Canadian Ingredient Labelling

Course Details:

Preparing and properly declaring a list of ingredients is one of the most challenging requirements in food labelling. Are you confident in the regulatory compliance of your existing or new ingredient listing? This program will focus on the requirements of Food and Drug Regulations which cover all foods and beverages sold in Canada. At the end of the program, you will be able to:

1. Identify the foods that are exempt from ingredient listings
2. Explain the basics of ingredient labelling (e.g. typeface, type height, location), and generate presentation and options
3. Understand nomenclature (e.g. common names, class names, collective names)
4. Interpret component declarations and exemptions
5. Define food additives and Interim Market Authorization (IMA)
6. Differentiate between processing aids, incidental additives, ingredient omissions and substitutions
7. Discuss the influence of ingredients on nutrition labelling
8. Describe CFIA’s Highlighting of Ingredients & Flavours guidelines

Canadian Nutrition Labelling

Course Details:

Nutrition labelling is now mandatory for most pre-packaged foods, including bulk, foodservice and foods for further manufacture. In addition, retail and food service companies driven by consumer demand are making nutritional panels and information mandatory for their suppliers and menus. This course provides a solid overview of Canadian nutrition labelling, nutrient content claims and health claims. At the end of the program, you will be able to:

1. Identify the requirements for nutrition labelling, exemptions and declaration of core nutrition information
2. Describe the Nutrition Facts Tables (NFTs) and components: serving size, reference amounts, reference standards, recommended daily intake, weighted recommended nutrient intakes, daily values, tolerances for nutrient declarations
3. Define Available Display Surface (ADS), influence on NFT format, and location and orientation of the NFT
4. Differentiate between the use of databases versus wet-lab testing
5. Explain allowable nutrient content and health claims

Canadian Food Fortification

Course Details:

Industry has an opportunity to cater to the growing needs and demands of the consumer via food fortification. The addition of certain vitamins and minerals to a simple food can increase the health benefits of that food considerably. Are you a food manufacturer or a processor seeking more information on food fortification regulations? Are you looking for information regarding the fortification of foods to be used for special dietary use? Do you want to know all about the proposed changes by Health Canada to update, expand and improve national food fortification policies? If so, this is the workshop for you. At the end of the program, you will be able to:

1. Define current regulations governing vitamin, mineral and amino acid fortification
2. Discuss current status of food regulations
3. Explain fortification of foods for special dietary use Identify non-vitamin and mineral fortification considerations (e.g. omega fatty acids)
4. Analyze special labelling considerations related to fortification
5. Define and understand analytical testing and record-keeping
6. Interpret CFIA’s methodologies for evaluating compliance and future regulatory developments in food fortification

Canadian Food Additives, Colours and Flavours

Course Details:

Designed for an audience with familiarity with ingredient labelling, this one-day workshop will provide in-depth information on the regulations governing additive use. It will cover a full spectrum of food products, including meat, non-meat, processed foods, bakery goods, and snacks. At the end of the program, you will be able to:

1. Define food additives and ingredients that qualify as food additives
2. Discuss Canadian requirements and legislation pertaining to processed foods and additives
3. Discuss and explain the role of functional ingredients (flavours, fibres, vitamins, minerals and nutritive ingredients) and regulations pertaining to these ingredients
4. Identify labelling and claim requirements for additives (flavours, colours, etc.)

Enhanced Canadian food Allergen, Gluten and Sulphites Labelling

Course Details:

The enhanced Canadian allergen labelling regulations were unveiled in February 2011. The implementation date has been set for August 4, 2012. It is required that the labelling be in a clearer language and the declaration of otherwise "hidden" allergens, gluten sources, and sulphites be clearly visible. At the end of the program, you will be able to:

1. List which foods are subject to the regulations and which are exempt
2. Define food allergens, gluten sources, and sulphites
3. Explain how to declare food allergens, gluten sources, and sulphites in a list of ingredients
4. Explain how to declare food allergens, gluten sources, and sulphites in a contains statement
5. Determine how best to declare cautionary allergen statements

Canadian Food Labelling

Course Details:

Designed to provide an overview of Canadian food labelling considerations, this program covers food labelling under federal jurisdiction for wide range foods from manufactured foods like snacks, bakery products, processed fruits and vegetables to meat and poultry product. It covers basic labelling considerations, (common name, net contents, ingredient list, nutrition facts and dealer name address), as well as additional labelling considerations that may apply, (storage information, durable life dates, artificial sweeteners statements, vignettes, artificial flavours, country of origin, etc.). Labelling requirements under the Food and Drug Regulations, Consumer Packaging and Labelling Regulations, Processed Products Regulations, Meat Inspection Regulations 1990, Organic Products Regulations 2009, Fish Inspection Regulations, Dairy Product Regulations will be discussed). At the end of the program, you will be able to:

1. Develop a food label under various federal legislation
2. Identify foods requiring a label and what exemptions may be applicable
3. Understand packaging and labelling definitions and how they relate to the presentation of information, type heights, etc.
4. Better appreciate how layout options can address your design objectives
5. Differentiate between retail (consumer) and non retail (foodservice/further manufacture) labelling considerations

Advanced Canadian Ingredient Labelling

Course Details:

Designed as an ideal companion and follow up to the Canadian Ingredient Labelling Workshop, this program offers an advanced look at select Canadian ingredient labelling regulations to ensure a strong understanding of regulatory requirements for compliance.  This interactive workshop will provide an in-depth study of enhanced food allergen, gluten source and sulphite labelling, precautionary allergen labelling, CFIA’s Highlighted Ingredients and Flavours Guidelines, organics and labelling and advertising claims related to ingredients.  Ask questions of leading regulatory experts and navigate the complexities of food labelling rules, regulations, policies and guidelines.  At the end of the program, you will be able to:

1. Manage and address allergen and precautionary allergen labelling
2. Understand how ingredient labelling rules affects your efforts for clean labelling and simplifying your ingredient lists
3. Review your list of ingredients considering the marketability of your product (i.e. is your food really MSG free, preservative free, natural, made with natural ingredients or pure?)
4. Discuss how CFIA's Highlighted Ingredients and Flavour Guidelines affect label and advertising statements
5. Appreciate formulating an organic food and the type of ingredients that may or may not be used

U.S. Food Labeling under FDA

Course Details:

Incorrect labels can stop your product at the border. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) regulations can be complicated and interpretations hard to access. This program provides answers to help you save time, increase speed to market, increase confidence at border crossings, avoid costly regulatory errors, and build personal and corporate expertise for U.S. exports. You’ll explore the Federal Food, Drug and Cosmetic Act and the Code for Federal Regulations (Title 21), and the Fair Packaging and Labelling Act, as they relate to food. At the end of the program, you will be able to:

1. Identify and define the package, the label and its features (principle panel display, information panel, common name, net contents, ingredient list)
2. Describe nutrition labelling, nutrient content claims and health claims
3. Analyze food labelling warnings, notices and safe handling statements
4. Identify proper use of descriptive terms (e.g. “fresh,” “natural,” “organic”)
5. Discuss proper labelling of problematic components such as allergens and trans fats

Please Note: Due to the time constraints of this one-day program, this workshop will not cover infant food labelling, dietary supplements, restaurant foods, or alcoholic beverages.