Former - Specific nutrient content claim requirements
Energy and calorie claims
This section deals with implied and explicit energy claims. See the table below for the permitted nutrient content claims.
Superlative claims for energy
Consuming a diet high in Calories does not guarantee that one will have lots of "pep" and "energy". Many factors, including the state of a person's health and physical fitness, impact upon how effectively and efficiently the muscles use the energy. The popular concept of "energy" in the sense of being energetic, having pep, vigour, strength, endurance, etc., is not directly related to specific foods in the diet.
The text accompanying claims such as "source of energy" and "contains more calories" (and synonymous claims) must not mislead the buyer. The following types of claims are considered misleading and must not be used.
- a claim that a food provides "instant" pep, vitality, vigour, power or strength
- a claim that a food provides all the food energy necessary to carry one through certain physical activities or recovery from these
- a claim that a food provides all the energy necessary to carry one through until the next meal, or
- a claim that a food, consisting mainly of carbohydrates, provides food energy which lasts over many hours of hard work or play
Summary table of energy and calorie claims
Note: The claims in quotation marks in column 1 are those which are permitted by the Food and Drug Regulations. The reference amounts are found in Part D, Schedule M of the Food and Drug Regulations.
| Column 1 Claim | Column 2 Conditions - Food | Column 3 Conditions - Label or advertisement | Column 4 FDR reference |
|---|---|---|---|
|
a) Free of energy |
The food provides less than 5 Calories or 21 kilojoules per reference amount and serving of stated size. |
Must comply with requirements and conditions for making a nutrient content claim. Nutrition Facts table is required on Foods usually exempt from displaying a Nutrition Facts table by B.01.401(2)(a) and (b) of the FDR [B.01.401(3)(e)(ii), FDR]. When used in an advertisement, must comply with the Advertising requirements for nutrient content claims. |
B.01.401(3) (e)(ii) |
|
b) Low in energy |
The food provides: |
See conditions set out for item a) of this table. |
Table following B.01.513, item 2 |
|
c) Reduced in energy |
(1) The food is processed, formulated, reformulated or otherwise modified so that it provides at least 25% less energy |
The following are identified: |
Table following B.01.513, item 3 |
|
d) Lower in energy |
(1) The food provides at least 25% less energy |
The following are identified: |
Table following B.01.513, item 4 |
|
e) Source of energy |
The food provides at least 100 Calories or 420 kilojoules per reference amount and serving of stated size. |
See conditions set out for item a) of this table. |
Table following B.01.513, item 5 |
|
f) More energy |
The food provides at least 25% more energy, totalling at least 100 more Calories or 420 more kilojoules |
The following are identified: |
Table following B.01.513, item 6 |
|
g) Light in energy |
The food meets the conditions set out in column 2 of the subject "reduced in energy" (item (c) of this table) |
The following are identified: |
Table to B.01.503, item 45 |
|
h) Representation that the food is for use in "energy-reduced" diet with respect to the energy value only of a food |
The food meets the conditions set out for one of the following claims: |
Claim or statement is made in accordance with columns 1 and 3 for items a), b), c) or d) of this table. |
B.01.507 |
|
i) Representation that the food is for "special dietary use" with respect to the energy value of the food |
One of the following claims must be made on the label of the product and the conditions for that claim must be respected: |
Claim or statement is made in accordance with columns 1 and 3 for items a), b), c) or d) of this table. |
B.24.003 (1.1) |
|
j) Foods represented as "dietetic" or "diet" with respect to the energy content of the food, including when used in a trade-mark. |
Reserved for foods for special dietary use as regulated by B.24.003.In order to label, package, sell or advertise a food as "dietetic" or "diet", or use those words in the brand name, one of the following must be on the label and the conditions for that claim must be met: |
Claim or statement is made in accordance with columns 1 and 3 for items a), b), c) or d) of this table. |
B.24.003(4) |
Table Notes
- Table note 1
-
The similar reference food for foods with a light in energy claim, shall have a nutrient value that is representative of foods of that type that have not been processed, formulated, reformulated or otherwise modified in a manner that increases the energy value or the amount of fat [B.01.500(2), FDR].
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