Food > Meat and Poultry Products > Manual of Procedures > Chapter 7  

Chapter 7 - Packaging and labelling

7.7 Non-mandatory information on labels for edible meat products in registered establishments

(a) Pictorial representation (vignette)

A pictorial representation (vignette) may be used on containers of meat pro-ducts, provided such pictorial representations are neither false nor misleading as to the character and value of the contents. (See Section 5 of the Food and Drugs Act, Section 7 of the Consumer Packaging and Labelling Act and subsection 94(7) of the Meat Inspection Regulations, 1990.)

Each vignette will be evaluated on its own merit.

(b) Suggested serving

On a vignette which illustrates a food that is not part of the package and could be misleading to consumers, the words "Suggested Serving" shall be placed in proximity to the vignette. This indicates that the vignette provides a serving suggestion and does not represent the exact content of the package.

(c) Product of Canada

Operators are encouraged to show the words "Product of Canada" on the labels of meat products prepared in registered establishments. Some importing countries make it a mandatory requirement that the wording "Product of Canada" be shown on the label used in connection with exported meat products. It is the exporter's responsibility to comply with the requirements of importing countries.

(d) Trade marks and brand names

Trade marks and brand names may be used on labels of meat products in registered establishments. The use of the usual symbols associated with trade marks such as (r), T.M. or Reg'd T.M. are also acceptable in close proximity to a trade mark. It should be pointed out however that the mere registration of a trade mark by the Trade Marks Branch of Industry Canada does not entitle an operator to use the registered trade mark in connection with all labels of meat products. It will be the responsibility of the operator to comply with the spirit of Article 5 of the Food and Drugs Act and Article 7 of the Consumer Packaging and Labelling Act in regard to the use of trade marks and brand names. Any label registration granted does not extend to the trade mark.

(e) Claims regarding fat content in meat products

Claims such as "Contains not more than x% fat" or "Contains less than x% fat" are acceptable. The operator shall substantiate that his claim reflects the composition of the finished product and the label must comply with nutritional labelling. Labels with claims such as ABC packers lean or extra lean ham are not considered acceptable.

Ground "meat" must be identified by one of the following claims, depending on the fat content: regular, medium, lean or extra-lean (see 7.6.1(a) for details).

"Lean" or "extra-lean" claims may be made for meat cuts and prepared meat products provided they comply with the following nutrition labelling requirements for the terms "lean" and "extra-lean":

A) "Lean" and "extra-lean" meat products shall contain 10% fat or less and 7.5% fat or less respectively;

B) the actual content in fat shall be indicated on the principal display panel in %; and

C) the nutrition information shall be shown on the package in one of the following manners (not necessarily on the principal display panel):

• grams (g) of fat per serving (90 g - 130 g); or

For example: Lean "name of the meat cut or prepared meat product"

* contains 8% fat

** each portion of 100 g contains 8 g of fat

* shall appear on the principal display panel of the label

** may appear elsewhere than the principal display panel

N.B. It is not permitted to label the product ""Lean" name of the meat cut or prepared meat product" with the claim 92% fat free (instead of contains 8% fat).

For additional information on claims, please refer to the "Guide for Food Manufacturers and Advertisers" and to the "Nutrition Labelling Handbook" produced formerly by Consumer and Corporate Affairs Canada and now by the Food Division, Canadian Food Inspection Agency.

(f) Use of the term "air chilled" for poultry

The use of the term "air chilled" is permitted for poultry refrigerated in this way, provided the establishment has implemented a control program to show that there is no moisture gain as a result of post evisceration washing, chilling and drainage (refer to section 4.10.1(6) of chapter 4 of this manual). Also claims such as "no water absorption" or "no added water" or similar phrases are not acceptable.

Claims such as "no water added during the air chilling process" are permitted if the poultry is air chilled and the Operator demonstrates through a quality control program and data that there is no more than 0.5% of water retained (to account for the scale variability) post evisceration (i.e., green weight is before inside-outside washer and final weight after chilling process for poultry and before final wash and after refrigeration but before shipping for red meat).

7.8 Other labelling requirements

(a)  For "principal display surface" and "principal display panel" see definitions in Section 2 of the Meat Inspection Regulations, 1990. In addition, the principal display surface of a label on a round can shall not exceed 50% of the total cylindrical circumference of the can. For layouts, see Annex C.

