Week 2: Food & Natural Heath Product Labels

Question 1

Describe how natural health product labelling differs from food labels

Answer 1

Natural health products do not need a nutritional facts table; has natural product number

Question 2

What are the food label requirements in Canada?

Answer 2

o name of product
o weight of product
o date by which the product should be sold (if perishable)
o name of manufacturer, packager or distributor
o list of ingredients
o nutrition facts table

Question 3

What does FOP stand for and what is its purpose?

Answer 3

front of packaging
- proposed labelling that tells consumer there is high in one or more saturated fat, free sugars, or sodium

Question 4

What are some additional claims that may appear on food labels?

Answer 4

-nutrient content
-disease risk reduction
- nutrient function

Question 5

Who regulates food labelling in Canada?

Answer 5

Canadian Food inspection agency

Question 6

what does the Natural Health Products Directorate of Health Canada regulate?

Answer 6

o vitamin and mineral supplements
o natural health products
o herbal remedies
o traditional medicines
o homeopathic products

Question 7

What must natural health product labels include?

Answer 7

• product name
• product license holder
• NPN (natural product number)
• DIN-HM (homeopathic number)
• medicinal & non-med. ingredients
• dosage form
• recommended use/purpose
• risk info

Question 8

What does it mean when the descriptor “free” is used on a food label?

Answer 8

product contains no amount of/trivial amount of nutrient

Question 9

What does it mean when the descriptor “low” is used on a food label?

Answer 9

specific definitions for each nutrient is established
fat ( <=3g/serving)
cholesterol (<20mg/serving)
sodium (<140 mg/100g of food)

Question 10

What does it mean when the descriptor (extra) “lean” is used on a food label?

Answer 10

food contains <10g fat/100g
extra lean is <7.5g fat/100g

Question 11

What does it mean when the descriptor “source of” is used on a food label?

Answer 11

food contains more than 5% of DV of stated nutrient

Question 12

What does it mean when the descriptor “good source of” is used on a food label?

Answer 12

food contains more than 15%/serving for DV of nutrient
(excluding vitamin C - has to be >30%)

Question 13

What does it mean when the descriptor “excellent source of” is used on a food label?

Answer 13

food contains >25% for DV of nutrient (except vit.C)
(aka “high”, “rich”)

Question 14

What does it mean when the descriptor “reduced” is used on a food label?

Answer 14

nutritionally altered to less than 25% of nutrient

Question 15

What does it mean when the descriptor “light” is used on a food label?

Answer 15

sodium ( reduced by 50%)
similar to “reduced”

Question 16

What is the compositional criteria for “good source of calcium”?

Answer 16

200 mg calcium/serving

Question 17

What is the compositional criteria for “low in sodium”?

Answer 17

less than 140 mg sodium/serving
more than 350 potassium/serving

Question 18

the reduction of what helps reduce the risk of heart disease?

Answer 18

saturated and trans fat

Question 19

What helps to reduce risk of some types of cancer?

Answer 19

diet rich in variety of veggies and fruits

Question 20

What are disease risk reduction and therapeutic claims?

Answer 20

-calcium and osteoporosis
-sodium and high blood pressure
-saturated/ trans fat risk; risk of coronary heart disease
-fruits/veggies & cancer
- foods low in starch/fermented sugars and dental caries
-plant sterols and cholesterol

Question 21

What differences are in the new nutritional facts table?

Answer 21

• serving size stands out more; more similar on similar foods
  -DVs updated
  -updated list of minerals of public health concern
  -calories are larger/bolded
  -mg amts shown
• new % DV footnote