Preventive food safety controls

According to the Canadian inspection Agency, preventive controls help to prevent food safety hazards and reduce the likelihood of contaminated food entering the market, whether they are prepared within or outside of Canada.

Preventive food safety controls address hazards and risks in such areas as:

  • sanitation and pest control
  • treatments and processes
  • equipment
  • maintenance and operation of establishments
  • unloading, loading and storing food
  • employee competence
  • employee hygiene
  • employee health
  • complaints and recalls

What is a PCP?

A PCP is a written document that demonstrates how risks to food and food animals are identified and controlled. The controls are based on internationally recognized Hazard Analysis Critical Control Point (HACCP) principles. The PCP also includes a description of measures taken related to packaging, labelling, grades and standards of identity.

For importers, a PCP describes how the importer and its foreign suppliers are meeting preventive food safety control requirements.