Food and Drug Regulations (C.R.C., c. 870)
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Regulations are current to 2025-02-17 and last amended on 2024-12-18. Previous Versions
PART BFoods (continued)
DIVISION 26Food Irradiation
Interpretation
- SOR/2017-16, s. 2(F)
B.26.001 In this Division, irradiation means treatment with ionizing radiation.
- SOR/89-175, s. 3
- SOR/2017-16, s. 3
Application
B.26.002 This Division does not apply to foods exposed to ionizing radiation from a measuring instrument used to determine weight, estimate bulk solids, measure the total solids in liquids or perform other inspection procedures.
- SOR/89-175, s. 3
General
B.26.003 (1) Subject to subsection (2), no person shall sell a food that has been irradiated.
(2) A food that is set out in column 1 of the table to this Division that has been irradiated may be sold if both of the following requirements are met:
(a) the ionizing radiation is of a type and from a source set out in column 2 for the purpose of irradiation set out in column 3; and
(b) the ionizing radiation that is absorbed by the food is either within the range set out in columns 4 and 5 or, if there is no minimum absorbed dose set out in column 4, is not more than the maximum absorbed dose set out in column 5.
- SOR/89-175, s. 3
- SOR/2017-16, s. 4
Records
B.26.004 (1) A manufacturer who sells a food that has been irradiated shall keep on their premises, for at least two years after the date of the irradiation, a record that contains all of the following information:
(a) the name of the food that was irradiated and the quantity and lot numbers of the food;
(b) the purpose of the irradiation;
(c) the date of the irradiation;
(d) the dose of ionizing radiation that was absorbed by the food;
(e) the type and source of the ionizing radiation;
(f) a statement that indicates whether the food was previously irradiated and, if it was previously irradiated, the information referred to in paragraphs (a) to (e) in respect of that previous irradiation.
(2) A person who imports a food for sale in Canada that has been irradiated shall keep on their premises, for at least two years after the date of importation, a record of the information required by subsection (1).
- SOR/89-175, s. 3
- SOR/2017-16, s. 5
Changes to the Table
B.26.005 A request that a food be added or a change made to the table to this Division shall be accompanied by a submission to the Minister containing the following information:
(a) the purpose and details of the proposed irradiation — including the type and source of the ionizing radiation — and the proposed number of treatments and the minimum and maximum absorbed doses of the ionizing radiation;
(b) data indicating that the minimum dose of ionizing radiation proposed to be used accomplishes the intended purpose of the irradiation and the maximum dose of ionizing radiation proposed does not exceed the amount required to accomplish the purpose of the irradiation;
(c) information on the nature of the dosimeter used, the frequency of the dosimetry on the food and data pertaining to the dosimetry and phantoms used to assure that the dosimetry readings reflect the dose absorbed by the food during irradiation;
(d) data indicating the effects, if any, on the nutritional quality of the food, raw and ready-to-serve, under the proposed conditions of irradiation and any other processes that are combined with the irradiation;
(e) data establishing that the irradiated food has not been significantly altered in chemical, physical or microbiological characteristics to render the food unfit for human consumption;
(f) where the Minister so requests, data establishing that the proposed irradiation is safe under the conditions proposed for the irradiation;
(g) the recommended conditions of storage and shipment of the irradiated food including the time, temperature and packaging and a comparison of the recommended conditions for the same food that has not been irradiated;
(h) details of any other processes to be applied to the food prior to or after the proposed irradiation; and
(i) such other data as the Minister may require to establish that consumers and purchasers of the irradiated food will not be deceived or misled as to the character, value, composition, merit or safety of the irradiated food.
TABLE
| Item | Column 1 | Column 2 | Column 3 | Column 4 | Column 5 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Food | Type and Source of Ionizing Radiation | Purpose of Irradiation | Minimum Absorbed Dose (kGy) | Maximum Absorbed Dose (kGy) | |
| 1 | Potatoes (Solanum tuberosum L.) | Gamma radiation from cobalt-60 | To inhibit sprouting during storage | 0.15 | |
| 2 | Onions (Allium cepa) | Gamma radiation from cobalt-60 | To inhibit sprouting during storage | 0.15 | |
| 3 | Wheat, flour, whole wheat flour (Triticum spp.) | Gamma radiation from cobalt-60 | To control insect infestation in stored food | 0.75 | |
| 4 | Whole or ground spices and dehydrated seasoning preparations |
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| 5 | Fresh raw ground beef |
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| 6 | Frozen raw ground beef |
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- SOR/89-175, s. 3
- SOR/98-458, s. 7(F)
- SOR/2017-16, ss. 6, 7
- SOR/2018-69, s. 27
DIVISION 27Low-Acid Foods Packaged in Hermetically Sealed Containers
- SOR/2024-244, s. 140(F)
B.27.001 In this Division,
- commercially sterile
commercially sterile means the condition obtained in a food that has been processed by the application of heat, alone or in combination with other treatments, to render the food free from viable forms of microorganisms, including spores, capable of growing in the food at temperatures at which the food is designed normally to be held during distribution and storage; (stérilité commerciale)
- hermetically sealed container
hermetically sealed container[Repealed, SOR/2024-244, s. 141]
- low-acid food
low-acid food means a food, other than an alcoholic beverage, where any component of the food has a pH greater than 4.6 and a water activity greater than 0.85; (aliment peu acide)
- refrigeration
refrigeration means exposure to a temperature of 4°C or less but does not mean frozen; (réfrigéré)
- shipping container
shipping container means a receptacle, package or wrapper in which containers of food are placed for transportation; (contenant d’expédition)
- water activity
water activity means the ratio of the water vapour pressure of a food to the vapour pressure of pure water, at the same temperature and pressure. (activité de l’eau)
- SOR/89-309, s. 1
- SOR/2024-244, s. 141
B.27.002 (1) No person shall sell a low-acid food packaged in a hermetically sealed container unless the food is commercially sterile.
(2) Subsection (1) does not apply in respect of a low-acid food packaged in a hermetically sealed container where
(a) the low-acid food is kept under refrigeration and the statement “Keep Refrigerated” and “Garder réfrigéré” is carried on the principal display panel of the label of its container, as well as on the label of its shipping container; or
(b) the low-acid food is kept frozen and the statement “Keep Frozen” and “Garder congelé” is carried on the principal display panel of the label of its container, as well as on the label of its shipping container.
(3) Subsection (1) does not apply in respect of tomatoes or tomato products packaged in hermetically sealed containers where the tomatoes or tomato products have a pH of 4.7 or less after heat processing.
- SOR/89-309, s. 1
- SOR/91-149, s. 7
- SOR/2018-108, s. 399
- SOR/2024-244, s. 142(F)
- Date modified: