From outer space? Sask. farmers baffled after discovering strange wreckage in field
A family of fifth generation farmers from Ituna, Sask. are trying to find answers after discovering several strange objects lying on their land.
Canada will require nutrition warnings on the front of pre-packaged food with high levels of saturated fat, sugar or sodium starting in 2026 in an effort to help grocery shoppers make healthier choices with just a glance.
The policy, more than five years in the making, will clearly label products with the so-called "nutrients of public health concern" that have been linked to conditions such as cardiovascular disease and Type 2 diabetes.
"These regulations are designed to make it easier for us to make informed, healthier choices," Health Minister Jean-Yves Duclos said at a news conference Thursday morning.
Health Canada said the new labels will complement, rather than replace, the more detailed nutrition information that's typically on the back of food packaging.
In general, they'll be placed on pre-packaged foods that contain more than 15 per cent of the suggested daily value of saturated fat, sugars or sodium.
For pre-packaged meals, the warnings will only go on items with more than 30 per cent of the recommended daily intake, and for foods sold in increments of less than 30 grams, the labels will apply if they contain more than 10 per cent of the daily recommendation.
The proposed labels were at the centre of controversy earlier this month when a group of ranchers opposed the government's plan to include warnings on ground meat.
At the time, the Canadian Cattlemen's Association said the policy would "vilify" ground meat and make people think it's a less healthy choice than whole cuts.
Now, Health Canada has exempted single-ingredient ground meat from the warning labels, even if it's high in fat. The product was deemed to have health benefits in spite of the "nutrients of concern," along with milk, many cheeses and fruit.
"Canadian families rely on ground beef as a nutritious and affordable food staple and an important contributor to food security. We are pleased with Health Canada's decision to omit ground beef from requiring a misleading warning label," Canadian Cattlemen's Association President Reg Schellenberg said in a written statement.
Packages of sugar and salt will also be exempt, as the government said including labels on such products would be redundant.
The plan to put warnings on the front of food packages was first floated as part of Health Canada's "healthy eating strategy" in 2016, and consultations continued in 2018.
But Duclos said the government is giving companies until 2026 to implement the change to help them manage the cost of packaging overhauls and potentially reformulate food so they won't be subject to the labels at all.
He said that's one of the program's goals, which came to pass in Chile when that country mandated similar front-of-packaging labels.
A year after implementation, Health Canada said, the proportion of products in Chile required to carry the symbols was significantly reduced, suggesting companies changed their recipes to reduce sugar, fat and salt.
The regulation has seals of approval from the Heart and Stroke Foundation and Diabetes Canada.
Mary L'Abbe, a professor with the University of Toronto's department of nutritional sciences and expert in public health nutrition, said she's also pleased with the policy.
She said a shopper choosing between two spaghetti sauces will now be able to quickly tell if one is considerably healthier than the other and make a choice accordingly.
"We know most consumers don't, in the grocery store, spend the time to turn packages over to compare one nutrition facts table to the other, so it will really help them make those comparisons," she said.
L'Abbe said research shows that after these warnings are added, people are more likely to choose foods lower in sugar, salt and fat.
While it's too soon to say whether it's making a difference in levels of diet-related health conditions, she said, modelling suggests that it will if people continue to make these choices.
"Some products, people will always consume even if they do have warning labels," L'Abbe said, giving the example of processed meat, which is a convenient and cheap option for many.
"I don't think people will change all their food habits, but I think many of the categories where foods will have front-of-pack labels, it will be easy to spot the ones that do (have a warning label) and the ones that don't. And that's the type of change that has been seen in other countries."
This report by The Canadian Press was first published June 30, 2022.
A family of fifth generation farmers from Ituna, Sask. are trying to find answers after discovering several strange objects lying on their land.
The National Post is reporting that Rex Murphy, the pundit and columnist who hosted a national call-in radio show for decades, has died.
Another suspect is in custody in connection with the gold heist at Toronto Pearson International Airport last year, police say.
Careful attention to government statements and legislation is required to get a handle on the level of risk British Columbians’ information is under, as investigators probe multiple breaches under a continued barrage of attacks.
A southwestern Ontario woman has received an $8,400 bill from a hospital in Windsor, Ont., after she refused to put her mother in a nursing home she hated -- and she says she has no intention of paying it.
A Conservative government led by Pierre Poilievre would not legislate on, nor use the notwithstanding clause, on abortion, his office says, as anti-abortion protesters gather on Parliament Hill.
Hailey and Justin Bieber are going to be parents. The couple announced the news on Thursday on Instagram, both sharing a video that showcases Hailey Bieber's growing belly.
Studies have shown that ultraprocessed foods can have a detrimental impact on health. But 30 years of research show they don’t all have the same impact.
The Oscar-winning team behind the nearly US$6 billion blockbuster 'Lord of the Rings' and 'The Hobbit' trilogies is reuniting to produce two new films.
A Listowel, Ont. man, drafted by the Hamilton Tigercats last week, is also getting looks from the NFL, despite only playing 27 games of football in his life.
A small Ajax dessert shop that recently received a glowing review from celebrity food critic Keith Lee is being forced to move after a zoning complaint was made following the social media influencer’s visit last month.
The Canada Science and Technology Museum is inviting visitors to explore their poop. A new exhibition opens at the Ottawa museum on Friday called, 'Oh Crap! Rethinking human waste.'
The Regina Police Service says it is the first in Saskatchewan and possibly Canada to implement new technology in its detention facility that will offer real-time monitoring of detainees’ vital health metrics.
The stakes have been set for a bet between Vancouver and Edmonton's mayors on who will win Round 2 of the Stanley Cup playoffs.
A grieving mother is hosting a helmet drive in the hopes of protecting children on Manitoba First Nations from a similar tragedy that killed her daughter.
A chicken farmer near Mattawa made an 'eggstraordinary' find Friday morning when she discovered one of her hens laid an egg close to three times the size of an average large chicken egg.
A P.E.I. lighthouse and a New Brunswick river are being honoured in a Canada Post series.
An Ontario man says he paid more than $7,700 for a luxury villa he found on a popular travel website -- but the listing was fake.