canadian food labelling
CANADIAN FOOD LABELLING
Regulatory Changes
Before… ▪ Food in Canada is regulated under many different statutes: ▪ ▪ ▪ ▪ ▪
Food and Drugs Act, Fish Inspection Act Meat Inspection Act Canada Agricultural Products Act Consumer Packaging and Labelling Act
▪ These Acts were created in different decades and have been updated at differing frequencies. ▪ Led to inconsistent regulations, monitoring and enforcement.
Safe Food for Canadians Act ▪ The Safe Food for Canadians Act (SFCA) received Royal Assent in 2012 ▪ Legislative base for a modern federal food safety inspection system. ▪ Consolidates four acts into one, to strengthen oversight of food commodities being traded inter-provincially or internationally.
Three Goals 1. Improved food safety oversight to better protect consumers, 2. Streamlined and strengthened legislative authorities, and 3. Enhanced international market opportunities for Canadian industry.
For Consumers? ▪ New legislations to meet changing needs ▪ New prohibitions against food tampering, deceptive practices and hoaxes ▪ Strengthened traceability ▪ Improved import controls ▪ Modern and stronger legislation
For Industry? ▪ New legislations to meet changing needs ▪ Modernized and simplified food safety legislation ▪ Enhanced market access ▪ New review mechanism
Importers and Exporters? ▪ New legislation to meet changing needs ▪ Clearer rules for importers and exports – level playing field ▪ Improved import controls ▪ Authority to certify food commodities for export ▪ Aligning with US FSMA
Safe Food for Canadians Regulations ▪ The proposed regulations published January 21, 2017 ▪ Consolidates 14 sets of regulations and 17 documents Incorporated by Reference ▪ Emphasis on preventing food safety risk for everyone ▪ Three main elements: ▪ Preventive controls ▪ Traceability ▪ Licensing Comment period ended April/17, expected to be finalized mid-2018.
Preventative Control Plan ▪ Required for most foods ▪ Written document demonstrating how hazards and risks to your food products are identified and eliminated ▪ Importers have a responsibility to ensure that the food imported is safe and has been subject to the same preventive controls ▪ Need to demonstrate that the imported food has been manufactured, prepared, stored, packaged, and labelled with the same level of protection. ▪ Reliable assurances from your foreign supplier or a third party such as an accredited body.
Traceability ▪ Must be able to trace food one step forward and one step back. ▪ Requirements for what information needs to be kept and for how long.
Licensing ▪ Who? ▪ Imports food ▪ manufactures, processes, treats, preserves, grades, packages, or labels food for export or to be traded inter-provincially ▪ requests an export certificate ▪ slaughters food animals for export or to be traded inter-provincially
CFIA Modernization Initiatives ▪ Inspection Modernization ▪ ▪ ▪ ▪
Inspection delivery, Training and tools for inspection staff, Scientific capacity in food laboratories Information management and technology
▪ Regulatory Modernization ▪ CFIA is undertaking a review of its regulations for food safety, plant and animal health to improve their consistency, reduce their complexity and strengthen consumer protection
▪ Food Labelling Modernization
Food Labelling Modernization ▪ Improve access to information about food labelling for consumers to increase awareness, make informed decisions ▪ Protect Canadians, while enhancing opportunities for industry to be competitive ▪ Respond more effectively to consumer, industry and government needs in the area of food labelling ▪ Consultations with stakeholders were held between 2013 and 2015 and we are waiting on the reports and expected outcomes based on these comments.
