Canada Restricts U.S. Romaine Lettuce Imports, Cites E. coli Concerns
The Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CIFA) has implemented temporary Safe Food for Canadians (SFC) license conditions for romaine lettuce imports from the U.S. due to concerns about Escherichia coli O157:H7 contamination. SFC regulations require food businesses that import products, prepare food for export, or send food across provincial or territorial borders to have certain licenses and follow preventive food safety controls.
CIFA explained its decision by citing frequent foodborne illness outbreaks across North America that have been linked to romaine lettuce from the U.S. Specifically, CIFA points to the California Salinas Valley as a recurring source of E. coli outbreaks, including Santa Cruz, Santa Clara, San Benito, and Monterey counties.