The goal is to more rapidly identify and limit food safety
threats.
It is also to align with provincial food safety laboratories
in rapid response to food safety incidents and emergencies through near
real-time sharing of information and improve Canada's ability to anticipate and
detect routine foodborne threats, officials said in a news release.
Benefits from the new network, say officials, include:
Faster,
more proactive food safety interventions;
More
preventive food safety programs and inspections to better protect consumers;
Strengthened
laboratory emergency response during food safety incidents and emergencies
(which should speed-up recalls, for example); and
Improved
guidance on reducing food safety risks.
The FSIN will standardize food safety testing and leverage
existing laboratory capacity, and enhance Canada's ability to provide evidence
of the integrity of Canada's food supply to trading partners, officials said.
Partners in FSIN include the Canadian Food Inspection Agency
(CFIA), Health Canada and the Public Health Agency of Canada (PHAC). The FSIN
will be implemented in a five-year process that will link federal and
provincial food safety establishments and accredited laboratories nationwide.
Canada’s 2014 budget committed $390 million to strengthen
Canada's food safety system.
