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Food > Labelling > Guide to Food Labelling and Advertising > Chapter 7 Chapter 7: Sections 7.1-7.13 | Sections 7.14-7.18 | Section 7.19-7.25 | Annexes 7.14 Energy and Calorie ClaimsThis section deals with implied and explicit energy claims. See Table 7-3,Summary Table of Energy and Calorie Claims, for the permitted nutrient content claims. 7.14.1 Changes to the Food and Drug RegulationsThe revised FDR introduced several changes.
7.14.2 Superlative Claims for EnergyConsuming a diet high in Calories does not guarantee that one will have lots of "pep" and "energy". Many factors, including the state of a person's health and physical fitness, impact upon how effectively and efficiently the muscles use the energy. The popular concept of "energy" in the sense of being energetic, having pep, vigour, strength, endurance, etc., is not directly related to specific foods in the diet. The text accompanying claims such as "source of energy" and "contains more calories" (and synonymous claims) must not mislead the buyer. The following types of claims are considered misleading and must not be used.
Summary Table of Energy and Calorie Claims
|
|
Column 1 Claim |
Column 2 Conditions - Food |
Column 3 Conditions - Label or Advertisement |
FDR Reference |
| a) Free of energy
"free of energy" |
The food provides less than 5 Calories or 21 kilojoules per reference amount and serving of stated size. |
Must comply with general requirements for nutrient content claims - see 7.5 of this Guide Nutrition Facts table required on products otherwise exempted by FDR B.01.401(2)(a) and (b) When used in an advertisement, must comply with the requirements for advertisements - see 7.11 of this Guide |
B.01.401(3) (e)(ii)
Table following B.01.513, item 1 |
| b) Low in energy
"low energy" |
The food provides:
(a) 40 Calories or 167 kilojoules or less per reference amount and serving of stated size and, if the reference amount is 30 g or 30 mL or less, per 50 g; or (b) 120 Calories or 500 kilojoules or less per 100 g, if the food is a prepackaged meal. |
See conditions set out for item a) of this table. | Table following B.01.513, item 2 |
| c) Reduced in Energy
"reduced in energy" |
(1) The food is processed, formulated, reformulated
or otherwise modified so that it provides at least 25% less energy
(a) per reference amount of the food, than the reference amount of a similar reference food; or (b) per 100 g, than 100 g of a similar reference food, if the food is a prepackaged meal. (2) The similar reference food does not meet the conditions set out in column 2 of item b) above for "low in energy" |
The following are identified:
(a) the similar reference food; (b) the amounts of the food and the similar reference food being compared, if those amounts are not equal; and (c) the difference in energy value with the similar reference food, expressed by percentage or fraction or in Calories per serving of stated size. (See 7.9 and 7.11 of this Guide for definitions and location of required labelling and advertising information.) See conditions set out for item a) of this table. |
Table following B.01.513, item 3 |
| d) Lower in Energy
"lower in energy" "less Calories" |
(1) The food provides at least 25% less energy
(a) per reference amount of the food, than the reference amount of the reference food of the same food group; or (b) per 100 g, than 100 g of a reference food of the same food group, if the food is a prepackaged meal. (2) The reference food of the same food group does not meet the conditions set out in column 2 of item b) above for "low in energy". |
The following are identified:
(a) the reference food of the same food group; (b) the amounts of the food and the reference food of the same food group being compared, if those amounts are not equal; and (c) the difference in energy value with the reference food of the same food group, expressed by percentage or fraction or in Calories per serving of stated size. (See 7.9 and 7.11 of this Guide for definitions and location of required labelling and advertising information.) See conditions set out for item a) of this table. |
Table following B.01.513, item 4 |
| e) Source of
Energy
"source of energy" |
