| | Nearly 60 per cent of Canadians resolved to eat better to improve their health in 2004, citing vegetables and fruit as the key food group they plan to target. However, keeping the resolution may be a challenge as almost two-thirds of Canadians said they identified vegetables and fruit as the food group they struggle to include in their diet more often.
The results from a national survey of 1,529 Canadians, conducted by Leger Marketing for V8® Vegetable Cocktail, come just as Health Canada passed new nutrition labeling regulations that mandate more nutrition information on packaging and allow for five new health claims where relevant, including: "A healthy diet rich in a variety of vegetables and fruit may help reduce the risk of some types of cancer." In fact, 80 per cent of those surveyed said they are more likely to consume a product that may help reduce the risk of cancer.
Canadians felt that consuming more of the vegetable and fruit food group presents numerous hurdles, including: a tendency to go bad in the fridge (23 per cent); a lack of convenient options (20 per cent); and, the food group typically takes too long to prepare (12 per cent). Another 17 per cent admitted to all three points being contributing factors.
Source: http://www.campbellsoup.ca/en/about/pdf/HWRelease.pdf
Many fruits and vegetables are good to excellent sources of various nutrients.
Content claims may only be made for vitamins or mineral nutrients for which recommended daily intakes (RDIs) have been established. A minimum of the 5% of the RDI per serving of stated reference size must be present before the vitamin or mineral may be subject to a “source of” claim.
Quantitative declaration of energy value and the amount of nutrients per serving stated size are also permitted outside the Nutrition Facts Table. Examples include: specific amino acids, anthrocyanins, lycopene, lutein, etc. This provides food manufacturers an opportunity to inform consumers about nutrients and other constituents of emerging importance. Claims regarding general antioxidants, and their role in the body cannot be made.
Examples of nutrient claims include:
12350 µg of lycopene per 125ml of tomato juice
102 µg of lutein and zeaxanthin per 125 ml of tomato juice
Biological role claims are for nutrients, not a food containing the nutrient; as a result they may not imply that the food by itself will have the effect attributed to the nutrient. These statements identify the generally recognized function of a nutrient as an aid in maintaining the functions of the body necessary for the maintenance of good health, or for normal growth and development. A biological role claim can only be used if the food is a source of the nutrient (contains a minimum of 5% RDI) and its presence triggers a content claim.
Examples of biological claims allowed for nutrients include:
Vitamin A
- aids in the development and maintenance of night vision
- aids in maintaining the health of the skin and membranes
Vitamin C
- factor in the development and maintenance of bones, cartilage, teeth and gums
Folate
- aids in red blood cell formation
Diet-related Health Claims with Respect to Cancer Risk Reduction:
According to the 2003 Guide to Food Labeling and Advertising, the following Health Claim may be made only if it meets the following criteria:
| "A healthy diet rich in a variety of vegetables and fruit may help reduce the risk of some types of cancer." |
| The food
(a) is one of the following: vegetables, fruit, or juice and may contain only sweetening agents, food additives as permitted by these Regulations, salt, herbs, spices, seasonings or water:
(i) a fresh, frozen, canned or dried vegetable,
(ii) a fresh, frozen, canned or dried fruit,
(iii) a vegetable or fruit juice, or
(iv) a combination of the foods set out in subparagraphs (i) to (iii);
(b) is not one of the following
(i) potatoes, yams, cassava, plantain, corn, mushrooms, mature legumes and their juices,
(ii) vegetables or fruit used as condiments, garnishes or flavorings, including maraschino cherries, glacé fruit, candied fruit
and onion flakes,
(iii) jams or jam-type spreads, marmalades, preserves and jellies,
(iv) olives, and
(v) powdered vegetables or fruit; and
(c) contains 0.5% or less alcohol. |
If any claims are made on fruit or vegetable products they must carry a nutrition facts table including all 13 nutrients. Standard tables are available based on the Canadian nutrient file. Nutrition claims in the US and other countries are based on country-specific regulations and often differ from Canadian nutrition labeling regulations; therefore, Canadian nutrition labels cannot be used elsewhere and vice versa. Please refer to specific country nutrition labeling regulations if considering exporting products.
The following websites are excellent resources, which provide further detailed information:
Canada’s Food Guide
http://www.hc-sc.gc.ca/fn-an/food-guide-aliment/index-eng.php
Canadian Food Inspection Agency
http://www.inspection.gc.ca/english/fssa/labeti/guide/toce.shtml
Canadian Nutrient File, 2005
http://www.hc-sc.gc.ca/fn-an/nutrition/fiche-nutri-data/index_e.html
For more information or assistance please contact: Shirzad Chunara MHSc. RD
Crop Industry Business Develolpment Branch, Alberta Agriculture and Rural Development (780) 422 - 2550 |
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