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Food Product Innovation initiative: summary of changes

Amendments for standard container sizes

Certain standard container sizes were removed. The remaining standard container sizes have been incorporated by reference (IBR) into the standard container sizes IBR, which can be found in the Inventory of documents incorporated by reference.

The Automated Import Reference System (AIRS) is in the process of being updated to reflect these changes.

All standard container sizes were removed for these foods

Standard container sizes have been added for the following foods

Test marketing authorizations

When the Safe Food for Canadians Regulations came into force, test market provisions were expanded to apply to all foods and the Canadian Food Inspection Agency used 1 common process and set of criteria for all commodities to test the viability of foods on the Canadian market. This process is now scoped to testing the viability of new foods on the Canadian market that have not previously been sold in Canada in that form and which differ substantially from any other food sold in Canada with respect to its composition, function, condition or packaging form.

For more information see the guidance on test marketing authorizations.

Incorporation by reference of ingredient common names (class names)

The list of mandatory ingredient common names and optional class names previously in regulations has been incorporated by reference (IBR) into the common names for ingredients and components IBR, which can be found in the Inventory of documents incorporated by reference. Changes were minimal:

True nature requirements

Requirements on the true nature of the food have replaced many prescriptive requirements for labelling of specific commodities. Under this rule, if a prepackaged food is likely to be mistaken for another food, words describing its true nature must appear on the principal display panel.

For more information see the guidance on true nature, and the terms removed from the Safe Food for Canadians Regulations and Food and Drug Regulations.

Descriptive words, expressions and identification names for specific foods

Certain commodity specific requirements were removed. Those that remain (for example firmness and ripening characteristics of cheese, colour of canned tuna, products packed in syrup) have been incorporated by reference (IBR) into the descriptive words, expressions and identification names for specific foods IBR, which can be found in the Inventory of documents incorporated by reference.

Terms removed from the Safe Food for Canadians Regulations and Food and Drug Regulations

These may still be used on labels to describe products, but are repealed from the regulations.

Fish and fish products

Honey

Meat and poultry products

Processed egg products

Processed fruit or vegetable products

Water

Other changes

Other amendments to the Safe Food for Canadians Regulations (SFCR) have been included in this regulatory package for publication in the Canada Gazette, Part II. These amendments would clarify that licensing provisions of the SFCR do not apply to the preparation of food by restaurants and similar enterprises.

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