Generally, mandatory information must appear on the principal display panel except as provided by the Meat Inspection Regulations, 1990. In order to provide some flexibility in design, minor deviations to the above will be considered when the need arises. If a vignette or an illustration is printed on the label, then it shall be part of the principal display panel.

The principal display panel is the panel of a container that incorporates the label. It is permissible to use two principal display panels, one with an English label and the other with French label. In this instance both labels must contain all mandatory information.

(b)  Colour contrast and label design

Good colour contrast must be maintained in order that all mandatory statements are readily legible.

Particular attention shall be paid to the Meat Inspection Legend, which must not be altered in any way, and shall be separate from, and shall not form an integral part of, any special pattern or design on the container.

7.9 Cutting and labelling requirements of poultry parts

The following is a description of poultry parts generally prepared in registered establishments.

(a)  "Trimmed Breasts", shall be breasts separated from the back at the shoulder joint and by a cut running backward and downward from that point along the junction of the vertebral and sternal ribs. The ribs may be removed from the breast, and the breast may be cut along the breast bone to make two approximately equal halves; or the wishbone portion, as described in (c) may be removed before cutting the remainder along the breast bone to make three parts. Pieces cut in this manner may be substituted for lighter or heavier pieces, for exact weight-making purposes, and the package may contain two or more of such parts without affecting the appropriateness of the labelling as "Trimmed Breasts". Neck skin shall not be included.

(b)  "Breasts" shall be separated from the back at the junction of the vertebral ribs and back. Such breasts, with ribs, may be cut along the breast bone to make two approximately equal halves; or the wishbone portion, as described in (c) may be removed before cutting the remainder along the breast bone to make three parts. Pieces cut in this manner may be substituted for lighter or heavier pieces, for exact weight-making purposes, and the package may contain two or more of such parts without affecting the appropriateness of the labelling as "Breasts". Neck skin shall not be included.

(c)  "Wishbones" (clavicle or pulley bones) with covering muscle and skin tissue shall be severed from the breast approximately halfway between the end of the wishbone (through the hypocledium ligament) and front point of the breast bone (anterior part, cranial process of the sternal crest) to a point where the wishbone joins the shoulder. Neck skin shall not be included.

(d)  "Drumsticks" shall be separated from the thigh by a cut through the knee joint (femorotibial and patellar joint) and from the foot at the hock joint (tarsal joint).

(e)  "Thighs" shall be disjointed at the hip and may include the pelvic meat, but shall not include the pelvic bones. Back skin shall not be included.

(f)  "Legs" shall include the whole leg, i.e. the thigh and the drumstick, whether jointed or disjointed. Back skin shall not be included.

(g)  "Wings" shall include the entire wing with all muscles and skin tissue intact, except that the wing tip may be removed. Wings shall be separated from the breast by a cut through the shoulder joint (articulation of the clavicle, coracoid and humerus).

(h)  "Wing Drumettes" shall be separated from the breast by a cut through the shoulder joint (articulation of the clavicle, coracoid and humerus) and from the winglet at the elbow joint (articulation of humerus, radius and ulna) and include the muscles and skin normally adherent. "Wing Drumettes" correspond to the full length of the humerus bone.

(i)  "Winglets (V Wings)" shall be the wings less the "Wing Drumettes" except that part of the wing tip may be removed.

(j)  "Backs" shall include the pelvic bones and all the vertebrae posterior to the shoulder joint. The meat shall not be peeled from the pelvic bones. The vetebral ribs and/or scapula may be removed or included without affecting the appropriateness of the description. Skin shall be substantially intact.

(k)  "Stripped Backs" shall include the vertebrae from the shoulder joint to the tail, and include the pelvic bones. The meat may be stripped off from the pelvic bones.

(l)  "Necks" with or without neck skin,shall be separated from the carcass at the shoulder joint.

(m)  "Halves" shall consist of whole poultry carcasses, excluding the necks, which have been cut at the median line dividing the carcass into two equal portions.

(n)  "Front Quarters" shall consist of the front portions of a poultry half which has been cut along the line immediately behind the rib cage (posterior border of the seventh rib to the posterior border of the seventh thoracic vertebra).

(o)  "Hindquarters" shall consist of the hind portion of a poultry half which has been cut along a line immediately behind the rib cage (posterior border of the seventh rib to the posterior border of the seventh thoracic vertebra).

