CFIA Seeks Input on Food Labeling Updates

The Canadian Food Inspection Agency is seeking public input on proposed changes to labeling requirements in the Food and Drug Regulations (FDR) and the Safe Food for Canadians Regulations (SFCR), the agency said in notices in the Canadian Gazette, Part I. Among other things, the SFCR proposal would "provide consumers with clearer information to guide their purchasing decisions, including expanding the scope of foods with a declaration of the foreign state from where the imported food comes from, what the food contains, and for how long the food would be of optimum quality," the agency said. Canada plans to implement the labeling changes through a "phased-in transition," a CFIA news release said.

Canadian consumers have indicated that the current labeling requirements that allow for some imported foods to use “imported by” or “imported for” on the label is inadequate, the CFIA said. "The proposed changes would address this issue by requiring the country of origin to be declared on all 'wholly imported foods' (i.e. referring to foods that are not transformed in Canada)," it said. "This approach would continue to align with the relevant Codex standard (i.e. origin is the country where the food was last substantially transformed in a way that changes its nature) and current Canadian requirements for specific foods."

CFIA is seeking specific feedback on labeling of imported foods, it said in a consultation notice on its website. The proposed change to the SFCR, "which expands the origin requirement to most imported foods, does not prescribe the statement to be used to indicate the origin," it said. "CFIA is also proposing to remove the requirement of 'Product of' where currently used in the SFCR and is seeking specific comments on appropriate wording to declare the origin." The consultation opened on June 22 and will close Sept. 4, it said.