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Notice
On November 4, 2023, Health Canada and the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) pre-published in the Canada Gazette, Part I the Regulations Amending Certain Regulations Concerning Food Additives, Compositional Standards, Microbiological Criteria and Methods of Analysis. As part of this initiative, the following volume of the Canadian Standards of Identity is being amended to:
- change the definitions for "gelling agent" and "agent de remplissage" to refer to the proposed List of Permitted Emulsifying, Gelling, Stabilizing or Thickening Agents.
- change references to a section of the Food and Drug Regulations to refer to a section of the proposed Canadian Food Compositional Standards (i.e. referred to by its defined term, the Food Compositional Standards document).
How to provide comments on this document
To learn more about this regulatory proposal, including how to provide feedback on this document, please go to Consultation on the proposed Regulations Amending Certain Regulations Concerning Food Additives and Compositional Standards, Microbiological Criteria and Methods of Analysis for Food.
Date published: November 4, 2023
Interpretation
1. The following definitions apply in this Volume.
"cured", in respect of an edible meat product, means that salt and at least 100 p.p.m. of sodium nitrite, potassium nitrite, sodium nitrate or potassium nitrate, or any combination of them, has been added to the meat product. (saumuré)
"filler" means milk, egg, yeast or vegetable material, or any derivative or combination of them, that is edible and that is not visibly distinguishable after it is added to the edible meat product. It includes seasoning in the circumstances set out in paragraph 23(c) but does not include beetroot, tomato or food additives other than modified starches. (agent de remplissage)
"finely textured meat" means an edible meat product that is obtained by removing most of the bone and cartilage from a comminuted meat product from which the bone and cartilage was not previously removed and that does not contain skin, more than 0.15% calcium or any bones or bone fragments larger than 1.5 mm in size and a maximum of 20% of the bone particles larger than 1 mm in size. (viande finement texturée)
"fresh" means not preserved or cooked. (frais)
"gelling agent" means a food additive that is authorized under the Food and Drugs Act to be used as a gelling agent and that is applied to the food in accordance with the conditions set out in the List of Permitted Emulsifying, Gelling, Stabilizing or Thickening Agents. (agent gélatinisant)
"ham" means the edible meat product that is derived from the hind leg of a dressed swine carcass above the tarsal joint. (jambon)
"headmeat" includes pork scalps and snouts. (viande de tête)
"meat" means the edible part of a carcass that is the muscle associated with the skeleton, tongue, diaphragm, heart, gizzard or mammalian oesophagus, with or without accompanying and overlying fat, together with those parts of the bones, skin, sinews, nerves, blood vessels and other tissues that normally accompany the muscle and are not ordinarily removed in dressing a carcass, but does not include the muscle associated with the lips, snout, scalp or ears, mechanically separated meat or meat to which an ingredient other than meat has been added; (viande)
"meat by-product" means the edible blood of a food animal or an edible organ or tissue that is derived from the carcass of a food animal. It does not include meat, finely textured meat or mechanically separated meat. (sous-produit de viande)
"meat product" has the same meaning as Part 1 of the Safe Food for Canadians Regulations (produit de viande)
"meat product extender" means a food that is a source of protein and that is represented as being for the purpose of extending meat products. (allongeur de produit de viande)
"mechanically separated meat" means an edible meat product that is obtained by removing most of the bone and cartilage from a comminuted meat product from which the bone and cartilage was not previously removed and that does not contain more than 0.027% calcium for every 1% protein or any bones or bone fragments larger than 2 mm. (viande séparée mécaniquement)
"preserved" means, in respect of an edible meat product, salted, pickled, dried, cured, smoked or treated by other similar means permitted by the Regulations, but does not include refrigerated or frozen. (conservé)
"render" means to extract fat from fatty tissue by the application of heat. (fondre)
"seasoning" and "spices" means the seasonings and spices that are referred to in Volume 6 of the Food Compositional Standards Document. (assaisonnement et épices)
"SFCR" means the Safe Food for Canadians Regulations. (RSAC)
"sweetening agent" has the same meaning as in subsection B.01.001(1) of the Food and Drug Regulations. (agent édulcorant)
General Standards
2. The meat product protein content of an edible meat product must be calculated exclusively on the basis of the protein derived from meat, finely textured meat, mechanically separated meat, and meat by-products that are permitted as ingredients under section 5.
3. An edible meat product, other than white pudding or haggis or an edible meat product set out in column 1 of Table 2, that contains a filler must contain not less than
- (a) in the case of an uncooked meat product, 9.5% meat product protein and 11% total protein; and
- (b) in the case of a cooked meat product, 11.5% meat product protein and 13% total protein.
