Provincial Food Processing & Distribution

In Manitoba, Manitoba Agriculture (AGR) is responsible for food safety from farm gate to the back door of retail. Health officers play an important role in ensuring the safety of all food that is processed and distributed from provincially permitted facilities within Manitoba.

Any facility or location where food products are manufactured, processed, prepared, packaged, stored or serviced is considered a food premise. This includes food service and food retail establishments such as restaurants, cafes, take-outs, catering facilities, mobile vending carts, grocery stores, farmers markets and temporary food events at fairs or festivals which Manitoba Health is responsible for. Food handling establishments such as food processing plants, meat processing plants, slaughterhouses, warehouses and transportation vehicles are the responsibility of AGR.

Food processing establishments in Manitoba are inspected by health officers at a frequency based on risk to ensure compliance with the Food and Food Handling Establishments Regulation (PDF 287KB) under The Public Health Act. Health officers determine if minimum standards and practices are being followed with respect to general food handling, storage temperature, sanitation, employee hygiene, equipment maintenance and environmental controls. Health officers also assess formulations and processing methods to ensure food is safe, and take into account any food safety programs used by the facility.

Please remember anyone wishing to commercially manufacture, process, or package food products for human consumption, and is not federally-registered or permitted by another jurisdiction is required to have a provincial food permit through AGR.

Risk-Based Inspection

Facilities are categorized according to the type of product manufactured and a risk assessment is conducted to determine the routine inspection frequency. The picture below shows what is considered when determining risk.  
Risk Assessment


Routine Inspection Frequencies 

Routine inspections are unannounced and are conducted at a pre-determined frequency as described in the table below. Follow-up inspections or re-inspections are conducted when violations are found by a health officer.  The follow-up date is determined based on the severity of the violation.

 

Facility Type Risk Rating Inspection Frequency
Minimal food processing (ex: simple processes with few ingredients)

Food distribution (ex: warehouses)		 high once per year 
medium once per 18 months 
low once per two years
Food and beverage processors high three times per year
medium every six months
low once per year

 

Relevant Permitting Documents

For new food handling establishments or changing ownership of an existing business, complete and submit the Registration Form online or send a copy by email to foodsafety@gov.mb.ca. 

Federal/Provincial/Territorial Model Codes

Links

For further information please contact the Food Safety and Inspection Branch.