From 2009 to 2010, Health Canada consulted with key stakeholders, including the Canadian public, on policy options to improve the use of precautionary labeling (also known as “may contain” labelling) in identifying the potential presence of allergens in packaged foods. Currently, “may contain” labeling is used on a voluntary basis in Canada, as well as in many other countries, including the U.S.

The proposed options for improving the policy ranged from keeping “may contain” statements voluntary to making them mandatory by law.

The findings of the consultation:

• None of the proposed options for the policy renewal reached a clear consensus among stakeholders. Perhaps not surprisingly, individuals voiced a preference for fully regulating “may contain” labels, whereas the food industry would prefer not to be required to use the precautionary labels.
• The majority  (65% of all participants) felt comfortable with the “mixed voluntary / regulatory approach.” This approach would mean that manufacturers and importers would not be required to use “may contain” labeling, but new laws would regulate the way the labels are used when a company chooses to use them.
• The concerns expressed towards non-regulated approached were largely related to the potential for misinterpretation of the absence of precautionary statements (i.e. not knowing if safety has been assessed when no precautionary statement is present). That said, the non-regulated approaches were identified as less costly and their implementation was viewed as being achievable in a shorter period of time, as well as providing more flexibility to the food industry.
• The main concerns expressed towards regulated approaches were related to the lack of allergen thresholds, the sense of false security that the mandatory nature of a measure could produce among individuals with food allergies, and the time and costs associated with the implementation of mandatory measures across the industry.  The main advantages identified for the regulated approaches were both the accountability of the food industry and the provision of a fair and common market being assured by imposing the same standards across Canada and for domestic and imported foods.
• Participants said the biggest issues that concern them are:
  1) the overuse of allergen precautionary statements (for example, precautionary statements believed to be used when there is no real risk, for legal protection, etc.)
  2) consumer difficulty in interpreting the level of risk posed by a product using these statements (or example, when precautionary statements are absent, when they express different level of risks or because of too many different wordings, etc.).
• 80% of respondents to the online consultation indicated that their single biggest issue is not knowing if safety has been assessed when no precautionary statement is present.

To read the full summary of Health Canada’s public consultations about precautionary food allergen labeling, click here.

Now the Canadian Celiac Association is trying to make its mark with a big new gluten-free certification program, which would enable celiac or gluten sensitive consumers to simply look for the new CCA gluten-free symbol, plunk a food package into the shopping cart and head off to the next aisle.

“Let’s face it, people get frustrated with having to read labels and look for ingredients,” says Jim McCarthy, the CCA’s executive director. “If this mark says this is safe, then I can just pick it up to eat and that’s fine.” Under the CCA program, everyone from the multinational to the small cookie maker can enroll for a fee to go through the rigorous qualifying program – with plant testing and annual third-party audits – to prove their gluten-free worthiness.

Reaching critical mass for the number of products bearing the CCA seal will be essential to success. Paul Valder, a consultant working with the CCA on the certification launch, reports strong interest from major multinational brands and also among grocery chains with private brand gluten-free products. “One multinational is asking us: ‘Can we get it to market in eight weeks, 10 weeks?’ So there is that kind of urgency,” he says.

But there is one hurdle to getting  CCA-sanctioned products to market: the definition of the term “gluten-free”. You might think that was zero gluten, but zero is difficult to achieve 24/7 in food processing, given the ubiquity of gluten. It used to be that scientists could only test to 20 parts per million (ppm) of gluten, and since no health risks to persons with celiac have been found to date at or below that threshold level, under 20 ppm became the safe level in Canada, Europe and other parts of the world.

Or is it the safe level in Canada? At a CCA strategy session on the certification program in late March, some manufacturers were astounded to learn that the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) is now interpreting regulations to mean that zero ppm is now the definition of gluten-free. (New gluten food tests can now detect gluten down to the 3 to 5 ppm range). CFIA acknowledges this is the case, while a senior spokesman for Health Canada confirmed to Allergic Living that “from a health and safety perspective, we’re happy with a 20 ppm cutoff.” Confused yet? The manufacturers at the March meeting sure were.

