| | Health Canada published new regulations in January 2003 making nutrition labeling mandatory for most packaged foods, including all ground meats and ground poultry.
Nutrition Facts Tables for ground beef are available through the Beef Information Centre:
http://www.canadianbeef.info/ca/en/rt/nutrition/default.aspx
Lean and Extra Lean ground beef qualify for Health Check™ since they contain no more that 17% and 10% fat, respectively. Recent studies show that all types of ground beef have considerably less fat than the maximum allowed. Health Check™ is the Heart and Stroke Foundation's food information program. For more information refer to: http://www.healthcheck.org
There's been a buzz about B's lately - B vitamins, that is. As the enthusiasm over vitamin E has died down because research has not backed up the claims of it being a wonder nutrient, the B's have slowly and solidly been emerging as nutritional stars.
Nutrients:
Beef contains all five B-complex vitamins - thiamine, riboflavin, niacin, B6 and B12, in addition to iron and zinc.
Examples of nutrient content claims, which can be put on labels, include: Source of iron, excellent source of zinc.
Reminder: In order to make a claim about the vitamin or mineral nutrient content, the food must contain at least 5% of the RDI per serving of stated size for that vitamin or mineral nutrient.
Other types of claims, which can be made on meat products, are called biological role claims.
Examples of some, which can be used on meat products, are found on the chart below.
ACCEPTABLE BIOLOGICAL ROLE CLAIMS FOR NUTRIENTS |
| PROTEIN |
- helps build and repair body tissues
- helps build antibodies
|
| THIAMINE (VITAMIN B1) |
- releases energy from carbohydrate
- aids normal growth
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| RIBOFLAVIN (VITAMIN B2) |
- factor in energy metabolism and tissue formation
|
| NIACIN |
- aids in normal growth and development
- factor in energy metabolism and tissue formation
|
| VITAMIN B6 |
- factor in energy metabolism and tissue formation
|
| VITAMIN B12 |
- aids in red blood cell formation
|
| IRON |
- factor in red blood cell formation
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| ZINC |
- factor in energy metabolism and tissue formation
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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 visa 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
Processed Food Branch, Alberta Agriculture and Rural Development 780-422 - 2550 |
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