4. An edible meat product to which a meat product extender has been added must have
- (a) if the meat product resembles an uncooked sausage,
- (i) a protein content of not less than 9%, and
- (ii) a fat content of not more than 40%;
- (b) if the meat product resembles a potted meat,
- (i) a protein content of not less than 9%, and
- (ii) a fat content of not more than 30%; and
- (c) if the meat product resembles any other meat product set out in column 1 of Table 2 and if no protein content requirement is set out in column 5 of Table 2 for that meat product, a protein content of not less than 16% and
- (i) if it does not contain poultry meat, a fat content of not more than 25%, and
- (ii) if it does contain poultry meat, a fat content of not more than 15%.
5. An edible meat product that has been cooked or dehydrated – or to which has been added any substance other than meat, finely textured meat, a meat by-product or mechanically separated meat – must not contain as an ingredient any meat by-product except the following:
- (a) liver, fatty tissue, rumen, reticulum, omasum, abomasum, swine stomach, blood or an element of blood or blood product;
- (b) beef kidney, if it is added in accordance with item 2 of Part B of Table 2;
- (c) pork skin, if it is added in accordance with paragraph 23(f); and
- (d) poultry skin, if it is added in accordance with paragraph 23(i).
Standards for Poultry Carcasses
6. The standards set out in sections 7 to 19 apply to poultry carcasses that are dressed or partially dressed and have been graded under the SFCR.
7. (1) Chicken is a carcass of the species Gallus domesticus that has flexible cartilage at the posterior end of the breast bone or keel bone, tender meat and soft skin of smooth texture.
(2) Despite subsection (1), chicken does not include chicken capon or Rock Cornish hen.
8. Chicken Capon is a carcass of a male of the species Gallus domesticus whose testes were surgically removed before it was six weeks old, that has flexible cartilage at the posterior end of the breast bone or keel bone, tender meat and soft skin of smooth texture.
9. Rock Cornish Hen is a carcass, weighing not more than 900 g, of the female of the species
10. Mature Chicken is a carcass of a female of the species Gallus domesticus that does not have flexible cartilage at the posterior end of the breast bone or keel bone, tender meat or soft skin of smooth texture.
11. Old Rooster is a carcass of the male of the species Gallus domesticus that does not have flexible cartilage at the posterior end of the breast bone or keel bone, tender meat or soft skin of smooth texture.
12. Young Duck is a carcass of a duck that has flexible cartilage at the posterior end of the breast bone or keel bone, tender meat and soft skin of smooth texture.
13. Mature Duck is a carcass of a duck that does not have flexible cartilage at the posterior end of the breast bone or keel bone, tender meat or soft skin of smooth texture.
14. Young Guinea is a carcass of a guinea fowl that has flexible cartilage at the posterior end of the breast bone or keel bone, tender meat and soft skin of smooth texture.
15. Mature Guinea is a carcass of a guinea fowl that does not have flexible cartilage at the posterior end of the breast bone or keel bone, tender meat or soft skin of smooth texture.
16. Young Goose is a carcass of a goose that has flexible cartilage at the posterior end of the breast bone or keel bone, tender meat and soft skin of smooth texture.
17. Mature Goose is a carcass of a goose that does not have flexible cartilage at the posterior end of the breast bone or keel bone, tender meat or soft skin of smooth texture.
18. Young Turkey is a carcass of a turkey that has flexible cartilage at the posterior end of the breast bone or keel bone, tender meat and soft skin of smooth texture.
19. Mature Turkey is a carcass of a turkey that does not have flexible cartilage at the posterior end of the breast bone or keel bone, tender meat or soft skin of smooth texture.
20. (1) Subject to subsection (2), a dressed poultry carcass of the species and weight set out in column 1 of Table 1 may not have its original weight increased by more than the percentage set out in column 2 as a result of washing, chilling or other contact with water in an establishment identified in a licence or during transportation from one such establishment to another such establishment.
