Since last fall, six shipments of canola meal destined for the United States have been identified at the border as being contaminated with salmonella.
Five of the six cases occurred in the past seven weeks.
Documents obtained from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration indicate that eight truck shipments from three companies were subject to “import refusals” at the border since November.
- Five shipments were refused from Bunge, including three from Hamilton, Ont., on May 7, one from Oakville, Ont., on May 15 and one from Hamilton on May 26.
- Two shipments from Cargill’s plant at Clavet, Sask., were refused on Nov. 19, 2008, and April 8, 2009.
- One shipment from Leblanc & Lafrance in Saint Hyacinthe, Que., was refused May 27.
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An import alert tells FDA inspectors there is enough evidence to refuse admission of a product into the U.S. without physical inspection.
Importers must provide results of third-party laboratory analyses of the listed products proving the products are free of the contaminant involved before shipments can resume.
Only after the FDA has received such proof will it allow entry into the U.S.
No information has been provided by government agencies or industry groups on key questions, including how much canola meal was involved, what happened to the shipments, why the contamination occurred, whether any other commodities are at risk or what is being done to remedy the situation.
Canadian canola crushing industry officials were keeping closed-mouthed about the situation last week.
An official with Cargill referred all inquiries to the Canadian Oilseed Processors Association.
COPA president Bob Broeska failed to return several telephone calls from The Western Producer seeking information.
In an earlier report by Reuters News Agency, Broeska was quoted as saying that the delays at the border were the result of new inspection protocols being implemented by FDA.
FDA spokesperson Laura Alvey said that is not the case and there has been no change in testing procedures or tolerances for salmonella.
Deb Seidel, director of communications for Bunge North America, said in a June 15 statement the company shut down the canola processing line at its Hamilton plant when the salmonella was detected. It remains closed for annual maintenance.
She said salmonella was also detected at Bunge’s plant at Nipawin, Sask., in late May and the line was temporarily shut down. The Nipawin case is not mentioned in FDA documents.
Bunge has met with officials from the FDA and the Canadian Food Inspection Agency and will resume shipments of canola meal to the U.S. after receiving approval from the FDA.
A CFIA spokesperson said June 19 he wasn’t able to comment on exactly what the agency is doing in relation to the canola meal situation.
He said it’s up to the FDA to monitor and regulate the safety of products crossing the border into the U.S., while CFIA focuses on products entering Canada and moving within the country.
If FDA tells the agency about a problem at a particular processing facility, it will work with the producer to resolve the situation, he said.
