What to Do if You Have Concerns About Food or Therapeutic Products

You are encouraged to contact the Chapter, the National Office of the CCA, Health Canada and the Canadian Food Inspection Agency with any complaints or concerns you may have about ingredients, labeling, misrepresentation and/or gluten contamination of food, vitamins, drugs or supplements. While the CCA works with the Federal Government on new legislation for food labeling and gluten free certification, members can play an important role in letting the following agencies know what is going on in the marketplace today.  Thank you to Michael Di Mambro of Health Canada and Lance Hill, Lauren Jung and Claire Sharp of the Canadian Food Inspection Agency who reached out to the Victoria Chapter and participated in TGIF. It is great knowing that these individuals and the departments that they work for are sincerely interested in our. Thank you for providing us with this very valuable information.

Food

1. If you are not satisfied with the reassurances you receive from manufacturers (on the product label, via email or over the phone,) regarding the gluten free status of a food item or an ingredient(s) thereof
or
2. If the information you receive to your inquiries regarding the claim that a food item, or an ingredient(s) thereof, does not conform to your understanding of the gluten free guidelines set out by the CCA
or
3. If you have experienced what you think is gluten contamination from a food item, or ingredient thereof, purporting to be gluten free, or have concerns regarding the mislabeling or misrepresentation of a food item labeled as gluten-free?
For Vancouver Island or the Gulf Islands, call Claire Sharpe (for labeling and claims issues) or Lauren Jung (for food safety issues) of the Canadian Food Inspection Agency at (250)363-3455 in Victoria, BC.
For anywhere else in Canada, call CFIA’s toll-free line at 1-800-442-2342 to find the nearest CFIA office.
The CFIA may also be contacted using the CFIA website’s “Web Comments and Feedback Form” found at:
http://www.inspection.gc.ca/english/tools/feedback/commene.shtml

Therapeutic Products (Drugs and Natural Health Products)

These include prescription drugs, over-the-counter drugs, vitamins, herbal remedies & supplements.
1. If you are not satisfied with the reassurances you receive from manufacturers (on the product label, via email or over the phone), regarding the gluten free status of a therapeutic product or an ingredient(s) thereof
or
2. If the answers you receive to your inquiries regarding the claim that the therapeutic product, or an ingredient(s) thereof, is gluten free does not conform to your understanding of the guidelines set out by the CCA
or
3. If you have experienced what you think is gluten contamination from a therapeutic product purporting to be gluten free?
You are encouraged to call Health Canada, Drug Compliance Verification and Investigation Unit at (613) 952-9906 or email . 
For guidance and additional contact information please refer to How to Submit a Consumer Complaint available at:
http://www.hc-sc.gc.ca/dhp-mps/compli-conform/prob-report-rapport/gui_44_consumer_consommateur_cp-pc_e.html