(2) In the case of a dressed poultry carcass that is not packaged in an establishment identified in a licence as an edible consumer prepackaged meat product, the applicable maximum weight increase must not be more than 4% greater than the maximum weight increase set out in column 2 of Table 1.
| Item | Column 1 Species and Weight of Dressed Poultry Carcass |
Column 2 Maximum Weight Increase |
|---|---|---|
| 1(a) | Turkey, under 4.5 kg | 8% |
| 1(b) | Turkey, 4.5 kg to under 9 kg | 6% |
| 1(c) | Turkey, 9 kg and over | 5.5% |
| 2(a) | Chicken, under 2.3 kg | 8% |
| 2(b) | Chicken, 2.3 kg and over | 6% |
| 3 | All other species, irrespective of weight | 6% |
Standards for Specific Edible Meat Products Set out in Table 2
21. An edible meat product set out in column 1 of Table 2
- (a) must contain the ingredients that are set out in column 2;
- (b) may contain any ingredients that are set out in column 3, subject to any conditions that are specified;
- (c) must be subjected to the treatments and processes that are set out in column 4; and
- (d) must comply with any maximum or minimum content requirements that are set out in column 5, together with any other requirements that are set out in that column.
22. (1) The common name of an edible meat product set out in any of items 6 to 9, 15, 17, 19, 25 and 32, column 1, of Part A and any of items 1, 7, 9 to 11 and 13, column 1, of Part B of Table 2 may include, in place of the word "meat", the name of the relevant animal species, as it is commonly known, or the name of the cut of meat of the animal.
(2) If a gelling agent is added to an edible meat product set out in any of items 12, 17, 18, 19, 20, 25 to 27, 30 and 31, column 1, of Part A of Table 2 in an amount exceeding 0.25% of the meat product, the common name of the meat product must refer to the addition of the gelling agent.
(3) If an edible meat product set out in column 1 of Table 2 is subjected to a treatment or process that is not commonly used for that meat product, the common name of the meat product must refer to the use of the treatment or process.
23. The following rules of interpretation apply to Table 2:
- (a) unless otherwise specified, any ingredient set out in column 2 or 3 that is an edible meat product may be fresh, preserved or cooked;
- (b) unless otherwise specified, an amount set out in column 5 represents a percentage of the finished edible meat product set out in column 1;
- (c) if the addition of seasoning to an edible meat product set out in column 1 contributes more than 1% of the protein content in the finished edible meat product, the added seasoning is considered to be a filler;
- (d) if a filler is permitted as an optional ingredient in an edible meat product set out in column 1, an ingredient that is not a meat product and does not constitute a filler because it is visually distinguishable after being added to the product may also be added if the common name describes the resulting edible meat product;
- (e) if pork skin is used as an ingredient in an edible meat product set out in column 1 and the underlying tissues normally accompanying pork skin adhere to the skin and have an average thickness of not less than 1.25 cm, the pork skin is considered to be pork meat;
- (f) if pork skin has been separated from the muscle tissue, it may be added to skinless pork in an amount that does not exceed 8% of the combined weight of the pork skin and skinless pork;
- (g) if comminuted boneless pork is used as an ingredient in an edible meat product set out in column 1, naturally adhering skin is considered to be pork meat;
- (h) if boneless poultry meat is used as an ingredient in an edible meat product set out in column 1, naturally adhering skin and fat are considered to be poultry meat;
- (i) if poultry skin has been separated from the muscle tissue, it may be added to skinless poultry in an amount that does not exceed 8% of the combined weight of the poultry skin and skinless poultry; and
- (j) if poultry fat has been separated from the muscle tissue, it may be added to boneless poultry in an amount that does not exceed 4% of the combined weight of the poultry fat and boneless poultry.
Table 2 Standards for Specific Edible Meat Products
| Item | Column 1 Edible Meat Product |
Column 2 Mandatory Ingredients |
Column 3 Optional Ingredients |
Column 4 Mandatory Treatments and Processes |
Column 5 Maximum and Minimum Amounts of Certain Contents, and Other Requirements |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | Regular Ground (naming the species or cut) |
|
None | Comminuted | Max. 30% fat |
