We have Purolator; why does Canada need another food safety surveillance center?

Alex Binkley of Ontario Farmer writes that Health Canada still plans to create five food-borne illness surveillance sites across the country but when the network will be completed remains unclear.

Health Minister Leona Aglukkaq told a news conference a third site will be added to the ones already operating in the Waterloo Region of tom.hanks.castawayOntario and the Lower Fraser Region of British Columbia. The other sites are supposed to be on the Prairies, in Quebec and in the Atlantic Provinces. The surveillance program, called C-EnterNet, is operated by the Public Health Agency of Canada to track food and waterborne gastrointestinal illnesses, Albert Chambers, executive director of the Canada Food Safety Supply Chain Coalition, said in an interview.

Chris Kyte, president of Food Processors of Canada, said Health Canada doesn’t need more research capacity.

“It needs to get information about food safety problems communicated faster so unsafe products are removed from the market. Why would we need another research centre? Two should be plenty. Purolator has next day service across Canada.” 

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About Douglas Powell

A former professor of food safety and the publisher of barfblog.com, Powell is passionate about food, has five daughters, and is an OK goaltender in pickup hockey. Download Doug’s CV here. Dr. Douglas Powell editor, barfblog.com retired professor, food safety 3/289 Annerley Rd Annerley, Queensland 4103 dpowell29@gmail.com 61478222221 I am based in Brisbane, Australia, 15 hours ahead of Eastern Standard Time