Canadian health claims

Canadian health claims by Health Canada, the department of the Canadian Government responsible for national health, has allowed five scientifically verified disease risk reduction claims to be used on food labels and on food advertising. Other countries, including the United States and Great Britain, have approved similar health claims on food labels.

The Food Directorate of Health Canada is responsible for the development of policies, regulations and standards that relate to the use of health claims on foods. They assess whether health claims are truthful and not misleading by reviewing mandatory and voluntary pre-market submissions. Health Claims are regulated under the Food and Drugs Act and the Food and Drug Regulations. The Section 5(1) of the Food and Drugs Act requires that all health claims be truthful and not misleading or deceptive. The regulatory requirements permitting the use of claims vary significantly depending on the nature and type of the claim. Some claims may be made without pre-market approval provided they are truthful and not misleading or deceptive, whereas other claims, such as disease risk reduction or therapeutic claims are only allowed once a regulatory amendment specifying the conditions for their use has been completed

Manufacturers are responsible for the accuracy of all information on the labels and advertisements for food and for compliance with all relevant food legislation and policies, including those pertaining to health claims. The Canadian Food Inspection Agency is responsible for ensuring that industry complies with these requirements

Food claims express the composition, quality, quantity or origin of a food product. Examples of Food Claims are "made in Canada" "Home-style Chilli" and "Fresh Pasta."

Nutrition (nutrient content) claims characterizes the energy value of the food or the amount of a nutrient contained in a food. It provides a quick and easy way to identify foods with specific nutritional features of interest. Examples of nutrition claims are "low in sodium" sodium free" and "100 Calories per serving."

Health claims is any representation in labeling or advertising that states, suggests, or implies that a relationship exists between consumption of a food or an ingredient in the food and a person's health.

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