Recently, on August 4, 2012, new Enhanced Labellilng for Food Allergen Regulations under the federal Food and Drugs Act came into force. These Regulations increase the labelling requirements for prepackaged foods sold in Canada containing specific types of priority allergens, gluten sources and added sulphites (see: Canada’s new food allergen labelling regulations came into force).
Health Canada has also issued a Food Allergen Precaution Statement Policy, which recommends that food manufacturers and importers voluntarily make declarations on the labels of prepackaged foods of the possible inadvertent presence of allergens.
Some of the new allergen related requirements include: (i) most pre-packaged products must now include food allergens, gluten sources and sulphites in the list of ingredients (or a statement that begins with “Contains …” on labels), (ii) allergen or gluten sources must be written in commonly used words (e.g., “milk”, “wheat”, etc.), (iii) mustard seed has been added to the regulatory definition of food allergen and must be listed in ingredients (or a statement that begins “Contains …” on labels), (iv) common names for plant sources of starches, modified starches, hydrolyzed plant proteins and lecithin must be modified to provide source information (e.g., a label indicates hydrolyzed soy protein, not merely hydrolyzed vegetable protein), (v) products including spelt and kamut must declare wheat as an allergen, (vi) products must list any components of an ingredient that are food allergens, gluten sources or sulphites (e.g., if contents include “spices”, must list allergens, gluten sources or sulphites in the spices, such as mustard).
For more information see: Health Canada (Food Allergen Labelling) and the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (Food Allergies and Allergen Labelling Information).
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