Healthy Eating Strategy ▪ In 2015 the Minister of Health launched the Healthy Eating Strategy - how the department will take action on key public health nutrition issues: ▪ improving healthy eating ▪ protecting vulnerable populations ▪ strengthening labelling and claims ▪ improving nutrition quality standards ▪ supporting increased access to and availability of nutritious foods
Initiatives – PHOs ▪ PHOs – April 7/2017 – Notice to Prohibit the Use of Partially Hydrogenated Oils in Foods ▪ Intent to add PHOs to the List of Contaminants and Other Adulterating Substances in Foods. ▪ Any food containing PHOs would be declared adulterated and its sale in Canada would be prohibited. ▪ PHO = “Those fats and oils that: ▪ have been hydrogenated, but not to complete or near complete saturation, and ▪ have an iodine value (IV) greater than 4”
Front-of-Package Nutrition Labelling ▪ Health Canada has proposed mandatory FOP labelling for foods high in nutrients of public health concern” ▪ Sugars ▪ Sodium ▪ Saturated Fat ▪ “Quick and easy guidance to help Canadians make informed choices about packaged foods.” ▪ Consultation on possible warnings and thresholds took place end of 2016 with more to come. ▪ Expected 2021 to coincide with new nutritional labelling regulations
Update to Canada’s Food Guide ▪ Current version of Canada's food guide was last updated in 2007 ▪ Current format isn't meeting the needs of all audiences ▪ for example, some audiences want more detail while others would prefer less ▪ Scientific basis for the 2007 guide is largely consistent with the latest diet and health evidence – fat vs. sugar ▪ Under consultation now
Changes to Nutrition & Ingredient Labelling
Background ▪ Discussions started in Oct/ 13. ▪ Aim was to modernize and improve food labelling to reflect current science and consumption patterns. ▪ Proposed updates were published in Canada Gazette I in June/2015, including changes to the NFT and ingredient list. ▪ Consultation ended in Aug/15…
Source: Health Canada
Final Regulations ▪ Final regulations were published in Canada Gazette II on Dec/16. ▪ Transition period of 5 years, with a deadline for compliance of December, 2021. • Nutrition Facts Table • Serving Sizes
• Ingredient List
NFT Format Change
Source: Health Canada
Potassium was Added ▪ Canadian Community Health Survey Data ▪ Probable low prevalence of adequate intake, due to low intake of fruits, vegetables and milk ▪ High prevalence of hypertension
▪ Nutrient of high concern to public health ▪ Potassium is now a mandatory nutrient on the NFT Source: Health Canada
Vitamins A & C Were Removed ▪ Canadian Community Health Survey Data ▪ No clinical evidence of deficiency among the general population
▪ Not nutrients of high concern to public health ▪ Vitamins A & C not required on the NFT
▪ Voluntary declaration only ▪ Required if claims are made (eg. source of, high in) Source: Health Canada
Sugars Daily Value ▪ On-going concern of excess sugar intake ▪ Leads to excess calorie consumption, a contributing factor to overweight and obesity. ▪ Obesity is a public health concern in Canada - a risk factor for major chronic diseases such as cardiovascular diseases, type 2 diabetes and cancer
Source: Health Canada
Sugars Daily Value ▪ HC decides on 100 g as the DV and to make it mandatory to be declared in the NFT ▪ 100 g is equivalent to 20% of energy based on a 2000 Calorie diet. ▪ According to dietary intake data (CCHS 2.2), approximately 1/2 Canadians consume >20% of their energy as sugars, with the highest intakes younger age groups (< 19 yrs). ▪ Australia/New Zealand and EU regulations have established 90 g as the DV for total sugars Source: Health Canada
Reference Amounts ▪ Established by Health Canada for various categories of foods, primarily used for determining single serving containers, and are the basis of criteria for claims.
Source: Health Canada
Serving Size ▪ Before… presented as a range, allowing manufacturers to choose a serving size they feel is appropriate for their product ▪ Inconsistent ▪ Difficult to compare ▪ New Regulations…. ▪ Reference amount basis for serving size.
Source: Health Canada
Consistent Serving Size 1. Foods that can be measured: • • • •
Measured by volume (milk, yogurt, flour) Consumed as many small pieces (pasta) Variable size/unique shape (chips, French fries) Will be matched with a defined metric reference amount
Source: Health Canada
Foods that Can be Measured
Source: Health Canada
Consistent Serving Size 2. Foods in pieces: • Eaten as one unit (bagel) • Small number of pieces (< 15) (crackers) • Multi-serve, uniform foods (pizza) • Will be matched with a defined metric reference amount
Source: Health Canada
Foods in Pieces
Source: Health Canada
Consistent Serving Size 3. Amounts of foods that are typically eaten: • Standardized household measurement (cup, # of pieces, etc.) • Will be matched with the equivalent metric measurement of the household measurement • Includes Ready-To-Eat breakfast cereals, sliced bread, whole chicken
Source: Health Canada
Amounts of Foods Typically Eaten
Source: Health Canada
Single Serve Containers All packages that contain up to 200% of the reference amount will be considered to be a single serving.