| 2. | Medium Ground (naming the species or cut) |
|
None | Comminuted | Max. 23% fat |
| 3. | Lean Ground (naming the species or cut) |
|
None | Comminuted | Max. 17% fat |
| 4. | Extra Lean Ground (naming the species or cut) |
|
None | Comminuted | Max. 10% fat |
| 5. | Mechanically Separated (naming the species or cut) |
|
None | None | Min. 14% protein when sold as fresh meat product labelled for retail sale |
| 6. | Finely Textured (naming the species or cut) |
|
None | None | Min. 14% protein when sold as fresh meat product labelled for retail sale |
| 7. | Meat Pattie |
|
|
Comminuted and formed | Min. 15% meat product protein Min. 16% total protein |
| 8. | Meat Balls (uncooked), Meat Burger (uncooked), Meat Chopette (uncooked), Meat Croquette (uncooked), Meat Cutlette (uncooked), Meat Steakette (uncooked) |
|
|
Comminuted, formed and, if it contains mechanically separated meat, frozen | Min. 11.5% meat product protein Min. 13% total protein |
| 9. | Meat Balls (cooked), Meat Burger (cooked), Meat Chopette (cooked), Meat Croquette (cooked), Meat Cutlette (cooked), Meat Steakette (cooked) |
|
|
Comminuted, formed and cooked | Min. 13.5% meat product protein Min. 15% total protein |
| 10. | Flakes of Meat, Meat Flakes |
|
|
Chunked and cooked | Min. 15% meat product protein Min. 16% total protein In the case of chicken flakes, max. 15% mechanically separated meat that is chicken meat |
| 11. | Sausage (ready-to-eat), Salami, Wiener, Frankfurter, Bologna, Pepperoni, Liver Sausage, Liverwurst, Mortadella, Salametti, Cervelat |
|
|
Comminuted and cured, and one or more of the following: smoked, cooked, dried, fermented | Min. 9.5% meat product protein Min. 11% total protein Min. 25% of the meat product ingredients to be liver, calculated as fresh liver, if common name is liver sausage or liverwurst |
| 12. | Blood Sausage |
|
|
Comminuted and cooked | Min. 9.5% meat product protein Min. 11% total protein |
| 13. | Black Pudding, Blood Pudding |
|
|
Comminuted and cooked | Min. 9.5% meat product protein Min. 11% total protein |
| 14. | Blood and Tongue Sausage |
|
|
Comminuted and cooked | Min. 9.5% meat product protein Min. 11% total protein |
| 15. | Sausage (uncooked), Breakfast Sausage, Dinner Sausage |
|
|
Comminuted and, if it contains mechanically separated meat, frozen | Min. 7.5% meat product protein when sold as fresh meat product Min. 9% total protein when sold as fresh meat product |
| 16. | Sausage Meat |
|
|
Comminuted and, if it contains mechanically separated meat, frozen | Min. 7.5% meat product protein when sold as fresh meat product Min. 9% total protein when sold as fresh meat product |
| 17. | Preserved Sausage, Cured Sausage (if sodium or potassium nitrite or both added) |
|
|
Comminuted and preserved, and, if it contains mechanically separated meat, frozen | Min. 7.5% meat product protein when sold as raw meat product Min. 9% total protein when sold as raw meat product |
| 18. | Potted Meat, Meat Paste, Meat Spread, Meat Pâté |
|
|
Comminuted and cooked | Min. 7.5% meat product protein. Min. 9% total protein |
| 19. | Liver Paste, Liver Spread, Pâté de Foie |
|
|
Comminuted and cooked | Min. 7.5% meat product protein Min. 9% total protein Min. 25% of the meat product ingredients to be liver, calculated as fresh liver, but min. 22% to be liver, calculated as fresh liver, when the meat product is in a hermetically sealed package and commercial sterility has been achieved |
| 20. | Meat Loaf, Meat Lunch, Luncheon Meat |
|
|
Comminuted and cooked, and either cured or frozen | Min. 9.5% meat product protein Min. 11% total protein In the case of chicken loaf, max. 15% chicken skin |
| 21. | Chopped Ham |
|
|
Comminuted, cured and cooked | Min. 12% meat product protein |
| 22. | Corned Beef |
|
|
Cooked and cured | Min. 21% meat product protein when in a hermetically sealed package |
| 23. | Bacon |
|
|
Cured | None |
| 24. | Back Bacon |
|
|
Cured and smoked, with an internal temperature during smoking of no less than 58°C | None |
| 25. | Wiltshire Bacon |
|
|
Cured | None |
| 26. | Meat Roll |
|
|
Formed | Min. 12% meat product protein when the product is cooked and min. 10% meat product protein when the product is uncooked Max. 16% emulsion |
| 27. | Whole (naming the poultry) with Broth |
|
|
Cooked | Min. 50% of the declared net quantity to be dressed poultry carcass when in a hermetically sealed package |
| 28. | Boneless (naming the poultry) |
|
|
Cooked | Min. 50% boneless skinless poultry meat when in a hermetically sealed package |
| 29. | Creton |
|
|
Comminuted and cooked | Min. 11.5% meat product protein Min. 13% total protein |