(p)  "Breast Fillets" round elongated muscles (deep pectoral) found on either side of the keel bone (sternum).

Parts of poultry not cut in accordance with the above described anatomical definitions are permissible, so long as the label appropriately reflects the true and complete description of such poultry cuts. For example, breasts from which bones/cartilage have been removed shall be described as "boneless breasts". Breasts from which bones/ cartilage and "Breast fillets" have been removed shall be described as "boneless breast, fillet removed".

Processed poultry regulations require giblets to be included with graded poultry carcasses unless otherwise stated on the label. The labels of cut-up whole carcasses that include the giblets must carry a statement to the effect that giblets are present.

7.10 Acceptable methods of labelling meat products in artificial casings

The following three methods will be judged acceptable:

• the printing of all mandatory requirements on the artificial casing;
• an insert label with all mandatory information, provided the artificial casing is individually sealed;
• the establishment number printed directly on the casing and the mandatory information printed on a string tag label, wrap-around label or pressure-sensitive label.

7.11 Labelling of volume retail packages

Generally consumer size containers weigh 5 kg or less. However, volume retail packages are acceptable provided that:

• they have all mandatory information printed on the principal display panel, except that the product description and ingredient list, if applicable, may be stencilled, stamped or applied by means of a pressure-sensitive label; and
• the unmarked inner packages are not intended for individual sale to consumers.

7.12 Labelling of Shipping Containers

(1) General

All of the mandatory information may be pre-printed or applied to a shipping container by means of a pressure-sensitive label or applied by on-line printing. Only the weight may be handwritten (handwritten product description is therefore not acceptable). The use of a check-off system or stamping or stencilling of the product name is permitted.

The following requirements shall be met when a pressure-sensitive label is applied:

• The label shall be applied horizontally on the main panel. In the case of a square or rectangular combo bin, the upper right hand corner of a side is considered to be the main panel. In regard to a round combo bin, the label shall be applied horizontally and in close proximity to the top of the bin.
• The label of a small container, e.g. a shipping carton, shall be of a size so that the information can be easily red. In the case of a large container, e.g a combo bin, the minimum size of the label shall be 22.5 x 30 cm.

(2) Marking of shipping containers for beef hearts

Shipping containers, Canadian and foreign, for beef hearts shall bear the product description in one of the following manners in either English or French or both:

i.   Beef Hearts Bone In

ii.  Beef Hearts Bone Removed

iii. Beef Hearts

• Bone In
• Bone Removed

(3) Beef grades - marking requirements

Section 13 of the Livestock and Poultry Carcass Grading Regulations specifies the grade labelling requirements for beef products shipped from registered establishments or imported into Canada. Specifically, it requires that a beef carcass or a portion thereof, including a sub-primal cut, not be imported or shipped from a registered establishment, unless

• the beef is packed in a container or bulk container and that container or bulk container is marked with the grade name of the product or in the case of ungraded beef with the words "Ungraded beef". It should be noted that for Canadian products the grade category or the statement "ungraded beef" is not required on the shipping container of fully labelled prepackaged beef cuts (portions) when the grade statement appears on the label of the prepackaged meat product. As a reminder, the label of a prepackaged meat product bears all the markings required under the Consumer Packaging and Labelling Regulations in order to be sold directly to the Consumer (see 7.15(1)); or
• the beef is not packed in a container or bulk container and the beef is either graded and marked as required by the Livestock and Poultry Carcass Grading Regulations (or as required by the country of origin in the case of imported beef) or treated as ungraded. The documentation that accompanies the meat product shall indicate the grade name or indicate that it is ungraded beef.

N.B.Documentation for imported beef refers to the Official Meat Inspection Certificate. Documentation for domestic beef may be the invoice or equivalent.

In the case of imported beef, the Canadian grade equivalent may also be shown on the container or bulk container when such a grade equivalency has been agreed upon (see Annex Q, Chapter 10).

