A healthy society needs a safe and tasty food supply. All three levels of government are responsible for ensuring Nova Scotians eat quality food products. The department’s Food Safety section leads efforts in the province to safeguard health protection. Legislation and education are key tools.
A food safety program can respond to emerging issues of food safety and directly control many contributing factors.
The province inspects and permits retail food services and administers the Provincial Meat Inspection program. We also offer consultation and resource capacity to the agri-food industry with other agencies.
The federal, provincial and territorial governments' Agricultural Policy Framework program allows initiatives to build on existing food safety programs and to develop new measures to enable the tracing of food products, improve food quality and share information.
Publications
- Catered Foods
(PDF:268k) | Français (PDF:265Ko) - Community Pantries (PDF:57k)
- Food Thermometers for Safe Cooking (PDF:180k) | Français (PDF:80Ko)
- Potentially Hazardous Foods (PDF:213k)
- Shellfish Food Safety (PDF:190k) | Français (PDF:63Ko)
- Temperature Danger Zone (PDF:123k) | Français (PDF:137Ko)
- Temperature Danger Zone Poster (PDF:91k)
Foodborne Illness
The following information is available from the Government of Canada's website.
- Fiddlehead Safety Tips
- Campylobacter jejuni
- Clostridium botulinum
- E.coli O157
- Hepatitis A and E
- Marine toxins in shellfish
- Listeria monocytogenes
- Salmonella
- Shigella
- Vibrio
Food Safety at Home
- Home Prepared Low Risk Baked Goods Fact Sheet (PDF:68k)
- Sushi and Sashimi Factsheet (PDF:139k)
- Back to School - How to Avoid the Lunch Bag Blues (PDF:184k) | Français (PDF:38Ko)
- Food Safety and the Shopping Cart (PDF:186k) | Français (PDF:37Ko)
- Partying at Home and Feeding a Crowd (PDF:145k) | Français (PDF:26Ko)
- Internal Cooking Temperatures (PDF:503k)
- Wash fruits and vegetables before eating (Poster) (PDF:627k)
Food Safety at Public Markets
- Canning and Botulinum – What you Need to Know (PDF:196k)
- Common Concerns of Food Safety (hormones, pesticides, antibiotics) (PDF:159k) | Français (PDF:386Ko)
- Commonly Used Terms at Public Markets (local, grass fed, free-range, natural) (PDF:156k) | Français (PDF:370Ko)
- Farm Fresh Eggs (PDF:186k)
- Organic Foods (PDF:193k) | Français (PDF:360Ko)
- Providing Fruit and Vegetable Samples at Public Markets (PDF:164k)
- Unpasteurized Apple Cider (PDF:224k)
Food Safety During Emergencies
- Food Safety After a Flood (PDF:237k)
- Saving Foods When My Power Is Off (PDF:617k) | Français (PDF:666Ko)
Holiday Food Safety
- Food Safety and Holiday Turkey (PDF:244k) | Français (PDF:25Ko)
- Food Safety Tips: Holiday Leftovers (PDF:132k) | Français (PDF:36Ko)
- Holiday Food Safety Tips (PDF:177k) | Français (PDF:33Ko)
Infection Control
Agricultural Fairs, Zoos, Petting Zoos and Farms
- Information about visiting (PDF:357k) | Français (PDF:459Ko)
- Recommendations for owners and operators (PDF:926k) | Français (PDF:1Mo)
- Animal exhibit poster (PDF:5.4mb) | Français (PDF:5.4Mo)
- Hand washing poster (PDF:5mb) | Français (PDF:6Mo)
On Farm Food Safety: Reducing the Risk
- Human Health Concerns Related to Soil Applications of Manure and Compost (PDF:569k)
- The Basics of Employee Hygiene (PDF:620k)
- Quality of Water Starts at the Source – Ensuring your Water is Safe (PDF:601k)
Meat Processing
- Ready to Eat Cooked Meats (PDF:222k)
- Smoked Fish Products (PDF:260k)
- Smoked Meats (PDF:175k)
- Smoked Food Products (PDF:270k)
Summer Food Safety
- Camping Food Safety (PDF:285k)| Français (PDF:296Ko)
- From U-Picks to Your Home - Careful Handling of Fresh Fruit and Vegetables (PDF:152k) | Français (PDF:45Ko)
- Safe Food for the Great Outdoors (PDF:152k) | Français (PDF:35k)
- Summer Barbecuing and the Risks of Food Poisoning (PDF:160k)