The food provides at least 100 Calories or 420 kilojoules per reference amount and serving of stated size. | See conditions set out for item a) of this table. | Table following B.01.513, item 5 |
| f) More Energy
"more Calories" |
The food provides at least 25% more energy,
totalling at least 100 more Calories or 420 more kilojoules
(a) per reference amount of the food, than the reference amount of the reference food of the same food group or the similar reference food; or (b) per 100 g, than 100 g of the reference food of the same food group or the similar reference food, if the food is a prepackaged meal. |
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 energy value compared to the reference food of the same food group or the similar reference food, expressed as a percentage or fraction or in Calories per serving of stated size. (See 7.9 and 7.11 of this Guide for definitions and location of required labelling and advertising information.) See conditions set out for item a) of this table. |
Table following B.01.513, item 6 |
| g) Light in Energy
"light" |
The food meets the conditions set out in column 2 of the subject "reduced in energy" (item (c) of this table) | The following are identified:
(a) the similar reference food†(see note at the end of this table); (b) the amounts of the food and the similar reference food being compared, if those amounts are not equal; and (c) the difference in energy value with the similar reference food, expressed by percentage or fraction or in Calories or grams per serving of stated size. (See 7.9 and 7.11 of this Guide for definitions and location of required labelling and advertising information.) See conditions set out for item a) of this table. |
Table to B.01.503, item 45 |
| h) Representation that the food is for use in "energy-reduced" diet with respect to the energy value only of a food | The food meets the conditions set out for one of the
following claims:
"free of energy" (item a of this table), |
Claim or statement is made in accordance with columns 1 and 3 for items a), b), c) or d) of this table. | B.01.507 |
| i) Representation that the food is for "special dietary use" with respect to the energy value of the food | One of the following claims must be made on the
label of the product and the conditions for that claim must be respected:
"free of energy" (item a of this table), |
Claim or statement is made in accordance with columns 1 and 3 for items a), b), c) or d) of this table. | B.24.003 (1.1) |
| j) Foods represented as "dietetic" or "diet" with respect to the energy content of the food, including when used in a trade-mark. | Reserved for foods for special dietary use as
regulated by B.24.003.In order to label, package, sell or advertise a food as
"dietetic" or "diet", or use those words in the brand name,
one of the following must be on the label and the conditions for that claim
must be met:
"free of energy" (item a above), |
Claim or statement is made in accordance with columns 1 and 3 for items a), b), c) or d) of this table. | B.24.003(4) |
† The similar reference food for foods with a light in energy claim, shall have a nutrient value that is representative of foods of that type that have not been processed, formulated, reformulated or otherwise modified in a manner that increases the energy value or the amount of fat [B.01.500.(2)].
Only the claims which are listed below in Table 7-4, Summary Table of Protein Claims, are permitted [B.01.305].
A statement with respect to proteins and amino acids is permitted provided a Reasonable Daily Intake (RDI) of the food has a protein rating of 20 or more. See 6.3.1 of this Guide for Reasonable Daily Intakes (Schedule K of the FDR).
A statement with respect to amino acids, collectively or by name, and quantitative declarations of amino acid content of a food may be made provided the label or the advertisement includes a declaration of the amount of the following essential amino acids contained in the food: histidine, isoleucine, leucine, lysine, methionine, phenylalanine, threonine, tryptophan and valine.
The declaration must
Claims such as "source of amino acids", "source of (naming the amino acid)" or "source of essential amino acids" are no longer permitted under the new nutrition labelling regulations.