Changes to Reference Amounts Category
Current RA
Proposed RA
Combination dishes (eg. chili, casserole)
250 mL
300 g
Ice cream
125 mL
188 mL
Eggs
50 g
100 g
Hors d'œuvres
50 g
85 g
Muffins
55 g
115 g
* Reflects updated consumption data, market analysis
Source: Health Canada
Changes to Reference Amounts ▪ New categories: ▪ Cracker chips (30 g) ▪ Energy/protein bars (45 g) ▪ Fermented dairy drinks (188 mL) ▪ Foods intended solely for children 1 to < 4 yrs ▪ Strained foods (110 mL) ▪ Cookies, teething biscuits (7 g)
Source: Health Canada
Changes to Daily Values (DV) ▪ Based on the latest dietary reference intakes from the Institute of Medicine ▪ %DV declaration would only be required for nutrients of public health concern due to insufficient or excessive intakes
Source: Health Canada
Changes to Daily Values (DV) For nutrients that must be declared in the NFT: NUTRIENT
OLD DV
NEW DV
65 g
75 g
Sugars
-
100 g
Sodium
2400 mg
2300 mg
Potassium
3500 mg
4700 mg
Calcium
1100 mg
1300 mg
14 mg
18 mg
Fat
Iron
Example: 10 g fat = 15% DV
13% DV
Source: Health Canada
Changes to List of Ingredients
Source: Health Canada
Changes to List of Ingredients
Changes to List of Ingredients
Changes to List of Ingredients
Changes to List of Ingredients
Changes to List of Ingredients
Changes to List of Ingredients
Sugar-based Ingredients INCLUDES: ▪ Sugars: sucrose, fructose, etc. ▪ Sweetening agents: maple syrup, honey, agave syrup etc. ▪ Functional substitutes: apple sauce in muffins, fruit juice concentrates
In Closing ▪ Lots of changes!
Thank you Questions?
Regulatory Changes
Before… ▪ Food in Canada is regulated under many different statutes: ▪ ▪ ▪ ▪ ▪
Food and Drugs Act, Fish Inspection Act Meat Inspection Act Canada Agricultural Products Act Consumer Packaging and Labelling Act
▪ These Acts were created in different decades and have been updated at differing frequencies. ▪ Led to inconsistent regulations, monitoring and enforcement.
Safe Food for Canadians Act ▪ The Safe Food for Canadians Act (SFCA) received Royal Assent in 2012 ▪ Legislative base for a modern federal food safety inspection system. ▪ Consolidates four acts into one, to strengthen oversight of food commodities being traded inter-provincially or internationally.
Three Goals 1. Improved food safety oversight to better protect consumers, 2. Streamlined and strengthened legislative authorities, and 3. Enhanced international market opportunities for Canadian industry.
For Consumers? ▪ New legislations to meet changing needs ▪ New prohibitions against food tampering, deceptive practices and hoaxes ▪ Strengthened traceability ▪ Improved import controls ▪ Modern and stronger legislation
For Industry? ▪ New legislations to meet changing needs ▪ Modernized and simplified food safety legislation ▪ Enhanced market access ▪ New review mechanism
Importers and Exporters? ▪ New legislation to meet changing needs ▪ Clearer rules for importers and exports – level playing field ▪ Improved import controls ▪ Authority to certify food commodities for export ▪ Aligning with US FSMA
Safe Food for Canadians Regulations ▪ The proposed regulations published January 21, 2017 ▪ Consolidates 14 sets of regulations and 17 documents Incorporated by Reference ▪ Emphasis on preventing food safety risk for everyone ▪ Three main elements: ▪ Preventive controls ▪ Traceability ▪ Licensing Comment period ended April/17, expected to be finalized mid-2018.
Preventative Control Plan ▪ Required for most foods ▪ Written document demonstrating how hazards and risks to your food products are identified and eliminated ▪ Importers have a responsibility to ensure that the food imported is safe and has been subject to the same preventive controls ▪ Need to demonstrate that the imported food has been manufactured, prepared, stored, packaged, and labelled with the same level of protection. ▪ Reliable assurances from your foreign supplier or a third party such as an accredited body.
