Canada Food Allergy Label Changes Come Into Effect

New food labelling regulations apply to priority allergens, gluten and sulphites. The regulations were announced in February 2011. After an 18-month phase-in, packaged foods must clearly list allergens using common names, like "milk" instead of "hydrolyzed casein."

6 Aug 2012 --- Health Canada's new food labelling regulations, which came into force on Saturday, will make it easier for people with food allergies, their families and caregivers to determine which products to avoid.

The regulations were announced in February 2011. After an 18-month phase-in, packaged foods must clearly list allergens using common names, like "milk" instead of "hydrolyzed casein."

The new rules apply to priority allergens in foods known to cause 90 per cent of reactions:

•  Peanuts.

•  Eggs.

•  Milk.

•  Tree nuts (almonds, brazil nuts, cashews, hazelnuts, macadamia nuts, pecans, pine nuts, pistachios, walnuts).

•  Soy.

•  Sesame seeds.

•  Seafood (fish, crustaceans and shellfish).

•  Sulphites.

•  Mustard seed.

•  Glutens (oats, barley and rye).

•  Wheat (as a food).

The rules will require a listing of allergens in smaller components of the product. For example, if a product includes "spices," the label must list any allergens, glutens or sulphites contained in the spices.

Food allergies can trigger anaphylaxis, a life-threatening condition in which a person's immune system identifies foods as a threat, and attacks it. Symptoms can include blood pressure drops, narrowing of the airways and hives.

Marilyn Allen of Sutton, Ont., has been a driving force behind the food label changes for more than a decade. Allen is a founder of Anaphylaxis Canada, an advocacy group for people with food allergies. Her daughter, Robyn Lyn, died from her food allergies in 1990 at age 15.

Under the new regulations, packaged food companies have the option of either putting an allergen in the list of ingredients or adding a line with the word "contains X."

"It is going to require allergic people to look for the 'contain' statement," advised Allen, a food allergy consultant. "If it's absent, never assume. Then go back and read the ingredient list to make sure there’s been enough space on the label for that company to repeat that message twice."