The mixing in a container or bulk container of beef cuts of different grades is permitted as follows:

• Canadian beef graded Canada A, Canada AA and Canada AAA may be mixed provided the container is marked with a single grade name corresponding to the lowest grade quality marbling level and the expression "or higher" or "ou plus" (French equivalent) (eg. "Canada A or higher"). The use of this single grade name identification employing the expression "or higher", implies that there may be some meat cuts derived from higher grades of beef in a container, so marked.
• Canadian beef graded any of the Canada B or Canada D grades or the Canada E grade may be mixed provided the specific grade names of the product are marked on the container. Example: "Canada B2/B3/D3/E".
• Canadian beef graded in the A grades shall not be mixed with non A grade product or ungraded product and be identified by grade name. Example: the marking of a container "Canada A/AA/B2" is not permitted.
• Containers of ungraded product must be marked with the words "ungraded beef". Should establishments wish to mix graded and ungraded product, the containers must be marked as ungraded. Establishments may also have the option of marking containers of graded beef as ungraded.
• Imported beef may also be mixed for different grades provided the specific grade names for the product are marked on the container (see Annex Q, Chapter 10).

N.B. The operator of a registered establishment is responsible for the accuracy of the grade labelling. When repackaging cuts that originate from a mixed-grade container, these cuts may be marked with a specific grade only if each original cut was individually marked with a grade and the grade can be verified. Example: A mixed-grade container marked "Canada B2/B3/D3/E" contains mixed cuts on which the grade B2 or B3 or D3 or E has been directly applied by the means of a stamp or a sealed bag. In this case, the grade of a cut is easily identified and verifiable. Therefore the derived cuts can be marked accordingly with the grade "Canada B2" or "Canada B3" or "Canada D3" or "Canada E".

(4) Product descriptions for meat cuts on shipping containers

The following options for product descriptions on shipping containers for domestic and imported meat cuts may be used:

(i) - Red Meat codes

The following options for product descriptions on shipping containers for domestic and imported red meat cuts may be used:

1. full product description: names of the meat cuts in the Lexicon produced by the Canadian Food Inspection Agency must be used, or
2. a generic description as "Bone-in" or "Boneless" species meat. In this case, a code from the list below may be used to designate the appropriate cut. The code designation is to be displayed on the main panel and/or the end panel of the shipping container.

The standard codes on the list for red meat cuts are the ones that have been agreed upon between the Canadian Meat Council and the Canadian Meat Importer's Association. These codes are also used by the major meat exporting countries, i.e. Australia, New Zealand and the U.S.A. The updating of the list of codes and the enforcement of its use is the responsibility of industry and not that of the inspection personnel.

For import shipments, the product description on the foreign meat inspection certificate must be the same as the one used on the containers (i.e. Boneless Beef on the carton and Boneless Beef on the certificate; or Boneless Beef Sirloin Tip on the carton and Boneless Beef Sirloin Tip on the certificate).

Codes for Boneless and Bone-In Cuts

BEEF

PORK

VEAL

MUTTON

LAMB

SEX IDENTIFICATION

WRAPPING OF MEAT CUTS

(ii) Poultry and Poultry Cuts codes

Agreement has been reached with the Canadian Poultry and Egg Processors Council on the acceptable use of the following abbreviations and codes for product descriptions on shipping containers for poultry and poultry cuts. Abbreviations and product codes are not accepted on consumer packages or on shipping containers of imported poultry products.

When product codes are used, they will always use the following sequence of abbreviations, each separated by an oblique slash ("/"): Species / Cut / Modifier (if applicable) / Process (if applicable). For example, the product code on the label for a box of Boneless Chicken thighs packed in modified atmosphere would be: "CHK/TH/BNLS/MA".

If the label already includes the full species name, there is no need to repeat the species abbreviation within the product code. For example, it would be acceptable to use "Young duck TB/SKLS/MA" to describe the contents of a box of skinless, trimmed young duck breasts packaged under modified atmosphere.

If more than one modifier apply to the product, the "modifier" abbreviations should be grouped together and separated by a comma. For example, the acceptable product code for the shipping container label of Boneless Skinless Chicken Breasts would be: "CHK/BR/BNLS,SKLS".

If there is no modifier which applies, but the operator wishes to include a process abbreviation, they should separate the "Cut" abbreviation from the "Process" abbreviation by two oblique slashes ("//") to indicate that no modifier applies to the product (for example: "CHK/TH//MA").

If an operator is using the same container to ship different products, each product will need to be coded separately and a semi-colon used to distinguish the codes for the two types of product. For example, if the operator is shipping chicken back-on thighs in the same carton as chicken breasts, the accepted abbreviation would be: "CHK/LG/BA;CHK/BR".