Canadian Health Minister announces recommendations for new and improved nutrition labels

Last week Health Minister Allan Rock announced proposed changes for nutrition labelling. Nutrition labelling on pre-packaged foods will now be mandatory, have a consistent look, and include more nutrient information so that labels will be more useful and available to consumers. New labels can help Canadians make more informed choices about the foods they eat.

The proposal is that nutrition labelling should:

• be mandatory on all foods, with exemptions provided to small business, restaurants and food service, foods packaged at retail, and fresh fruit and vegetables;

• provide core information on: calories, fat, saturated fat, trans fat, cholesterol, sodium, carbohydrate, fibre, sugar, protein, vitamin A, vitamin C, calcium, and iron;

• be consistent in look, easy to find, legible and readable; and be supported by education, undertaken collaboratively with leadership from Health Canada.

The announcement is the result of a two-year nutrition labelling review. Final regulations are expected to be in place in 2001. The food industry will then have a two-year period during which to fully implement the changes required.

 

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