{"id":1873,"date":"2015-08-10T14:58:22","date_gmt":"2015-08-10T18:58:22","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/acclabel.com\/?p=1873"},"modified":"2016-10-25T16:49:05","modified_gmt":"2016-10-25T20:49:05","slug":"deadline-august-27-2015","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/acclabel.com\/en\/deadline-august-27-2015\/","title":{"rendered":"Deadline: August 27, 2015!"},"content":{"rendered":"

Proposed Regulations Amending the Food and Drug Regulations<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

Health Canada finalized its proposed regulatory modifications to Canadian food labelling regulations in Canada Gazette Part I<\/em>, on June 13, 2015. Interested persons may make representations concerning the proposed Regulations within 75 days after the date of publication of this notice, i.e. no later than August 27, 2015.<\/p>\n

Objectives<\/h2>\n

The overall objectives of the regulatory amendments are to make the information on labels:<\/p>\n

    \n
  1. more useful and easier to read and understand; and<\/li>\n
  2. based on the latest science (e.g. updates to the Daily Values (DV) for nutrients to be based on the most recent dietary recommendations)<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

    so as to enable Canadians to make informed choices about their food in order to maintain or improve their health.<\/p>\n

    What\u2019s new with respect to the declaration of ingredients and allergens?<\/strong><\/h2>\n

    The proposed regulations maintain most of the features described in the initial preliminary proposal, which were discussed in the spring issue of the ACC Reporter<\/em>, now available on Eurofins’s blog<\/a>. However, there are some differences, which are summarized in the table 1 below.<\/p>\n

    Table 1 \u2013 Evolution of Regulatory Proposals with Respect to
    \n\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 Ingredient and Allergen Declarations<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n
    \n

    Features from the
    \n Preliminary Proposal<\/strong><\/span><\/h3>\n<\/td>\n

    		\n

    Official Proposal
    \n <\/strong>(Canada Gazette Part I)
    \n <\/span>and Rationale<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n

    \n

    Headings in
    \n bold characters<\/strong><\/p>\n

    Ingredients<\/p>\n

    Contains<\/p>\n

    May contain<\/p>\n<\/td>\n

    		Retained. <\/strong>The proposed regulations further specify that the heading shall be shown in a type size that is 2\u00a0points larger than the type size used to show ingredients in the list, except that if the available display surface of the prepackaged product is less than 100\u00a0cm2<\/sup>, the title may be shown in type that is at least the same size as the type size used to show ingredients in the list.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
    Heading
    \n on a separate line<\/strong><\/td>\n    		Retained only for the heading \u201cMay contain\u201d.<\/strong><\/p>\n

    For the headings \u201cIngredients<\/strong>\u201d and \u201cContains<\/strong>\u201d (where applicable), the proposed rule only requires that they be shown without any intervening printed, written or graphic material appearing between the title and the first ingredient\/allergen shown in the list.<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n

    \n

    Black print on white or neutral background <\/strong><\/p>\n

    and<\/p>\n

    Outline rule to create a box<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/td>\n

    		The proposed regulations require that the ingredient list and allergen statements appear in:<\/p>\n
      \n
    1. a single colour of type that is a visual equivalent of 100% solid black type and that is shown on a white background or a uniform neutral background having a maximum 5% tint of colour; and<\/li>\n
    2. a manner that clearly differentiates it on the label, by means of one or both of:<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

      (a) graphics in the form of a solid-line border around the list, or one or more solid lines appearing immediately above, below or at the sides of the list; and;<\/p>\n

      (b) a background colour that creates a contrast between the background colour of the list and the background colour used on the adjacent area of the label, other than the area used to display an allergen statement and a Nutrition Facts table.<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n

    \n

    Specifications for<\/strong> maximum
    \n box width<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/td>\n

    		Not retained.<\/strong><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
    Bullets
    \n to separate each main ingredient<\/strong><\/td>\n    		\n

    The preliminary proposal was retained<\/strong> as it was supported by consumers and stakeholders (such as provincial and territorial governments, health organizations, health professionals, and consumer advocacy groups).<\/p>\n

    However, the requirement to use bullets in the ingredient list would not apply to prepackaged products with labels applied at retail establishments,<\/strong> as the existing machines (scale printers) are incapable of printing a bulleted list of ingredients. This sector, which consists of a significant number of small businesses, would be allowed to continue to use commas, as per current practice.<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n

    Font type and size <\/strong>consistent with those required for the Nutrition Facts table<\/td>\nRetained. More<\/strong> specifically, the proposed regulatory mofications would require that the\u00a0lists of ingredients and allergens be shown in:<\/p>\n
      \n
    1. a single standard sans serif font that is not decorative;<\/li>\n
    2. such a manner that the characters never touch each other or any differentiating feature, i.e.:\n
        \n
      • the lines above, below, or on the sides of the ingredients list; or<\/li>\n
      • the edge of the background colour (between the background colour of the list and the background colour used on the adjacent area of the label).<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n
      • a type having normal or condensed width, except that if a nutrition facts table appears on the label the width of type must be the same as that required for nutrients that appear in the nutrition facts table;<\/li>\n
      • regular type, except that allergens may be shown entirely in bold type;<\/li>\n
      • a type size of at least 6 points with leading of at least 7 points, except that if a nutrition facts table appears on the label, the type size and leading must be at least the same as those required for nutrients that appear in the nutrition facts table.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

        Characters may be displayed in larger type size if all characters are enlarged in a uniform manner.<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n

    \n

    Use of a capital for the first letter<\/strong> of each main ingredient<\/p>\n<\/td>\n

    		\u00a0Retained.<\/strong><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
    Grouping of all sugar-based ingredients<\/strong><\/td>\n\n

    Retained.<\/strong><\/p>\n

    The feedback from the latest round of consultation revealed that:<\/p>\n

      \n
    • most consumers and health stakeholders believed that the grouping of sources of sugars in the list of ingredients would be useful for consumers;<\/li>\n
    • industry was concerned that it would disrupt the conventional practice of listing the ingredients in decreasing order of their weight.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

      Health Canada\u2019s objective is to provide greater transparency regarding the sugar that is added to foods. Ingredients with common names such as fancy molasses, malted barley, isomaltose and pear juice concentrate may not be recognized by most Canadians as sugars-based ingredients. The grouping requirement would, in cases where a product contains a large proportion of sugar, move the sugars-based ingredients closer to the beginning of the ingredient list, indicating more clearly the relative proportion of sugars-based ingredients in the product. Thus, the proposed approach would help consumers identify unfamiliar sources of sugar in their foods.<\/p>\n

      Overall, the goal is to support the reduction in sugar intake, as excess sugar intake may lead to overconsumption of calories, and thus to obesity and associated chronic diseases.<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n

    \n

    Food colours to be declared by their common name<\/strong> (as specified in the Regulations) within the list of ingredients on the food label<\/p>\n<\/td>\n

    		\n

    Food colours are unique among food additives in that current labelling regulations provide food manufacturers with the choice of declaring added food colours by either their common name (e.g. Citrus Red No. 2) or simply as \u201ccolours.\u201d<\/p>\n

    The proposed amendments aim to:<\/p>\n