“It’s concerning that Health Canada and CFIA aren’t of the same mind on this,” says Daniel Mattimoe, the senior manager of quality and regulatory affairs at Campbell of Canada. While Campbell’s has stringent gluten-free and tests to undetectable levels, he notes that for a smaller company, a surprise test reading of 7 ppm could now trigger a technical recall.

“You’re putting that company in a bind,” he says. “Food safety is No. 1, you don’t argue with that. But that’s the concern at 20 ppm. Below that, it becomes a regulatory issue and the right thing is to do is what CFIA tells you to do. But that could be financially devastating.”

Fortunately, Health Canada and CFIA both told Allergic Living they are trying to resolve their differences. McCarthy and the CCA are certainly pressing them to do so both in fairness to the food makers, and for the consumers. Those folks who will be out on a certified buying binge once all those “official” gluten-free products start hitting the shelves.

From the Summer 2011 issue of Allergic Living magazine.

It’s fast and easy, so please add your name. Your help is essential to get these regulations finally passed into law!

Reading labels is a way of life when you have celiac disease. Before eating anything in a package, be sure to read the label carefully. Look for hidden sources of gluten and for other names, such as food starch, seasoning and hydrolyzed vegetable protein.

Also be on the lookout for precautionary statements. These are statements that indicate gluten may be in the food, due to cross contamination. Examples of precautionary statements include: “May contain gluten” and “Manufactured in a facility that also processes wheat.”

If you are ever uncertain about whether a food product is safe for you, call the manufacturer to confirm. When in doubt, don’t eat it.

In Canada, new regulations have been proposed that would require food manufacturers list priority allergens, including gluten, in plain language on packaging. Ingredients of ingredients that are priority allergens would also have to be listed. For example, manufacturers couldn’t simply list “modified starch” if the source of the starch is wheat.

More on Canada’s Food Allergen Regulations

Health Canada is also reviewing its gluten-free labeling requirements. Specifically, it is looking at whether a change should be made to the rule that food made with oats cannot be labeled gluten-free. This is in light of the fact that pure, uncontaminated oats are safe for most people with celiac disease and are available in Canada. More on the proposed changes.

In the United States, the Food Allergen Labeling and Consumer Protection Act, which went into effect in 2006, requires manufacturers to use plain language when listing priority allergens, and to declare all allergens either in the ingredient list, or in a “contains:” statement at the end of the list. This act encompasses wheat, but not other sources of gluten.

Currently in the United States there is no rule governing what can be called “gluten-free” on a food label. A rule was proposed in 2007, but has not been approved.

See: U.S. Proposed Rule on Gluten-Free Labeling

Reading labels is a way of life when you or a member of your family has an allergy to sesame. Before eating anything in a package, be sure to read the label carefully. Look for hidden sources of sesame or other seeds that may be troublesome to you and alternate names shown for them.

Also be on the lookout for precautionary statements. These are statements that indicate an allergen may be in the food, due to cross contamination during processing. Examples of precautionary statements include: “May contain sesame” and “Manufactured in a facility that contains sesame.”

Allergists generally advise people with  sesame or other seed allergies to avoid all products that contain precautionary statements about their allergens. If you are ever uncertain about whether a food product is safe for you, call the manufacturer to confirm. When in doubt, don’t eat it.

In Canada, new regulations have been proposed that would require food manufacturers list priority allergens in plain language on packaging, rather than using alternate names (ie: tahini, for sesame). Ingredients of ingredients that are priority allergens would also have to be listed. For example, manufacturers couldn’t simply list “flavouring” if the source of the flavouring is a priority allergen, such as mustard.

More on Canada’s New Food Allergen Regulations.

In the United States, the Food Allergen Labeling and Consumer Protection Act went into effect in 2006. FALCPA requires manufacturers to use plain language when listing priority allergens, and to declare all allergens either in the ingredient list, or in a “Contains:” statement at the end of the list.

The allergens included in this regulation are milk, eggs, fish, shellfish, tree nuts, wheat peanuts and soybeans. These regulations do not include sesame and mustard, unlike the proposed Canadian regulations.

Separate legislation requires companies to declare sulphites if they are present at more than 10 parts per million, or if they had a technical or functional effect in the food.

Both Canada and the United States are studying ways to regulate the precautionary statements used on packaged food labels.

When a family member has an allergy, reading is protection.