Traceability ▪ Must be able to trace food one step forward and one step back. ▪ Requirements for what information needs to be kept and for how long.
Licensing ▪ Who? ▪ Imports food ▪ manufactures, processes, treats, preserves, grades, packages, or labels food for export or to be traded inter-provincially ▪ requests an export certificate ▪ slaughters food animals for export or to be traded inter-provincially
CFIA Modernization Initiatives ▪ Inspection Modernization ▪ ▪ ▪ ▪
Inspection delivery, Training and tools for inspection staff, Scientific capacity in food laboratories Information management and technology
▪ Regulatory Modernization ▪ CFIA is undertaking a review of its regulations for food safety, plant and animal health to improve their consistency, reduce their complexity and strengthen consumer protection
▪ Food Labelling Modernization
Food Labelling Modernization ▪ Improve access to information about food labelling for consumers to increase awareness, make informed decisions ▪ Protect Canadians, while enhancing opportunities for industry to be competitive ▪ Respond more effectively to consumer, industry and government needs in the area of food labelling ▪ Consultations with stakeholders were held between 2013 and 2015 and we are waiting on the reports and expected outcomes based on these comments.
Healthy Eating Strategy ▪ In 2015 the Minister of Health launched the Healthy Eating Strategy - how the department will take action on key public health nutrition issues: ▪ improving healthy eating ▪ protecting vulnerable populations ▪ strengthening labelling and claims ▪ improving nutrition quality standards ▪ supporting increased access to and availability of nutritious foods
Initiatives – PHOs ▪ PHOs – April 7/2017 – Notice to Prohibit the Use of Partially Hydrogenated Oils in Foods ▪ Intent to add PHOs to the List of Contaminants and Other Adulterating Substances in Foods. ▪ Any food containing PHOs would be declared adulterated and its sale in Canada would be prohibited. ▪ PHO = “Those fats and oils that: ▪ have been hydrogenated, but not to complete or near complete saturation, and ▪ have an iodine value (IV) greater than 4”
Front-of-Package Nutrition Labelling ▪ Health Canada has proposed mandatory FOP labelling for foods high in nutrients of public health concern” ▪ Sugars ▪ Sodium ▪ Saturated Fat ▪ “Quick and easy guidance to help Canadians make informed choices about packaged foods.” ▪ Consultation on possible warnings and thresholds took place end of 2016 with more to come. ▪ Expected 2021 to coincide with new nutritional labelling regulations
Update to Canada’s Food Guide ▪ Current version of Canada's food guide was last updated in 2007 ▪ Current format isn't meeting the needs of all audiences ▪ for example, some audiences want more detail while others would prefer less ▪ Scientific basis for the 2007 guide is largely consistent with the latest diet and health evidence – fat vs. sugar ▪ Under consultation now
Changes to Nutrition & Ingredient Labelling
Background ▪ Discussions started in Oct/ 13. ▪ Aim was to modernize and improve food labelling to reflect current science and consumption patterns. ▪ Proposed updates were published in Canada Gazette I in June/2015, including changes to the NFT and ingredient list. ▪ Consultation ended in Aug/15…
Source: Health Canada
Final Regulations ▪ Final regulations were published in Canada Gazette II on Dec/16. ▪ Transition period of 5 years, with a deadline for compliance of December, 2021. • Nutrition Facts Table • Serving Sizes
• Ingredient List
NFT Format Change
Source: Health Canada
Potassium was Added ▪ Canadian Community Health Survey Data ▪ Probable low prevalence of adequate intake, due to low intake of fruits, vegetables and milk ▪ High prevalence of hypertension
▪ Nutrient of high concern to public health ▪ Potassium is now a mandatory nutrient on the NFT Source: Health Canada
Vitamins A & C Were Removed ▪ Canadian Community Health Survey Data ▪ No clinical evidence of deficiency among the general population
▪ Not nutrients of high concern to public health ▪ Vitamins A & C not required on the NFT
▪ Voluntary declaration only ▪ Required if claims are made (eg. source of, high in) Source: Health Canada
Sugars Daily Value ▪ On-going concern of excess sugar intake ▪ Leads to excess calorie consumption, a contributing factor to overweight and obesity. ▪ Obesity is a public health concern in Canada - a risk factor for major chronic diseases such as cardiovascular diseases, type 2 diabetes and cancer
Source: Health Canada
Sugars Daily Value ▪ HC decides on 100 g as the DV and to make it mandatory to be declared in the NFT ▪ 100 g is equivalent to 20% of energy based on a 2000 Calorie diet. ▪ According to dietary intake data (CCHS 2.2), approximately 1/2 Canadians consume >20% of their energy as sugars, with the highest intakes younger age groups (< 19 yrs). ▪ Australia/New Zealand and EU regulations have established 90 g as the DV for total sugars Source: Health Canada
Reference Amounts ▪ Established by Health Canada for various categories of foods, primarily used for determining single serving containers, and are the basis of criteria for claims.
