Probiotic Claims

Probiotics are defined as "live microorganisms which when administered in adequate amounts confer a health benefit on the host" (FAO/WHO, 2001). The term "probiotics" and similar terms or representations (e.g. "with beneficial probiotic cultures", "contains bacteria that are essential to a healthy system", and a Latin name of a microbial species modified to suggest a health benefit) in text or graphics on food labels or in advertising that suggest a food confers a health benefit are examples of health claims.

Two types of probiotic claims can be made on food:

  • Strain-specific claims are claims about the health benefits or effects of specific strains of probiotics. At the present time, no strain-specific claims have been accepted by Health Canada. As these claims are reviewed and accepted, Health Canada will update a list of acceptable strain-specific claims that will be available on its web site.
  • Non-strain-specific claims are statements about the nature of probiotics. A closed list of non-strain-specific probiotic claims that would be acceptable without the need for the manufacturer to conduct a detailed review of the scientific basis for the claim is provided.

Health Canada has prepared a guidance document, The Use of Probiotic Microorganisms in Food, that sets out the conditions under which health claims about probiotics would be considered acceptable. A summary of the conditions is provided here.

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