Reading the ingredients on every packaged food label becomes a way of life when you have food allergies and are at risk of anaphylaxis. Labels have to be carefully before a food is sampled by the allergic family member. While labels are supposed to by law be written in plain English, look for hidden sources of allergens and other less obvious names for allergens (such as “casein” or “whey” for milk).

Also be on the lookout for precautionary statements. These are statements that indicate an allergen may be in the food, due to cross-contamination during production. Examples of precautionary statements include: “May contain wheat” and “Manufactured in a facility that also processes tree nuts.”

Allergists generally advise people with allergies to avoid all products that show such statements about their allergen(s) – dubbed “may contains” – because they often “do contain” the allergen.

If you are ever uncertain about whether a food product is safe for you, call the manufacturer to confirm. When in doubt, don’t eat it.

In Canada, new regulations come into effect in August, 2012 that would require food manufacturers list priority allergens in plain language on packaging, rather than using alternate names (ie: arachidic acid, for peanuts). The ingredients within listed ingredients that are priority allergens would also have to be shown. For example, manufacturers couldn’t simply list “flavouring” if the source of the flavouring is a priority allergen, such as mustard.

More on Canada’s New Food Allergen Regulations.

In the United States, the Food Allergen Labeling and Consumer Protection Act went into effect in 2006. FALCPA requires manufacturers to use plain language when listing priority allergens, and to declare all allergens either in the ingredient list, or in a “Contains:” statement at the end of the list.

The allergens included in this regulation are milk, eggs, fish, shellfish, tree nuts, wheat peanuts and soybeans. These regulations do not include sesame and mustard, unlike the new Canadian regulations.

Separate legislation requires companies to declare sulfites if they are present at more than 10 parts per million, or if they had a technical or functional effect in the food.

Both Canada and the United States are studying ways to regulate the precautionary statements used on packaged food labels.

Reading labels is a way of life when you or a member of your family has a tree nut allergy. Before eating anything in a package, be sure to read the label carefully. Look for hidden sources of nuts and alternate names for it.

Also be on the lookout for precautionary statements. These are statements that indicate an allergen may be in the food, due to cross contamination during processing. Examples of precautionary statements include: “May contain tree nuts” and “Manufactured in a facility that contains tree nuts.”

Allergists generally advise people with tree nut allergies to avoid all products that include precautionary statements about their allergen. If you are ever uncertain about whether a food product is safe for you, call the manufacturer to confirm. When in doubt, don’t eat it.

In Canada, new regulations have been proposed that would require food manufacturers list priority allergens in plain language on packaging, rather than using alternate names (ie: Bertholletia excelsa instead of brazil nut).

The ingredients within listed ingredients that are priority allergens would also have to be shown. For example, manufacturers couldn’t simply list “flavouring” if the flavouring included a priority allergen, such as almond extract.

More on Canada’s New Food Allergen Regulations.

In the United States, the Food Allergen Labeling and Consumer Protection Act went into effect in 2006. FALCPA requires manufacturers to use plain language when listing priority allergens, and to declare all allergens either in the ingredient list, or in a “Contains:” statement at the end of the list.

The allergens included in this regulation are milk, eggs, fish, shellfish, tree nuts, wheat peanuts and soybeans. These regulations do not include sesame and mustard, unlike the proposed Canadian regulations.

Separate legislation requires companies to declare sulphites if they are present at more than 10 parts per million, or if they had a technical or functional effect in the food.

Both Canada and the United States are studying ways to regulate the precautionary statements used on packaged food labels.

Reading labels is a way of life when you or a member of your family has an allergy to sulphites, the food additive. Before eating anything in a package, be sure to read the label carefully. Look for hidden sources of sulphites and alternate names for it.

If you are ever uncertain about whether a food product is safe for you, call the manufacturer to confirm. When in doubt, don’t eat it.

In Canada, new regulations have been proposed that would require food manufacturers disclose if sulphites are present in a product at a level of 10 parts per million or higher.

More on Canada’s New Food Allergen Regulations.

In the United States, the Food Allergen Labeling and Consumer Protection Act went into effect in 2006. FALCPA requires manufacturers to use plain language when listing priority allergens, and to declare all allergens either in the ingredient list, or in a “Contains:” statement at the end of the list.

