Making a nutrient content claim on food labels
Implied nutrient content claims

The Food and Drug Regulations specify that implied claims that characterize the energy value of the food or the amount of nutrient contained in the food are prohibited [B.01.502(1), FDR].

Some examples of implied nutrient content claims are:

• "non-hydrogenated";
• "cooked in non-hydrogenated oil";
• "Omega -3";
• "energy bar";
• "demi-sel/semi-salted butter";
• "fibre cereal".

Implied nutrient content claims are not acceptable on their own; they must immediately be preceded or followed by the permitted claim found in the table following B.01.513 of the FDR. The provision for the use of implied claims is found in section B.01.511 of the FDR, which allows for other words, numbers, signs or symbols that do not change the nature of the claim to precede or follow the statements or claims in the table following B.01.513 of the FDR. All of the criteria for the claim in the table following B.01.513 must also be met (see Altering the Wording of Permitted Nutrient Content Claims and Specific Nutrient Content Claim Requirements.

Other implied claims will be evaluated on a case-by-case basis to assess whether they change the nature of the prescribed nutrient content claim.

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