Fortification is a process by which vitamins, mineral nutrients and amino acids are added to foods to provide consumers with sufficient but not excessive amounts of certain nutrients in their diet.
The Food and Drug Regulations (FDR) set the framework for fortification of foods, including which foods are required or permitted to be fortified, and the applicable conditions. The requirements and voluntary permissions for fortification are set out under:
- Part B of the FDR, and
- Part D, Division 3 of the FDR
Section D.03.002 of the FDR lists which vitamins, minerals or amino acids can be added to specific foods. This information is outlined in more detail in the table Foods to which vitamins, mineral nutrients and amino acids may or must be added.
Note: Supplemented foods (SFs) are prepackaged foods that are permitted to contain supplemental ingredients including added vitamins, mineral nutrients, amino acids, or other supplemental ingredients for reasons other than for fortification purposes. SFs have conditions of use (for example: cautionary labelling) [B.29.002, FDR]. Unlike fortified foods, these products may not be suitable for consumption at will or for vulnerable populations such as children, pregnant or breastfeeding women. For more information, consult Supplemented foods.
Requirements
Mandatory fortification
For some foods, fortification is mandatory. Many provisions in Part B of the FDR prohibit the sale of specific foods unless these contain a specific amount of certain vitamins, minerals and/or amino acids, and thus require the foods to be fortified. For example, section B.08.005 of the FDR requires the addition of vitamin A and vitamin D, including the acceptable amounts, to specific dairy products for which a standard is set out in volume 7 of the Canadian Food Compositional Standards (CFCS) document, such as skim milk and partly skimmed milk for which the level of vitamin D is set to 2 µg/100 ml.
Information on mandatory fortification requirements for some foods is summarized in the table Foods to which vitamins, mineral nutrients and amino acids may or must be added as outlined in section D.03.002 of the regulations.
Voluntary fortification
Voluntary fortification is permitted in the regulations for some foods as outlined in section D.03.002 of the FDR. For more information, refer to the table Foods to which vitamins, mineral nutrients and amino acids may or must be added.
Section D.03.003 of the regulations allows for the fortification of gluten-free foods in specific cases, as well as certain categories of foods for special dietary use (that is, those represented for protein-restricted diets and those represented for low (naming the amino acid) diets). These fortification provisions apply if no standard is prescribed for those foods in the CFCS, and the food is not advertised.
In addition, Temporary Marketing Authorization Letters (TMALs) have been issued by Health Canada to permit the addition of vitamins and minerals to certain foods. TMALs authorize the sale of a food that does not meet one or more of the compositional, packaging, labelling or advertising requirements under the Food and Drugs Act and Regulations. For further information, refer to Health Canada's General guidance document for Temporary Marketing Authorization for Foods. A list of foods that have received Temporary Marketing Authorization Letters is also available on Health Canada's website.
On June 5, 2024, Health Canada published a marketing authorization (MA) to permit the voluntary vitamin D fortification of yogurt (including drinkable yogurt) and kefir made from dairy products.