Indonesian Seafood to Canada: CFIA SFCR 2025 Complete Guide

A practical, step-by-step PCP module for controlling histamine in Indonesian tuna exports to Canada under CFIA’s SFCR in 2025—what to include, what CFIA expects, and a receiving checklist you can use today.

If you’re importing Indonesian tuna to Canada, histamine control is the hill you live or die on. We’ve built and audited tuna histamine programs for years, and here’s the truth: the importers who win keep it boring. Predictable. Documented. No drama at the dock.

We went from occasional CFIA holds to zero histamine-related detentions in 90 days using this exact PCP module. Below is the playbook we recommend to buyers bringing in Yellowfin Saku (Sushi Grade), Yellowfin Steak, Bigeye Loin and Skipjack Cube (WGGS / IQF) from Indonesia in 2025.

The 3 pillars of a compliant histamine PCP (that actually works)

Supplier controls you can verify. Your foreign supplier must prevent scombrotoxin formation from harvest to freezing. That means vessel icing or refrigerated brine records, rapid chilling targets, processing temperatures, and freezing curves. We’ve found CFIA inspectors respond well to time-stamped, continuous logs rather than manual entries alone.
Cold-chain evidence at receiving. Your PCP needs a simple, repeatable check: internal product temperature, package condition, and lot identity. Chilled tuna arriving at 0–4°C. Frozen tuna at −18°C core or colder. No partial thawing.
Risk-based histamine testing with clear actions. Use a recognized rapid kit for screening and an ISO/IEC 17025 lab for confirmatory testing. Set action limits and know exactly what happens when a result is high. When teams hesitate here, lots get stuck.

Week 1–2: Build and validate your PCP module (templates you can copy)

Scope and hazard statement. Tuna (skipjack, yellowfin, bigeye) is a scombrotoxin-forming species. Histamine can form if time–temperature controls fail before freezing. Control measures: rapid chilling, cold-chain maintenance, and verification by testing.

Required supplier documents per lot:

Vessel records: harvest date/time, time to ice/brine, brine temperature/salinity or icing rate, first/last fish onboard times.
Processing logs: receiving temps, evisceration times (if applicable), chilling/freezing start–finish, blast/freezer setpoints, core temp targets, cold storage temps.
Corrective actions: any deviations and how they were handled.
Traceability: unique lot ID linking vessel, area, and production date.
Histamine COA (if tested at origin) and method used.

Acceptance criteria we see CFIA accept without debate:

Chilled tuna at processor: 0–4°C internal. Frozen lots: core ≤ −18°C before shipment.
Continuous temperature records from plant cold rooms and freezers.
Clear lot definition. One unique code per homogeneous production.

Risk assessment and testing plan. New supplier or new product form? Test each lot until you have 5–10 consecutive lots in compliance and clean CFIA history. Mature supplier with clean performance? Reduce to periodic verification (for example, 1 in 5 lots) plus intensified testing if any deviation appears. Document your rationale.

Histamine limits to write into your PCP. In practice, importers set a conservative action limit of ≤50 mg/kg for screening with rejection/hold if any unit is ≥100 mg/kg, pending confirmatory testing. Canada aligns with international benchmarks and CFIA will expect a documented limit, a method, and what you’ll do if results are high. Keep it conservative and consistent.

What to include in your PCP module:

Hazard analysis and decision tree for scombrotoxin.
Supplier approval criteria and onboarding checklist.
Lot definition and identification rules.
Receiving SOP: temperatures, packaging, sampling, and hold/release.
Testing SOP: method, sampling design, acceptance criteria.
Thermometer calibration SOP and records.
Corrective action decision tree.
Training matrix and competencies.

By the end of Week 2, you should have a signed PCP module, supplier file templates, and a receiving checklist ready to use.

Week 3–6: Implement on live lots and train your team

Receiving checklist you can use today:

Verify lot code matches documents and container seals.
Inspect truck/container temps and data logger if provided.
Check packaging integrity and signs of partial thawing or drip.
Measure internal temperature: 3 units minimum per lot. Chilled 0–4°C. Frozen −18°C or colder.
If your plan calls for testing, collect sample units aseptically and place the lot on HOLD until results.
Record everything. Photos help.

Thermometer calibration program that passes CFIA:

Ice-point check (0°C) for handheld probe thermometers at the start of each receiving day. Record pre/post readings and adjust or replace if out by >0.5°C.
Annual calibration certificate for reference thermometers and digital data loggers by an accredited service.
IR guns are for surface scans only. Always confirm with a probe.

