OTTAWA — Considering calories, cholesterol or calcium? Check the label.
The federal government has set out new rules for mandatory nutritional labeling of most food products, although it could be more than two years before consumers can check packages for themselves.
Prepackaged foods would have to show a nutrition “facts box” listing 13 ingredients considered the most important by consumers, scientists and health professionals. Those include calories, fat, saturated fat, trans fat, cholesterol, sodium, fiber, sugars, protein, vitamin A, vitamin C, calcium and iron.
The regulations, to be published Saturday in the Canada Gazette, will be open to public comment for 90 days.
Health Canada said it hopes to have legislation in place by the end of this year or early 2002.
The rules will allow for specific health claims that highlight characteristics of diet that reduce the chance of developing a disease such as cancer or heart disease.
Businesses would have two years to comply with the new rules, although small businesses would be allowed an additional year to collect nutrient data and put new labels on their products.
