Food Safety
www.foodsafety.gc.ca
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Food Safety and Labels
Understanding Food Labels
Learn how to make informed food choices using the nutrition information on food labels.
- Nutrition labelling: The nutrition labels found on most foods and beverages provide valuable information to help Canadians make healthy choices.
- Nutrition labelling FAQ: Find answers to questions like "What are the nutrition labelling regulations?" and "How were the regulations developed?"
- Interactive nutrition label and quiz: Explore an interactive nutrition label and then quiz yourself on what you've learned.
- Canada Organic Regime: As of June 30, 2009, any product with an organic claim must comply with the requirements of the Organic Products Regulations.
- Labelling requirements
- Date labelling on pre-packaged foods: Find out the difference between a "best-before" date and an "expiration" date.
- Labelling of foods causing allergies and sensitivities - Understand why potential allergens in foods are sometimes not declared on the label, and what the CFIA is doing about it.
- Guide to food labelling and advertising: This guide is intended to instruct producers in developing food labels.
- Labelling: A list of resources to help you understand how the CFIA develops food labelling regulations and policies for information that is not related to health and safety.
- Labelling and advertising decisions: Questions and answers about the labelling of a wide variety of food products.
- Biotechnology and genetically modified foods: Frequently asked questions about the labelling of novel foods derived through genetic engineering and other forms of biotechnology.
Additives and Genetically Modified Foods
A food additive is any chemical substance that is added to food during preparation or storage and that either becomes a part of the food, or affects its characteristics to achieve a particular technical effect.
- Additives and processing aids: Produce packers and processors must make sure that the chemicals they use do not pose a health risk to consumers.
- General information on additives: Find out about food additives and how they are regulated.
- The safety of food additives: Some people want to minimize the amount of food additives they consume.
- Food additive dictionary: This dictionary has been developed to help you become familiar with the chemical names of food additives and the reasons for their addition to foods.
- Monosodium glutamate (MSG) FAQ: MSG is considered a flavour enhancing ingredient used to enhance the natural flavour of various foods.
- Genetically modified (GM) foods: On this page, you will find an overview on genetically modified foods, resources, fact sheets and a comprehensive frequently asked questions page.
- The safety of genetically modified foods: This page addresses questions and concerns about the safety of eating genetically modified foods.
- Biotechnology definitions: There are numerous terms and acronyms used in the area of biotechnology that can be confusing.
- Biotechnology resource centre: Information to help you understand what biotechnology is and how it is regulated.
- National chemical residue monitoring program: By sampling products and testing for chemical residues the CFIA is able to identify and remove contaminants from the food supply.
Chemical Products, Plastic Materials and Packaging
The Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) plays a vital role in preventing harmful contaminants from entering Canada's food supply. Health Canada registers and regulates agricultural chemicals, including pest control products, veterinary drugs and food additives.
- Chemical hazards and potential carcinogens
- Acrylamide and food: The highest concentrations of acrylamide have been detected in potato chips and french fries.
- Bisphenol A (BPA): Current dietary exposure to BPA through food packaging is not expected to pose a health risk to the general population, including newborns and infants.
- Inorganic arsenic and seaweed consumption: Tests results have indicated that levels of inorganic arsenic were significantly higher in hijiki seaweed than other types of seaweed.
- Malachite Green: The substance is not approved by Health Canada for use in food. However it can be readily purchased for treatment of ornamental (aquarium) fish.
- Melamine: The CFIA implemented a number of activities to monitor for the presence of melamine in food products and livestock feed ingredients from China.
- Mercury and fish: Certain types of fish should be eaten in moderation because mercury levels in those fish sometimes exceed Canada's mercury guideline.
- Polychlorinated Biphenyls (PCBs) found in fish: The average intake of PCBs from the Canadian diet is below that which is expected to cause adverse health effects.
- Chemical residues in food: The CFIA is responsible for the surveillance of chemical residues in foods and their adherence to regulations.
- Food-processing-induced chemicals: Undesirable chemicals can be formed in certain foods during processing as a result of reactions between compounds that are natural components of the food.
- Chemical contaminants: Health Canada scientists are responsible for assessing risks to human health from exposure to food-borne chemical contaminants.
- Homemade pesticides and minimizing risk: Preparing, storing, and using homemade pesticides could pose risks to your health and the environment.
- Perfluorinated chemicals (PFC) in food: The low levels of PFCs that are found in foods do not warrant dietary changes.
- Use of Morpholine in apple coatings: Health Canada has determined that morpholine as used in apple coatings does not present a risk to human health.
Trans Fats
You can reduce the risk of developing heart disease by choosing healthier foods containing little or no trans fat.
- Trans fat and minimizing risk: An in-depth article on trans fats produced by Health Canada.
- General trans fat information: On this page you'll find a mix of resources on trans fats.
- General questions and answers on trans fat: Answer questions such as "What are trans fats?" and "Where do trans fats come from?"
- Labelling of trans fatty acids: The trans fatty acid content of a food is one piece of core nutrition information that is required to be declared in a nutrition facts table on a food label.