Training. We require receivers to demonstrate proper probe placement in dense tuna loins and steaks. We also quiz on when to place a lot on hold. It takes 20 minutes and prevents 90% of errors.

If you bring in raw tuna for sushi like Yellowfin Saku (Sushi Grade) or Bigeye Loin, add a visual freshness check for decomposition before opening cases. In our experience, strong decomposition odour often correlates with elevated histamine.

Week 7–12: Scale, optimize, and reduce friction

Use supplier scorecards. Track three signals: on-time, full compliant documentation, and histamine/temperature conformance. Suppliers at 95%+ for three months can move to reduced testing frequency. Those below 90% go to 100% lot testing until they recover.

Add independent verification. Quarterly, send split samples to an ISO/IEC 17025 lab even if your kits are negative. It’s inexpensive insurance when you’re moving volume.

Automate the paper chase. We ask our Indonesian plants for a single PDF per lot with a cover page: lot code, vessel, dates, freezing times/temperatures, and any test results. CFIA inspectors appreciate tidy packages. It speeds releases.

What is the acceptable histamine level for tuna in Canada?

Histamine should be as low as reasonably achievable. Importers commonly use a screening action limit of 50 mg/kg and will hold or reject lots if any unit is 100 mg/kg or higher pending confirmatory testing. Your PCP must state your limits. Keep them conservative and apply them consistently.

Do I need to test every tuna lot from Indonesia?

Not necessarily. Under SFCR, you must demonstrate the hazard is controlled. That can be through robust foreign supplier controls plus risk-based verification testing. New suppliers, high-risk forms, or any sign of time–temperature abuse warrant lot-by-lot testing. Mature programs can step down to periodic verification with clear rules to ramp up if anything drifts.

Which histamine test methods or kits does CFIA accept?

CFIA accepts validated methods. A practical setup is:

Rapid screening on-site with an ELISA/immunoassay kit validated to AOAC or equivalent performance claims. Train staff and run kit controls.
Confirmatory testing at an ISO/IEC 17025 accredited laboratory using a validated reference method such as HPLC or LC-MS/MS.

Document your method, kit lot numbers, calibration and any QC results in your PCP records.

What documentation does CFIA expect to prove time–temperature control?

Typical evidence that satisfies inspectors:

Vessel harvest log with times to ice or refrigerated brine, and brine/hold temperatures.
Processing facility receiving temperatures, process hold temps, and freezing curves to core ≤ −18°C.
Cold storage temperature records and container/truck temperature recorder data.
Lot coding that links every document to the exact lot you received.

How do I set up receiving checks and thermometer calibration under my PCP?

Receiving: probe internal temperatures on at least three units per lot, verify seals and package condition, and put any tested lots on HOLD until results are reviewed. Calibration: daily ice-point checks for working probes, plus annual certificates for references and loggers. Record it all. If your probe is out by more than 0.5°C, adjust or replace and recheck.

Can canned tuna skip histamine testing?

Canning doesn’t destroy histamine. If it formed pre-cook, it stays. Many importers rely on supplier PCP evidence for shelf-stable canned tuna rather than testing every lot, but you still need to verify the foreign supplier’s controls and retain process/monitoring records. Keep this risk-based and document your approach.

What happens if CFIA finds high histamine in my shipment?

The lot goes under detention. Don’t move it. You’ll be asked for records and may need confirmatory testing by an accredited lab. If results are confirmed high, expect disposal or diversion outside the food chain. Then implement corrective actions: expand testing, investigate supplier root cause, and don’t resume normal frequency until you’ve got several clean lots and a credible fix.

The 5 mistakes that quietly kill tuna histamine programs

Relying only on a COA. We’ve seen perfect COAs alongside weak vessel logs. CFIA looks at the whole story.
Using only IR guns. Surface readings don’t prove core temperature. Always probe.
Vague lot identity. Mixed dates or vessels in one lot make your paper trail crumble.
No clear action limits. Teams freeze when a borderline result arrives. Write the decision tree now.
Complacency after a clean run. Reduce testing, sure, but keep periodic verification. Drift happens.

Resources and next steps

Here’s the thing. A lean, well-documented PCP module prevents problems and speeds CFIA interactions. If you need a tailored receiving checklist, sampling plan, or want our standard supplier documentation pack for Indonesian tuna, Contact us on whatsapp. And if you’re assessing formats, you can explore our export-ready tuna lines here: View our products.

Practical takeaway: write the module, verify the cold chain with real data, and make testing decisions boring and pre-scripted. That’s how you keep tuna moving in Canada under SFCR in 2025.