible for establishing and maintaining quality standards for Canadian grain through the administration of the Canada Grain Act and Regulations. The CGC also conducts research relating to the occurrence and analysis of fungi and associated mycotoxins in raw and processed grain and assesses Canadian grain for compliance with mycotoxin standards, both domestic and international. Health Canada uses a risk analysis framework consistent with that employed by other international regulatory organisations and is also an active participant in international risk assessment and standard setting processes for mycotoxins in foods, in particular those of the Joint FAO/WHO Expert Committee on Food Additives (JECFA) and the Codex Alimentarius Commission.

Regulation of mycotoxins in Canada

251st National Meeting (2016)

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