Source: Health Canada
Serving Size ▪ Before… presented as a range, allowing manufacturers to choose a serving size they feel is appropriate for their product ▪ Inconsistent ▪ Difficult to compare ▪ New Regulations…. ▪ Reference amount basis for serving size.
Source: Health Canada
Consistent Serving Size 1. Foods that can be measured: • • • •
Measured by volume (milk, yogurt, flour) Consumed as many small pieces (pasta) Variable size/unique shape (chips, French fries) Will be matched with a defined metric reference amount
Source: Health Canada
Foods that Can be Measured
Source: Health Canada
Consistent Serving Size 2. Foods in pieces: • Eaten as one unit (bagel) • Small number of pieces (< 15) (crackers) • Multi-serve, uniform foods (pizza) • Will be matched with a defined metric reference amount
Source: Health Canada
Foods in Pieces
Source: Health Canada
Consistent Serving Size 3. Amounts of foods that are typically eaten: • Standardized household measurement (cup, # of pieces, etc.) • Will be matched with the equivalent metric measurement of the household measurement • Includes Ready-To-Eat breakfast cereals, sliced bread, whole chicken
Source: Health Canada
Amounts of Foods Typically Eaten
Source: Health Canada
Single Serve Containers All packages that contain up to 200% of the reference amount will be considered to be a single serving.
Changes to Reference Amounts Category
Current RA
Proposed RA
Combination dishes (eg. chili, casserole)
250 mL
300 g
Ice cream
125 mL
188 mL
Eggs
50 g
100 g
Hors d'œuvres
50 g
85 g
Muffins
55 g
115 g
* Reflects updated consumption data, market analysis
Source: Health Canada
Changes to Reference Amounts ▪ New categories: ▪ Cracker chips (30 g) ▪ Energy/protein bars (45 g) ▪ Fermented dairy drinks (188 mL) ▪ Foods intended solely for children 1 to < 4 yrs ▪ Strained foods (110 mL) ▪ Cookies, teething biscuits (7 g)
Source: Health Canada
Changes to Daily Values (DV) ▪ Based on the latest dietary reference intakes from the Institute of Medicine ▪ %DV declaration would only be required for nutrients of public health concern due to insufficient or excessive intakes
Source: Health Canada
Changes to Daily Values (DV) For nutrients that must be declared in the NFT: NUTRIENT
OLD DV
NEW DV
65 g
75 g
Sugars
-
100 g
Sodium
2400 mg
2300 mg
Potassium
3500 mg
4700 mg
Calcium
1100 mg
1300 mg
14 mg
18 mg
Fat
Iron
Example: 10 g fat = 15% DV
13% DV
Source: Health Canada
Changes to List of Ingredients
Source: Health Canada
Changes to List of Ingredients
Changes to List of Ingredients
Changes to List of Ingredients
Changes to List of Ingredients
Changes to List of Ingredients
Changes to List of Ingredients
Sugar-based Ingredients INCLUDES: ▪ Sugars: sucrose, fructose, etc. ▪ Sweetening agents: maple syrup, honey, agave syrup etc. ▪ Functional substitutes: apple sauce in muffins, fruit juice concentrates
In Closing ▪ Lots of changes!
Thank you Questions?