| 30. | Country-style Creton |
|
|
Comminuted and cooked | Min. 12% meat product protein Min. 13% total protein |
| 31. | Headcheese |
|
|
Comminuted and cooked | Min. 50% of the meat product ingredients to be headmeat |
| 32. | Brawn |
|
|
Comminuted and cooked | None |
| 33. | Meat Balls and Gravy |
|
|
Cooked | Min. 50% meat balls calculated as raw ingredients |
| Item | Column 1 Edible Meat Product |
Column 2 Mandatory Ingredients |
Column 3 Optional Ingredients |
Column 4 Mandatory Treatments and Processes |
Column 5 Maximum and Minimum Amounts of Certain Contents, and Other Requirements |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | Meat Pie |
|
|
Cooked (except for the crust) | Min. 20% of the filling to be meat, calculated as fresh meat |
| 2. | Beef Steak and Kidney Pie, Beef Steak and Kidney Pudding |
|
|
Cooked (except for the crust) | Min. 30% of the filling to be meat product, calculated as fresh meat product |
| 3. | Tourtière |
|
|
Cooked (except for the crust) | Min. 11.5% meat product protein Min. 13% total protein |
| 4. | Wieners and Beans, Wieners with Beans |
|
|
Cooked | Min. 25% wieners |
| 5. | Beans and Wieners, Beans with Wieners |
|
|
Cooked | Min. 10% wieners |
| 6. | Chili con Carne, Chili |
|
|
Comminuted and cooked | Min. 20% boneless meat or mechanically separated meat calculated as raw ingredient Mechanically separated meat to contain min. 14% protein |
| 7. | Meat Stew |
|
|
Cooked | Min. 20% meat calculated as raw ingredient Min. 30% vegetables calculated as raw ingredients |
| 8. | Irish Stew |
|
|
Cooked | Min. 20% meat calculated as raw ingredient Min. 30% vegetables calculated as raw ingredients |
| 9. | Vegetable Stew with Meat |
|
|
Cooked | Min. 12% meat calculated as raw ingredient Min. 38% vegetables calculated as raw ingredients |
| 10. | Meat Dinner, Meat Bourguignon |
|
|
Cooked | Min. 25% meat calculated as raw ingredient Min. 55% meat and vegetables calculated as raw ingredients |
| 11. | Meat Goulash |
|
|
Cooked | Min. 25% meat calculated as raw ingredient Min. 55% meat and vegetables calculated as raw ingredients |
| 12. | Specialty Meat Stew Products (other than meat goulash) |
|
|
Cooked | Min. 25% meat calculated as raw ingredient Min. 55% meat and vegetables calculated as raw ingredients |
| 13. | Meat Ball Stew |
|
|
Cooked | Min. 22% meat balls calculated as raw ingredients Min. 30% vegetables calculated as raw ingredients |
| 14. | Lard |
|
|
Rendered | Relative density of not less than 0.894 and not more than 0.906, calculated with the lard at 40°C and water at 20°C Refractive index of not less than 1.448 and not more than 1.461, calculated using the sodium D-line as the light source and with the lard at 40°C A titre of not less than 32°C and not more than 45°C Saponification value of not less than 192 and not more than 203, expressed as milligrams of potassium hydroxide per gram of fat Iodine value of not less than 45 and not more than 70, calculated using the Wijs test Unsaponifiable matter content of not more than 12 g/kg Acid value of not more than 2.5 mg potassium hydroxide per gram of fat Peroxide value of not more than 16 milliequivalents peroxide oxygen per kilogram of fat Max. 1% substances resulting from the rendering process, other than fatty acids and fat |
| 15. | Leaf Lard |
|
|
Rendered at a high temperature | Same content amounts and requirements as set out in item 14, except that the iodine value is not less than 45 and not more than 65 |
| 16. | Suet |
|
|
None | Relative density of not less than 0.893 and not more than 0.898, calculated with the suet at 40°C and water at 20°C Refractive index of not less than 1.448 and not more than 1.460, calculated using the sodium D-line as the light source and with the suet at 40°C A titre of not less than 42.5°C and not more than 47°C Saponification value of not less than 190 and not more than 200, expressed as milligrams of potassium hydroxide per gram of fat Iodine value of not less than 32 and not more than 47, calculated using the Wijs test Unsaponifiable matter content of not more than 10 g/kg Acid value of not more than 2 mg potassium hydroxide per gram of fat Peroxide value of not more than 10 milliequivalents peroxide oxygen per kilogram of fat When in comminuted form, max. 3% cereal and max. 1% salt |
| 17. | Tallow |
|
|
Rendered | None |
| 18. | Shortening (other than butter or lard) |
|
|
None | Monoglycerides max. 10% of weight of shortening Monoglycerides and diglycerides, whether lactylated or not, max. 20% of weight of shortening Lactylated monoglycerides and lactylated diglycerides max. 8% of weight of shortening |