Health Canada Proposed Food Labelling Changes

Health Canada has announced proposed new nutrition labeling and ingredient regulations.

The 75 day consultation period has begun, so if you have anything to say about it now is the time.

Here are the highlights:

1. The calorie count of an item will be enlarged so you can’t miss it.

2. All sugars in a food will be grouped as a single ingredient, like this: Sugars (fancy molasses, brown sugar, sugar). This will mean sugars will now be listed as the top ingredient by volume in many foods.

3. Other ingredients will be more clearly marked, including food allergens, gluten sources and added sulphites.

4. Food colours will be listed by their common name, such as “Allura red.”

5. Serving sizes will be more uniform between products. So if yogurt A describes a serving as 1/2 cup (175 g), so will yogurt B. This is currently not the case.

6. There will be an added line about how to interpret the percent daily value (% DV) to help consumers who are looking to increase or decrease their intake of a nutrient—five percent or less “is a little” and 15 percent or more “is a lot.”

7. A percent daily value will be added for sugar, based on a 100 g limit.

8. A percent daily value will be added for potassium. Most Canadians are not getting enough of this nutrient, says Health Canada.

9. Vitamin A and vitamin C will be dropped from the label because most Canadians get enough of these nutrients in their diets, says Health Canada.

For more information or to have input on the proposed changes visit Health Canada’s Website by August 27th.

Or, contact Maryjo Ycasas at Fluid Creative at [email protected].

Fluid Creative is a Vancouver based creative agency focused on building natural brands. We create brand identities, packaging and marketing campaigns for North America’s largest, most recognizable healthy, sustainable and socially conscious consumer goods companies.