Food Labelling

Health Canada and the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) carry joint responsibility for federal food labelling policies in Canada under the Food and Drugs Act.

Health Canada is responsible for setting food labelling policies with respect to health and safety matters (i.e. nutritional content, special dietary needs etc.). This applies to all foods, including foods that have been derived through genetic engineering. CFIA is responsible for the development of non-health and safety food labelling regulations and policies.

• Health Canada - Novel Foods
• Health Canada - Frequently Asked Questions
• Fact Sheet - Labelling of Genetically Engineered Foods in Canada

The CFIA sets standards for Canadian food labels so that they will be truthful and not misleading. These standards help consumers to make informed choices about the foods they eat.

Voluntary Labelling of Foods

On April 15, 2004 the Government of Canada announced the official adoption by the Standards Council of Canada, of the Standard for Voluntary Labelling and Advertising of Foods That Are and Are Not Products of Genetic Engineering, as a National Standard of Canada. This means that consumers could start to see more labels on some food ingredients and food items indicating whether or not they are a product of genetic engineering.

Adoption of the voluntary standard is the result of a thorough development and approval process - via a multi-stakeholder committee - facilitated by the Canadian General Standards Board (CGSB) and started in 1999. The process was reviewed by the Standards Council of Canada, the body that administers Canada's National Standards System.

National Standard

• National Standard of Canada - CAN/CGSB-32.315-2004
  • Fact Sheets
• Offering Canadians More Choices

International

The Codex Alimentarius Commission is the international body established in 1963 which administers the Joint Food and Agriculture Organization/World Health Organization Food Standards Programme. The Codex Alimentarius Committee on Food Labelling (CCFL) is one of the committees of the Codex Alimentarius Commission. This committee is charged with considering international food labelling issues, drafting labelling provisions applicable to all foods and amending them if necessary, and endorsing provisions on labelling prepared by the Codex Committees drafting standards, codes of practice and guidelines.