Steps for making a nutrient content claim

Nutrient content claims are statements or expressions which describe, directly or indirectly, the level of a nutrient or energy in a food or a group of foods. The regulations apply whether foods are sold to the trade, at retail, at restaurants or to other food service establishments.

The objectives of the Food and Drug Regulations (FDR) are to help consumers to make informed dietary choices in order to prevent injury to health. These regulations limit the types of claims that can be made and prescribe the conditions that a food must meet in order to make claims, allowing consumers to easily compare foods based on consistent information.

Below are the general steps associated with making a compliant nutrient content claim. Each step provides a link to the appropriate section for further information.

Step 1: Check the requirements for making a nutrient content claim to ensure that the claim is permitted on a given product.

Step 2: Pick the desired claim category and ensure it meets the specific nutrient content claim requirements as laid out in the FDR:

• Energy and calorie claims
• Protein claims
• Fat claims
• Saturated fatty acid claims
• Trans fatty acid claims
• Omega-3 and omega-6 polyunsaturated fatty acid claims
• Cholesterol claims
• Sodium (salt) claims
• Potassium claims
• Carbohydrate and sugars claims
• Dietary fibre claims
• Vitamin and mineral nutrient claims
• "Light" claims
• Quantitative Declarations Outside the Nutrition Facts Table

Step 3: Ensure the claim meets the conditions for making a nutrient content claim.

Step 4: Ensure the claim is not an implied nutrient content claim.

Step 5: Verify if there is information triggered by making a claim on your product.

Step 6: If making the claim in an advertisement, ensure the applicable advertising requirements for nutrient content claim are met.