The above requirements respecting representations about protein or amino acids [B.01.305 (1) and (2)], whether expressed or implied, do not apply to the following [B.01.305 (3)(a) to (k)]:
| a) | a formulated liquid diet, a human milk substitute or a food represented as containing a human milk substitute; |
| b) | foods represented for use in gluten-free diets, protein-restricted diets and low (naming the amino acid) diets; |
| c) | the word "protein" when it is used as part of the common name of an ingredient in the list of ingredients; |
| d) | the declaration of amino acids in a list of ingredients; |
| e) | common names (such as hydrolysed soya protein), which are set out in column 2 of items 7 to 9 of the table to B.01.010(3)(a), when shown in the list of ingredients; |
| f) | the common name of single amino acid preparations that may be sold as foods; |
| g) | statements to the effect that aspartame contains phenylalanine (as required by B.01.014(c) and B.01.015(1)(b)); |
| h) | a statement or claim set out in column 4 of the table following B.01.513 respecting the subject "low in protein" set out in column 1 of item 7; |
| i) | a statement of the amount of protein in the Nutrition Facts table; |
| j) | a statement of the protein content of foods mentioned in the
following sections of the FDR:
|
| k) | a statement that a food is not a source of protein. |
The Percent (%) Meat Protein declaration is required as part of the common name for meat and poultry meat with added phosphate salts and/or water [B.01.090(2)]. This declaration is a permitted protein declaration [B.01.502.(2)(a)]. However, the presence of this declaration triggers the Nutrition Facts table on foods otherwise exempt [B.01.401(2)(b)], such as a food sold only in the retail establishment where the product is prepared and processed from its ingredients [B.01.401(3)(e)(ii)].
Note: The claims in quotation marks in column 1 are those which are permitted by the Food and Drug Regulations. The reference amounts are found in Part D, Schedule M of the Food and Drug Regulations (see 6.2.1 of this Guide).
|
Column 1 |
Column 2 |
Column 3 |
FDR |
| a) Low in protein
"low in protein" |
The food contains no more than 1 g of protein per 100 g of the food. |
Must comply with the general requirements for nutrient content claims - see 7.5 of this Guide Nutrition Facts table required on products otherwise exempted by FDR B.01.401(2)(a) and (b), [B.01.401(3)(e)(ii)] When used in an advertisement, must comply with the requirements for advertisements - see 7.11 of this Guide |
Table following B.01.513, item 7 |
| b) Source of protein
"source of protein" Note: Permitted on foods for children under two [B.01.503.(2)] |
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 (see Schedule K, FDR)*, or (b) per 30 g of breakfast cereal combined with 125 mL of milk, if the food is a breakfast cereal |
See conditions set out for item a) of this table | Table following B.01.513, item 8 |
| c) Excellent source of protein
"excellent source of protein" Note: Permitted on foods for children under two [B.01.503.(2)] |
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 (see Schedule K, FDR)*, or (b) per 30 g of breakfast cereal combined with 125 mL of milk, if the food is a breakfast cereal. |
See conditions set out for item a) of this table. | Table following B.01.513, item 9 |
| d) More protein
"more protein" |
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, (b) contains at least 25% more protein, totalling at least 7 g more, per reasonable daily intake* than a reference food of the same food group or a similar reference food. |
The following are identified:
(a) the reference food of the same food group or the similar
reference food; (See 7.9 and 7.11 of this Guide for definitions and location of required labelling and advertising information.) See conditions set out for item a) of this table. |
Table following B.01.513, item 10 |
*See 6.3.1 of this Guide for the reasonable daily intakes.
Criteria for fat claims follow in Table 7-5 of this Guide, Summary Table of Fat Claims.
The 2002 revisions to the FDR incorporate several changes for fat claims, as described below:
| Under the former regulations, B.01.306 prohibited references to individual fatty acids. A statement made about omega-3, omega-6 or other named fatty acids, triggers the new regulations, including a Nutrition Facts table. |
The claims "100% fat-free", "x% fat-free", "trans fat", and "source of omega-3 (omega-6) polyunsaturates" are now permitted (see details in the tables below). Companies choosing to make such claims are required to fully comply with all requirements of the new FDR, including the requirement to include a Nutrition Facts table, as outlined in Chapter 5 of this Guide.
Nutrient content claims for monounsaturated fatty acids,
polyunsaturated fatty acids and linoleic acid are no longer permitted. However,
quantitative statements (see 7.5 of
this Guide) are permitted for classes of fatty acids
[B.01.402(3)(a)] and for individually named fatty acids
[B.01.402(3)(b)].
