进口食品安检: CFIA新规定如何影响消费者(一)
Exploring CFIA food inspection system (I)
来源: Bob Mok
加拿大消费者越来越关注中国进口食品的安全问题，尤其是那些经常前往华人超市购物的消费者担忧更甚。随着公众关注度持续升温，CFIA建议将目前为鱼类进口食品所设置"较高"的许可标准应用于华人超市的其他食品类上。
The safety of imported food products from China is a growing concern for Canadian consumers, particularly those who frequently shop in the Chinese supermarkets. Amid public concerns, the CFIA has proposed to apply the "higher" licensing standards for imported fish products to other imported food products at the Chinese Supermarkets soon.
在本系列文章中，Bob Mok将评估CFIA食品检验法规的效用，并探讨提议的新规会如何影响消费者。
In this series of articles, Bob Mok will evaluate the efficiencies in CFIA’s food inspection regulations, and how the proposed regulations would affect consumers’ interest.
只有很少人会知道在各种食品抵达零售店之前，必须先通过加拿大食品检验局（CFIA）的一系列申报和检验程序。相关的法规以及注册程序旨在保护消费者免受食品污染的危害，一旦发现涉及健康问题便会实施召回。
Very few people will know that before food items reach our retail stores, they have to go through a series of reporting and inspections with the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA). There are rules and regulations along with a registration procedure to protect the consumers from food contamination, and to exercise a recall when health issues are discovered.
CFIA是加拿大政府在1997年4月根据《加拿大食品检验局法》设立的监管机构。CFIA的职责是保护加拿大的食品安全。该机构整合了三个独立的联邦政府部门——加拿大农业与农业食品部、加拿大渔业海洋部和加拿大卫生部的相关检验服务。
The CFIA is a Canadian regulatory agency that was created in April 1997 by the Canadian Food Inspection Agency Act. CFIA has a mandate to safeguard food safety in Canada. The agency combined and integrated the related inspection services of three separate federal government departments: Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, Fisheries and Oceans Canada, and Health Canada.
CFIA不断提醒食品进口商和经纪商有责任确保加拿大销售的任何进口食品都质量安全，并符合加拿大的要求和规定。在加拿大销售的食品，无论是国产食品还是进口食品，都必须符合加拿大《食品药品管理法案与规章》、《消费者包装和标签法案》、以及其他所有适用的法规和条例。
CFIA constantly reminds food importers and brokers that they are responsible for ensuring that any food imported into Canada for sale is safe and meets Canadian requirements and regulations. All food products sold in Canada, whether domestic or imported, must comply with the Food and Drugs Act and Regulations, the Consumer Packaging and Labelling Act and Regulations, and any other applicable acts and regulations.
在有些国家能合法销售的食品，可能并不符合加拿大的要求。在某些情况下，虽然制造商的具体配方可能符合加拿大的要求，但却仍需进口商/经纪商确保相关食品符合上述加拿大法规。
Foods already legally sold in some countries may not actually meet Canadian requirements. In some cases, manufacturers may have specific formulations that meet Canadian requirement but it is still up to the importer/broker to make sure that they are compliant to Canadian Acts and Regulations above.
此外，鱼类和海鲜进口商需要遵守的一系列从基本的进口规则规则中衍生出的某些规则的特定规则。在本系列文章中，我们将对现行的许可证发放及监管制度进行探讨，并对制度应如何进一步改进提出建议。
A specific set of rules is additionally applied to Fish and Seafood importers, derived out of the basic rules of import. In this series of articles, we will explore the current system of license granting and administration to see if there is room for improvement.
本文中所指的鱼类产品，实际上包括所有由来自海洋和河流的生物加工而成的产品，其中有鱼类、无脊椎动物和软体动物等。
When we refer to Fish Products in this article, we are actually including any and all products derived from sea and river creatures. This includes fishes, invertebrates, and mollusks.
目前，在华裔社区已经形成专门从事鱼类和软体动物脱水的完整行业。鲍鱼、海参、鱼翅和鱼肚是最受华裔消费者青睐的四个代表产品，不少人为了强身健体常年食用这些产品。
There is a whole industry devoted to dehydrated fish and mollusks in the Chinese Community. Abalone, Sea Cucumber, Sharks fin, and fish maw are the four representative products most cherished by Chinese consumers to re-vitalize their bodies year round.
对于所有进口商来说，第一步是要获得一个商业号码（BN）。这个15位的数字代码类似于HST商业号码，但其中会有“RM”字样，以表明其是进口/出口代码。这个商业号码必须向加拿大边境服务署申请，并且会用于所有海关文件。
The starting point for any importers is to secure a Business Number (BN). This is a 15 digit code similar to the HST business number but will have “RM” as part of the code to distinguish it for import/export use. This set business numbers has to come from the Canadian Border Services Agency and to be used on all customs documents.
之后，进口商就可以申请“鱼类进口许可证”，而此时申请人应该已经拥有加拿大税务局的商业号码。在申请人递交相关申请时，还需要告知CFIA他们将会如何满足以下监管要求：
After that, the importer can apply for a “Fish Import License”. Presumably, the applicant will have a Canadian Revenue Agency business number already. When submitting the application, the applicants are required to advise CFIA how they will meet the following regulatory requirements:
1)进口产品未有变质、腐烂或不利健康，并符合所有加拿大法规要求。
1)import products that are not tainted, decomposed or unwholesome and meet all Canadian regulatory requirements
2）存储产品的方式须防止污染和变质。
2)store products in a way that prevents contamination and deterioration
3）跟踪你所进口产品的分销情况，包括申请人出售鱼类产品的对象的姓名和地址，以及销售日期。
3)track distribution of product you import including name and address of person to whom the applicant sold the fish and the date it was sold
4）跟踪申请人收到的质疑产品安全性的投诉及调查信息。
4)track complaints and investigate information that the applicant receive which questions the safety of the product
5）获得进口罐装和即食产品的生产程序控制文件。
5)obtain process control documents for canned and ready-to-eat products to be imported.
但是，批准这些要求都是基于对文件进行审核。换句话说，也就是当局在发放许可证前并不会进行强制审计或实地考察，以检验进口商是否满足持证要求。
All of these requirements are simply handled by the reviewing of documentations. In other words, there are no mandatory audits or site visits to verify compliance before licenses are granted.
实际上，相关体系和驾照颁发体系类似，在经过笔试、视力检查并支付费用后，但虽需要在一定形式的监管，申请者在无需路考就可拿到驾照。驾驶员在上路后只能自求多福，一旦有事故发生，其就会面对问责。但那时真是亡羊补牢为时未晚么？
This system, in effect, is like granting a license to drive after a written test, eye examination, and payment of fees without requiring any road testing. Although required to be under some form of supervision, the driver is sent onto the road and asked to fend for himself. When an accident happens, he is pulled in for questioning and corrective actions. Is that not too late?
在下一篇文章里，我们将继续探讨相关制度。
We will explore more of this system in our next article.
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