The coroner's office has confirmed the remains found outside a Toronto butcher shop are human.

Toronto police Det.-Sgt. Terry Browne said employees at the butcher shop found the remains around 11:30 a.m. on Tuesday and that they believe the body parts were likely there for a "very, very short time."

The body part was not in an advanced state of decomposition and was likely only there for a few hours, according to Browne.

The remains were found behind Charlie's Meat and Seafood, in Toronto's Broadview Avenue and Gerrard Street East area, during a routine check of the premises.

"The shop they run here is pretty tight," Browne said earlier Wednesday. "They certainly would have reason to be coming back and forth to the back lot."

Toronto police have said the remains are a partial torso, not a complete body, and they believe that they may belong to a white female. (Christopher Mulligan/CBC)

Police have said the remains are a partial torso, not a complete body, and they said they believe that they may belong to a white female. Browne would not confirm whether the remains were found in a bag or box, but said clothing was not found in the package.

Members of the public are urged to contact police if they discover anything suspicious in the vicinity of the butcher shop.

"I would be surprised if there aren't more parts somewhere in the area," Browne said.

Anyone with information is asked to contact police directly or Crime Stoppers anonymously.