Note that these claims may trigger additional declarations in the Nutrition Facts table. For example, a statement that a food contains "0.2 g DHA per 250 mL serving" would trigger a declaration of the amount of omega-6 polyunsaturated fatty acids, omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids and monounsaturated fatty acids (as DHA is an individually named omega-3 fatty acid).
The use of the term "Light" in nutrient content claims is now restricted to foods that meet either the "reduced in energy" claim (see item c) in Table 7-3 above) or "reduced in fat" claim (see item h) in Table 7-5 below).
Further details are provided in the sections on each of the permitted fatty acid claims, (e.g., see 7.17 of this Guide for saturated fatty acid claims, 7.18 for trans fatty acid claims and 7.19 for omega-3 and omega-6 polyunsaturated fatty acid claims).
The following references are also permitted:
Note: The claims in quotation marks in column 1 are those which are permitted by the Food and Drug Regulations. The reference amounts are found in Part D, Schedule M of the Food and Drug Regulations (see 6.2.1 of this Guide).
|
Column 1 |
Column 2 |
Column 3 |
FDR Reference |
| a) Free of fat
"free of fat" |
The food contains:
(a) less than 0.5 g of fat per reference amount and serving of stated size; or (b) less than 0.5 g of fat per serving of stated size, if the food is a prepackaged meal. |
Must comply with the general requirements for nutrient content claims – see 7.5 of this Guide Nutrition Facts table required on products otherwise exempted by B.01.401(2)(a) and (b) When used in an advertisement, must comply with the requirements for advertisements – see 7.11 of this Guide |
B.01.401(3) (e)(ii)
Table following B.01.513, item 11 |
| b) Low in fat
"low in fat" |
The food contains:
(a) 3 g or less of fat per reference amount and serving of stated size and, if the reference amount is 30 g or 30 mL or less, per 50 g; or (b) 3 g or less of fat per 100 g and 30% or less of the energy is from fat, if the food is a prepackaged meal. |
See conditions set out for item a) of this table. | Table following B.01.513, item 12 |
| c) Reduced in fat
"reduced in fat" |
(1) The food is processed, formulated, reformulated
or otherwise modified so that it contains at least 25% less fat
(a) per reference amount of the food, than the reference amount of a similar reference food; or (b) per 100 g, than 100 g of a similar reference food, if the food is a prepackaged meal. (2) The similar reference food does not meet the conditions set out in column 2 of the subject "low in fat" (item (b) of this table). |
The following are identified:
(a) the similar reference food; (See 7.9 and 7.11 of this Guide for definitions and location of required labelling and advertising information.) See conditions set out for item a) of this table. |
Table following B.01.513, item 13 |
| d) Lower in fat
"lower in fat" |
(1) The food contains at least 25% less fat
(a) per reference amount of the food, than the reference amount of
a reference food of the same food group; or (2) The reference food of the same food group does not meet the conditions set out in column 2 of the subject "low in fat" (item (b) of this table). |
The following are identified:
(a) the reference food of the same food group; (See 7.9 and 7.11 of this Guide for definitions and location of required labelling and advertising information.) See conditions set out for item a) of this table. |
Table following B.01.513, item 14 |
| e) 100% fat free
"100% fat-free" |
The food
(a) contains less than 0.5 g of fat per
100 g; |
See conditions set out for item a) of this table. | Table following B.01.513, item 15 |
| f) (Percentage) fat-free
"(percentage) fat-free" |
The food meets the conditions set out in column 2 of the subject "low in fat" (item (b) of this table). |
One of the following statements or claims is stated: "low fat" or "low in fat". See conditions set out for item a) of this table. |
Table following B.01.513, item 16 |
| g) No added fat
"no fat added" |
(1) The food contains no added fats or oils set out
in Division 9, FDR, 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, FDR, or added butter or ghee. |
See conditions set out for item a) of this table. | Table following B.01.513, item 17 |
| h) Light in fat
"light" |
The food meets the conditions set out in column 2 of the subject "reduced in fat" (item (c) of this table). | The following are identified:
(a) the similar reference food† (see note at the
end of the table); (See 7.9 and 7.11 of this Guide for definitions and location of required labelling and advertising information.) See conditions set out for item a) of this table. |
Table following B.01.513, item 45 |
| i) Lean
"lean" |
The food
(a) is meat or poultry that has not been ground, marine or fresh water animals or a product of any of these; and (b) contains 10% or less fat. |
See conditions set out for item a) of this table. | Table following B.01.513, item 46 |
| j) Extra Lean
"extra lean" |
The food
(a) is meat or poultry that has not been ground, marine or fresh water animals or a product of any of these; and (b) contains 7.5% or less fat. |
See conditions set out for item a) of this table. | Table following B.01.513, item 47 |
† The similar reference food for foods with a "light in fat" claim, shall have a nutrient value that is representative of foods of that type that have not been processed, formulated, reformulated or otherwise modified in a manner that increases the energy value or the amount of fat [B.01.500.(2)].
