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UPDATED 15 AUGUST 2007

CANADIAN
Food and Drug Regulations

REGULATIONS RESPECTING FOOD AND DRUGS
As of 15 August 2007)  Added Sec
B.01.021

PART A
ADMINISTRATION

General

A.01.016. All information required by these Regulations to appear on a label of a food or drug shall be

(a) clearly and prominently displayed on the label; and

(b) readily discernible to the purchaser or consumer under the customary conditions of purchase and use.

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Consolidated Statutes and Regulations
Enabling statute: Food and Drugs Act
Food and Drug Regulations
PART B FOODS

B.01.014. The label of a food, other than a sweetener, that contains aspartame shall carry the following information:

(a) subject to paragraph (b), a statement on the principal display panel to the effect that the food contains aspartame or is sweetened with aspartame, in letters of at least the same size and prominence as the letters used in the numerical portion of the declaration of net quantity as required under section 14 of the Consumer Packaging and Labelling Regulations;

(b) in the case where other sweeteners are used in conjunction with aspartame, a statement on the principal display panel to the effect that the food

(i) contains aspartame and (naming the other sweeteners), or

(ii) is sweetened with aspartame and (naming the other sweeteners),

in letters of at least the same size and prominence as the letters used in the numerical portion of the declaration of net quantity as required under section 14 of the Consumer Packaging and Labelling Regulations;

(c) a statement on any part of the label to the effect that aspartame contains phenylalanine; and

(d) a statement setting out the aspartame content expressed in milligrams per serving of stated size. SOR/81-617, s. 2; SOR/88-559, s. 5; SOR/2003-11, s. 6.

B.01.015. (1) The label of a food that is a sweetener that contains aspartame shall carry the following information:

(a) a statement on the principal display panel to the effect that the food contains aspartame or is sweetened with aspartame, in letters of at least the same size and prominence as the letters used in the numerical portion of the declaration of net quantity as required under section 14 of the Consumer Packaging and Labelling Regulations;

(b) a statement on any part of the label to the effect that aspartame contains phenylalanine;

(c) a statement on any part of the label of the sweetness per serving expressed in terms of the amount of sugar required to produce an equivalent degree of sweetness; and

(d) a statement setting out the aspartame content expressed in milligrams per serving of stated size.

(2) The label of a sweetener that contains aspartame may carry the expression "Low Calorie" if the energy value of a serving of the sweetener that is equivalent in sweetness to one teaspoon (5 g) of sugar is no greater than two calories. SOR/81-617, s. 2; SOR/88-559, s. 6; SOR/2003-11, s. 7.

B.01.016. The label of a food, other than a table-top sweetener, that contains sucralose shall carry the following information:

(a) subject to paragraph (b), a statement on the principal display panel to the effect that the food contains sucralose or is sweetened with sucralose, in letters of at least the same size and prominence as the letters used for showing the numerical quantity in the declaration of net quantity as required under section 14 of the Consumer Packaging and Labelling Regulations;

(b) where sucralose is used in conjunction with another sweetener or a sweetening agent or both, the names thereof shown in a statement on the principal display panel to the effect that the food contains, or is sweetened with, sucralose and the other sweetener or the sweetening agent or both, as the case may be, in letters as described in paragraph (a); and

(c) a statement setting out the sucralose content expressed in milligrams per serving of stated size. SOR/91-527, s. 2; SOR/94-625, s. 1; SOR/2003-11, s. 8.

B.01.017. (1) The label of a food that is a table-top sweetener that contains sucralose shall carry the following information:

(a) a statement on the principal display panel to the effect that the food contains sucralose or is sweetened with sucralose, in letters of at least the same size and prominence as the letters used for showing the numerical quantity in the declaration of net quantity as required under section 14 of the Consumer Packaging and Labelling Regulations;

(b) a statement on any part of the label setting out the sweetness per serving expressed in terms of the amount of sugar required to produce an equivalent degree of sweetness; and

(c) a statement setting out the sucralose content expressed in milligrams per serving of stated size.

(2) The label of a food that is a table-top sweetener that contains sucralose may carry the words "Low Calorie" if the energy value of a serving of the sweetener that is equivalent in sweetness to one teaspoon (5 g) of sugar is no greater than two calories. SOR/91-527, s. 2; SOR/94-625, s. 2; SOR/2003-11, s. 9.

B.01.018. The label of a food that contains polydextrose shall indicate the amount of polydextrose expressed in grams per serving of stated size. SOR/93-276, s. 2; SOR/94-779, s. 1; SOR/97-512, s. 1; SOR/2003-11, s. 10.