The new regulations also apply to food allergies, and require that allergens are declared in plain language, and are disclosed when they are components of other ingredients (i.e. mustard as a component of “spices.”

More on Canada’s Food Allergen Regulations

In the United States, the Food Allergen Labeling and Consumer Protection Act, which went into effect in 2006, requires manufacturers to use plain language when listing priority allergens, and to declare all allergens either in the ingredient list, or in a “Contains:” statement at the end of the list.

The allergens included in this regulation are milk, eggs, fish, shellfish, tree nuts, wheat peanuts and soybeans. These regulations do not include sesame and mustard, unlike the proposed Canadian regulations.

Separate legislation requires companies to declare sulphites if they are present at more than 10 parts per million, or if they had a technical or functional effect in the food.

Reading labels is a way of life when you or a member of your family has a peanut allergy. Before eating anything in a package, be sure to read the label carefully. Look for hidden sources of soy or legumes and alternate names for them.

Also be on the lookout for precautionary statements. These are statements that indicate an allergen may be in the food, due to cross contamination during processing. Examples of precautionary statements include: “May contain soy” and “Manufactured in a facility that also processes soy.”

(FYI, while soy and peanuts are legumes that are priority allergens in Canada and the U.S., other legumes don’t have that same designation. Soy and peanut will be included in so-called “May contain” statements, legumes such as lentils or chickpeas won’t be.)

Allergists generally advise people with soy allergies to avoid all products that contain precautionary statements about their allergen.

If you are ever uncertain about whether a food product is safe for you, call the manufacturer to confirm. When in doubt, don’t eat it.

In Canada, new regulations have been proposed that would require food manufacturers list priority allergens in plain language on packaging, rather than using alternate names (ie: kinako, for soybean flour). Ingredients of ingredients that are priority allergens would also have to be listed. For example, manufacturers couldn’t simply list “vegetable protein” if the source of the protein is a priority allergen, such as a legume.

More on Canada’s New Food Allergen Regulations.

In the United States, the Food Allergen Labeling and Consumer Protection Act went into effect in 2006. FALCPA requires manufacturers to use plain language when listing priority allergens, and to declare all allergens either in the ingredient list, or in a “Contains:” statement at the end of the list.

The allergens included in this regulation are milk, eggs, fish, shellfish, tree nuts, wheat peanuts and soybeans. These regulations do not include sesame and mustard, unlike the proposed Canadian regulations.

Separate legislation requires companies to declare sulphites if they are present at more than 10 parts per million, or if they had a technical or functional effect in the food.

Both Canada and the United States are studying ways to regulate the precautionary statements used on packaged food labels.

Reading labels is a way of life when you or a member of your family has a peanut allergy. Before eating anything in a package, be sure to read the label carefully. Look for hidden sources of peanuts and alternate names for it.

Also be on the lookout for precautionary statements. These are statements that indicate an allergen may be in the food, due to cross contamination during processing. Examples of precautionary statements include: “May contain peanuts” and “Manufactured in a facility that contains peanuts.”

Allergists generally advise people with peanut allergies to avoid all products that include precautionary statements about their allergen. If you are ever uncertain about whether a food product is safe for you, call the manufacturer to confirm. When in doubt, don’t eat it.

In Canada, new regulations have been proposed that would require food manufacturers list priority allergens in plain language on packaging, rather than using alternate names (ie: arachidic acid instead of peanut). The ingredients within listed ingredients that are priority allergens would also have to be shown. For example, manufacturers couldn’t simply list “hydrolyzed protein” if the source of that protein included a priority allergen, such as peanut.

More on Canada’s New Food Allergen Regulations.

In the United States, the Food Allergen Labeling and Consumer Protection Act went into effect in 2006. FALCPA requires manufacturers to use plain language when listing priority allergens, and to declare all allergens either in the ingredient list, or in a “Contains:” statement at the end of the list.

The allergens included in this regulation are milk, eggs, fish, shellfish, tree nuts, wheat peanuts and soybeans. These regulations do not include sesame and mustard, unlike the proposed Canadian regulations.

Separate legislation requires companies to declare sulphites if they are present at more than 10 parts per million, or if they had a technical or functional effect in the food.

Both Canada and the United States are studying ways to regulate the precautionary statements used on packaged food labels.