The conditions for saturated fatty acid claims are now linked with the trans fatty acid content of the food.
Note: The claims made in quotation marks in column 1 are those which are permitted by the Food and Drug Regulations. The reference amounts are found in Part D, Schedule M of the Food and Drug Regulations (see 6.2.1 of this Guide).
|
Column 1 |
Column 2 |
Column 3 |
FDR Reference |
| a) Free of saturated fatty
acids
"free of saturated fatty acids" Note: "saturated fatty acids" may be substituted with "saturated fat" or "saturates" in the above claims |
The food contains:
(a) less than 0.2 g saturated fatty acids and less than 0.2 g trans fatty acids per reference amount and serving of stated size; or (b) less than 0.2 g saturated fatty acids and less than 0.2 g trans fatty acids per serving of stated size, if the food is a prepackaged meal. |
Must comply with general requirements for nutrient content claims – see 7.5 of this Guide Nutrition Facts table required on products otherwise exempted by B.01.401(2)(a) and (b) When used in an advertisement, must comply with the requirements for advertisements – see 7.11 of this Guide |
B.01.401(3) (e)(ii)
Table following B.01.513, item 18 |
| b) Low in saturated fatty acids
"low in saturated fatty acids" Note: "saturated fatty acids" may be substituted with "saturated fat" or "saturates" in the above claims |
(1) The food contains 2 g
or less of saturated fatty acids and trans fatty acids combined per
(a) reference amount and serving of stated size; or (b) 100 g, if the food is a prepackaged meal. (2) The food provides 15% or less energy from the sum of saturated fatty acids and trans fatty acids. |
See conditions set out for item a) of this table. | Table following B.01.513, item 19 |
| c) Reduced in saturated
fatty acids
"reduced in saturated fatty acids" Note: "saturated fatty acids" may be substituted with "saturated fat" or "saturates" in the above claims "fewer saturated fatty acids" |
(1) The food is processed, formulated, reformulated
or otherwise modified, without increasing the content of trans fatty
acids, so that it contains 25% less saturated fatty acids
(a) per reference amount of the food, than the reference amount of a similar reference food; or (b) per 100 g, than 100 g of a similar reference food, if the food is a prepackaged meal. (2) The similar reference food does not meet the conditions set out in column 2 of the subject "low in saturated fatty acids" (item (b) of this table). |
The following are identified:
(a) the similar reference food; (See 7.9 and 7.11 of this Guide for definitions and location of required labelling and advertising information.) See conditions set out for item a) of this table. |
Table following B.01.513, item 20 |
| d) Lower in saturated fatty
acids
"less saturated fatty acids" |
(1) The food contains at least 25% less saturated
fatty acids and the content of trans fatty acids is not higher
(a) per reference amount of the food, than the reference amount of a reference food of the same food group; or (b) per 100 g, than 100 g of a reference food of the same food group, if the food is a prepackaged meal. (2) The reference food of the same food group does not meet the conditions set out in column 2 of the subject "low in saturated fatty acids" (item (b) of this table). |
The following are identified:
(a) the reference food of the same food group; (See 7.9 and 7.11 of this Guide for definitions and location of required labelling and advertising information.) See conditions set out for item a) of this table. |
Table following B.01.513, item 21 |
Due to the adverse effects that trans fatty acids have on heart disease, the amended regulations allow claims on the content of these fatty acids in foods. Note that claims for trans fatty acids are linked with requirements for the saturated fatty acids content of foods.