B.01.019. The label of a food, other than a table-top sweetener, that contains acesulfame-potassium shall carry the following information:

(a) subject to paragraph (b), a statement on the principal display panel to the effect that the food contains acesulfame-potassium or is sweetened with acesulfame-potassium, in letters of at least the same size and prominence as the characters used for showing the numerical quantity in the declaration of net quantity as required under section 14 of the Consumer Packaging and Labelling Regulations;

(b) where acesulfame-potassium is used in conjunction with another sweetener or a sweetening agent or both, the names thereof shown in a statement on the principal display panel to the effect that the food contains, or is sweetened with, acesulfame-potassium and the other sweetener or the sweetening agent or both, as the case may be, in letters as described in paragraph (a); and

(c) a statement setting out the acesulfame-potassium content expressed in milligrams per serving of stated size. SOR/94-625, s. 3; SOR/2003-11, s. 11.

B.01.020. (1) The label of a food that is a table-top sweetener that contains acesulfame-potassium shall carry the following information:

(a) a statement, on the principal display panel, to the effect that the food contains acesulfame-potassium or is sweetened with acesulfame-potassium, in letters of at least the same size and prominence as the characters used for showing the numerical quantity in the declaration of net quantity as required under section 14 of the Consumer Packaging and Labelling Regulations;

(b) a statement, on any part of the label, setting out the sweetness per serving, expressed in terms of the amount of sugar required to produce an equivalent degree of sweetness; and

(c) a statement setting out the acesulfame-potassium content expressed in milligrams per serving of stated size.

(2) The label of a food that is a table-top sweetener that contains acesulfame-potassium may carry the word "Low-Calorie" if the energy value of a serving of the sweetener that is equivalent in sweetness to one teaspoon (5 g) of sugar is no greater than two calories. SOR/94-625, s. 3; SOR/2003-11, s. 12.

B.01.021. (1) The label of a food that contains erythritol shall carry a statement indicating the amount of erythritol expressed in grams per serving of stated size unless the label carries a nutrition facts table.

(2) The statement of the amount of erythritol shall be grouped together with the statement of the amount of any other sugar alcohols and the amount of polydextrose.
SOR/2004-261, s. 1.

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Guiding Principles for Labelling and Advertising by the Canadian Food and Beverage Industry

Guide to Food Labelling and Advertising

9.2 Sweeteners and Sweetening Agents [Division 1, FDR]

Section B.01.001, FDR defines "sweetener" as any food additive listed as a sweetener in Table IX to B.16.100. Examples of sweeteners are aspartame, sorbitol, and maltitol.

"Sweetening agent" includes any food for which a standard is provided in Division 18 of the FDR, but does not include those food additives listed in the table to Division 16 [B.01.001]. Examples of sweetening agents are sugar, honey and molasses.

9.2.1 Aspartame, Sucralose and Acesulfame-Potassium [Divisions 1, 16, FDR]

Aspartame, sucralose, and acesulfame-potassium are sweeteners approved for use in foods under the Food and Drug Regulations [see B.01.014 and B.01.015 for labelling of aspartame, B.01.016 and B.01.017 for sucralose and B.01.019 and B.01.020 for acesulfame-potassium]. The label of a food that contains any of these sweeteners shall carry:

a)       a statement on the principal display panel that the food "contains (name of the sweetener)" or is "sweetened with (name of the sweetener)", in letters of at least the same size and prominence as required for the numbers used in the numerical portion of the net quantity declaration as per Section 14, CPLR

b)        if any of these sweeteners is used in conjunction with another sweetener or sweetening agent, including those in Division 18, a statement on the principal display panel that the food "contains" or is "sweetened with (name of the sweetener and [name of the other sweetener or sweetening agent])", e.g., "sweetened with aspartame and sucralose" or "contains aspartame and xylitol" or "sweetened with aspartame, fructose and sugar", in letters of at least the same size and prominence as required for the numbers in the numerical portion of net quantity declaration;

c)        a Nutrition Facts table (to comply with the new nutrition labelling regulations);
or
the nutrition information set out in B.01.014 to B.01.019 (to comply with the previous regulations), see 5.2 of this
Guide, Transitional Period.

d)       the (name of the sweetener) content expressed in milligrams per serving of stated size on any part of the label, except in the Nutrition Facts table, grouped together with the ingredient list [B.01.008(1)];

e)        in the case of aspartame, a statement grouped together with the ingredient list [B.01.008(1)], that aspartame contains phenylalanine;

f)          in the case of a food that is a tabletop sweetener that contains aspartame, sucralose or acesulfame-potassium, either singly or in combination, in addition to the information in (a), (c), (d) and (e) above, the label:

shall carry, a statement of the sweetness per serving expressed in terms of the amount of sugar needed to produce an equivalent degree of sweetness, grouped with the ingredient list [B.01.008(1)];

may carry the words "low-calorie" if the energy value of a serving of the sweetener that is equivalent in sweetness to 5 g (one teaspoon) of sugar is no greater than two Calories [B.01.015, B.01.017, B.01.020].

Distributed by Aspartame Poisoning Information Canada
308-40 Bay Mills Blvd - Toronto - ON - Canada -MIT3P5

Tel: 416-754-1177  -  E-mail CONTACT US  -  Web site: www.aspartame.ca
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