Canada to Update Permitted Nutrient Content Statements and Claims

On November 4, 2023, Health Canada announced proposed amendments to the Nutrition labelling: Table of permitted nutrient content statements and claims, which is incorporated by reference into the Food and Drug Regulations (FDR). The below table outlines the requirements for making nutrient content statements and claims that are allowed on food products in Canada. The proposed revisions primarily focus on conditions for statements and claims related to protein content, as well as the "no added fat" claim. Stakeholders can submit comments or inquiries on this proposal by contacting [email protected] before February 2, 2024.

Proposed updated conditions for protein-related statements and claims

The proposed amendments change Column 2 (Conditions – Food) of three types of protein-related statements and claims, namely, source of protein, excellent source of protein, and more protein. As shown in the table below, the changes are marked in red, and refer to Table of chemical, physical and nutritional characteristics of food.

Column 1 Subject	Column 2 Conditions - Food (Proposed)	Column 2 Conditions - Food (Current)	Column 3 Conditions – Label or advertisement	Column 4 Statement or claim
Source of protein	The food has a protein rating of 20 or more, as determined by official method FO-1, Determination of Protein Rating, October 15, 1981, (a) per reasonable daily intake; or (b) per 30 g combined with 125 mL of milk, if the food is a breakfast cereal. The food has a protein rating of 8 or more, as determined by using the Protein Digestibility Corrected Amino Acid Score (PDCAAS), (a) per reasonable daily intake; or (b) per 30 g combined with 125 mL of milk, if the food is a breakfast cereal. The infant food has a protein rating of 20 or more, as determined by official method FO-1, Determination of Protein Rating, October 15, 1981, (a) per reasonable daily intake; or (b) per 30 g combined with 125 mL of milk, if the infant food is a breakfast cereal.	The food has a protein rating of 20 or more, as determined by official method FO-1, Determination of Protein Rating, October 15, 1981, (a) per reasonable daily intake; or (b) per 30 g combined with 125 mL of milk, if the food is a breakfast cereal.	N/A	"source of protein", "contains protein", "good source of protein", "high protein", "high in protein" or "provides protein"
Excellent source of protein	The food has a protein rating of 40 or more, as determined by official method FO-1, Determination of Protein Rating, October 15, 1981, (a) per reasonable daily intake; or (b) per 30 g combined with 125 mL of milk, if the food is a breakfast cereal. The food has a protein rating of 16 or more, as determined by using the Protein Digestibility Corrected Amino Acid Score (PDCAAS), (a) per reasonable daily intake; or (b) per 30 g combined with 125 mL of milk, if the food is a breakfast cereal. The infant food has a protein rating of 40 or more, as determined by official method FO-1, Determination of Protein Rating, October 15, 1981, (a) per reasonable daily intake; or (b) per 30 g combined with 125 mL of milk, if the infant food is a breakfast cereal.	The food has a protein rating of 40 or more, as determined by official method FO-1, Determination of Protein Rating, October 15, 1981, (a) per reasonable daily intake; or (b) per 30 g combined with 125 mL of milk, if the food is a breakfast cereal.	N/A	"excellent source of protein", "very high protein", "very high in protein" or "rich in protein"
More protein	The food has a protein rating of 20 or more, as determined by official method FO-1, Determination of Protein Rating, October 15, 1981, (a) per reasonable daily intake; or (b) per 30 g combined with 125 mL of milk, if the food is a breakfast cereal. The food has a protein rating of 8 or more, as determined by using the Protein Digestibility Corrected Amino Acid Score (PDCAAS), (a) per reasonable daily intake; or (b) per 30 g combined with 125 mL of milk, if the food is a breakfast cereal. The infant food has a protein rating of 20 or more, as determined by official method FO-1, Determination of Protein Rating, October 15, 1981, (a) per reasonable daily intake; or (b) per 30 g combined with 125 mL of milk, if the infant food is a breakfast cereal. The food contains at least 25% more protein, totalling at least 7 g more, per reasonable daily intake than the reference food of the same food group or the similar reference food.	The food (a) has a protein rating of 20 or more, as determined by official method FO-1, Determination of Protein Rating, October 15, 1981, (i) per reasonable daily intake, or (ii) per 30 g combined with 125 mL of milk, if the food is a breakfast cereal; and (b) contains at least 25% more protein, totalling at least 7 g more, per reasonable daily intake than the reference food of the same food group or the similar reference food.	The following are identified: (a) the reference food of the same food group or the similar reference food; (b) the amounts of the food and the reference food of the same food group or the similar reference food being compared, if those amounts are not equal; and (c) the difference in protein compared to the reference food of the same food group or the similar reference food, per serving of stated size, expressed as a percentage or fraction or in grams.	"more protein", "higher protein" or "higher in protein"

Proposed updated conditions for "no added fat" claim

The conditions column for "no added fat" claims makes reference to foods in Division 9 of the FDR. Health Canada proposes to update column 2 for “no added fat” claim as follows:

Column 1 Subject

Column 2 Conditions - Food (Proposed)

Column 2 Conditions - Food (Current)

Column 3 Conditions – Label or advertisement

Column 4 Statement or claim

No added fat

(1) The food contains no added fats or oils set out in Volume 8 of the Food Compositional Standards Document, or added butter or ghee, or ingredients that contain added fats or oils, or butter or ghee.

(2) The similar reference food contains added fats or oils set out in Volume 8 of the Food Compositional Standards Document, or added butter or ghee.

(1) The food contains no added fats or oils set out in Division 9, or added butter or ghee, or ingredients that contain added fats or oils, or butter or ghee.

(2) The similar reference food contains added fats or oils set out in Division 9, or added butter or ghee.

N/A

"no fat added", "no added fat" or "without added fat"

The proposed changes do not have labelling implications and will come into force immediately after being officially published through the Notice of Modification (NOM) by Health Canada, without any transition period.