If these new claims for trans fatty acids are made, the label of that food must comply with all of the requirements of the new regulations and must include a Nutrition Facts table [Section 38 of the amending Regulations].
Note: Only the claims listed in the table below are permitted. Claims such as "Low in trans" are not permitted.
Note: The claims in quotation marks in column 1 are those which are permitted by the Food and Drug Regulations. The reference amounts are found in Part D, Schedule M of the Food and Drug Regulations (see 6.2.1 of this Guide).
|
Column 1 |
Column 2 |
Column 3 |
FDR Reference |
| a) Free of trans fatty
acids
"free of trans fatty acids" Note: "trans fatty acids" may be substituted with "trans fat" or "trans" in the above claims "contains no trans fatty acids" |
The food
(a) contains less than 0.2 g of trans fatty acids per (i) reference amount and serving of stated size, or (ii) serving of stated size, if the food is a prepackaged meal; and (b) meets the conditions set out in column 2 of the subject "low in saturated fatty acids" (item (b) of Table 7-6 in this chapter). |
Must comply with the general requirements for nutrient content claims - see 7.5 of this Guide Nutrition Facts table required on products otherwise exempted by B.01.401(2)(a) and (b), [B.01.401(3)(e)(ii)] When used in an advertisement, must comply with the requirements for advertisements - see 7.11 of this Guide |
Table following B.01.513, item 22 |
| b) Reduced in trans fatty
acids
"reduced in trans fatty acids" Note: "trans fatty acids" may be substituted with "trans fat" or "trans" in the above claims "less trans fatty acids" |
(1) The food is processed, formulated, reformulated
or otherwise modified, without increasing the content of saturated fatty acids,
so that it contains at least 25% less trans fatty acids
(a) per reference amount of the food, than the reference amount of a similar reference food; or (b) per 100 g, than 100 g of a similar reference food, if the food is a prepackaged meal. (2) The similar reference food does not meet the conditions set out in column 2 of the subject "low in saturated fatty acids" (item (b) of Table 7-6 in this chapter). |
The following are identified:
(a) the similar reference food; (See 7.9 and 7.11 of this Guide definitions and location of required labelling and advertising information.) See conditions set out for item a) of this table. |
Table following B.01.513, item 23 |
| c) Lower in trans fatty
acids
"lower in trans fatty acids" Note: "trans fatty acids" may be substituted with "trans fat" or "trans" in the above claims "fewer trans fatty acids" |
(1) The food contains at least 25% less
trans fatty acids and the content of saturated fatty acids is not
higher
(a) per reference amount of the food, than the reference amount of a reference food of the same food group; or (b) per 100 g, than 100 g of a reference food of the same food group, if the food is a prepackaged meal. (2) The reference food of the same food group does not meet the conditions set out in column 2 of the subject "low in saturated fatty acids" (item (b) of Table 7-6 of this Guide). |
The following are identified:
(a) the reference food of the same food group; (See 7.9 of this Guide for definitions and location of required labelling and advertising information.) See conditions set out for item a) of this table. |
Table following B.01.513, item 24 |
Chapter 7: Sections 7.1-7.13 | Sections 7.14-7.18 | Section 7.19-7.25 | Annexes
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