1560; Understanding Food - Module 12

Which laws regulate food labelling in Canada?

The Food and Drug Regulations and the Safe Food for Canadians Regulations.

What is prohibited in food labelling?

Deceptive labelling is prohibited.

What must food labels include?

Net quantity, identity, origin, dates, storage instructions, ingredients, allergens, and Nutrition Facts.

Who enforces food labelling laws in Canada?

The CFIA and Health Canada.

What was the purpose of the 2016 labelling changes?

To support healthier eating as part of a national initiative.

When did the food industry have to comply with new labelling rules?

By 2021

How are ingredients listed on food labels?

In descending order by weight.

Which ingredients may be listed without order at the end?

Spices, flavours, additives, vitamins, and minerals.

What are manufacturer’s claims used for?

Marketing purposes.

What are the two types of manufacturer’s claims?

Nutrient content claims and diet-related health claims.

What is the difference between labelling requirements and claims?

Requirements are mandatory while claims are optional.

What rule of thumb applies to health claims on packaging?

More health claims often indicate less healthy food.

What were the original goals of organic farming?

Environmental protection, social justice, and biological diversity.

How has organic farming changed over time?

It has been largely taken over by large agribusinesses.

When were Canadian organic standards introduced?

In 2009.

What percentage is required to label a product “organic”?

At least 95% organic content.

What label is used for 70–95% organic content?

“Contains xx% organic ingredients.”

What happens if a product has less than 70% organic content?

Organic ingredients can only be listed in the ingredient list.

What farming practices are banned in organic plant production?

Pesticides, artificial fertilizers, and sewage sludge.

What practices are banned in organic animal production?

Antibiotics, hormones, and non-organic feed.

What processing methods are banned in organic foods?

Synthetic additives, irradiation, GMOs, and cloning.

What are observational studies?

Studies that observe without intervening.

What do observational studies show?

Correlation, not causation.

What are examples of observational studies?

Epidemiological, case, and cohort studies.

What are common errors in observational studies?

Bias, small samples, short duration, and unreliable reporting.

What are intervention studies?

Studies where researchers manipulate a variable to test effects.

What do intervention studies aim to show?

Cause-and-effect relationships.

What is the gold standard of intervention studies?

Double-blind randomized controlled trials.

What is the placebo effect?

When subjects respond due to belief rather than treatment.

What is a meta-study?

A statistical analysis of multiple studies.

What limits meta-studies?

Study quality, design differences, and analysis complexity.

What is the lipid hypothesis?

Saturated fat increases LDL and risk of heart disease.

What is the glycemic index?

A measure of how quickly food raises blood sugar.

What is the glycemic index of glucose?

100.

What is glycemic load?

Carbohydrates multiplied by GI divided by 100.

What is BMI used for?

Estimating body weight relative to height.

What is the BMI formula?

Weight in kg divided by height in meters squared.

What is a healthy BMI range?

18.5 to 24.9.

What BMI indicates obesity?

Above 29.9.

What waist size increases health risk for men?

Above 94 cm.

What waist size increases health risk for women?

Above 80 cm.

What is the main guideline of an enlightened eater?

Eat food, not too much, mostly vegetables.

What is Hara Hachi Bu?

Eating until 80% full.

What is the key limitation of nutrition science?

Human nutrition is complex and hard to study.

What is a key error in observational studies?

Bias and unreliable self-reporting.