Health Canada’s Nutrition Facts Table Nutrient Changes Part 2

With Health Canada’s final label ruling, a number of changes have been implemented into the Nutrition Facts tables, particularly with regard to Daily Value (DV) figures.

Daily values are reference amounts of nutrients to consume or not to exceed and are the reference points upon
which the % daily value in the nutrition facts table are based.

Below is a short summary of newly established nutrient DVs and the nutrients whose DVs have decreased. Check out Canada’s Nutrition Facts Label Nutrient Changes Part 1  to see the summary of nutrients whose DVs have increased.

Nutrient DV + Unit Changes

Sodium The DV for Sodium (a core label nutrient) has decreased from 2400 mg to 2300 mg. According to the research, high sodium intake is associated with high blood pressure, and subsequent risk of heart disease, stroke, and mortality.

Vitamin A was a core nutrient and is now an additional label nutrient. If Vitamin A is listed on the new nutrition table it must be listed in mcg of Retinol Activity Equivalents (RAE), which is a change in units from the pre-existing label, where Vitamin A was listed in RE units. The new unit more accurately reflects the conversion of carotenoids to vitamin A in the body. The conversion factors are:

• 1 RAE = 1 mcg retinol
• 1 RAE = 12 mcg beta-carotene

New Nutrients + DV’s

Sugar is a core nutrient with a newly established DV standard of 100 g.

Choline has been added as a new additional nutrient with a DV of 550 mg. In the pre-existing regulations, Choline was not allowed on the Nutrition Facts panel at all.

For a more extensive list of nutrient changes, click here.

Learn More!

Learn more about recent changes and updates to food labelling regulations in Canada, check out the Finalized Health Canada Food Labelling Changes blog post, or see how to use Genesis Foods to easily create Health Canada Compliant Labels for your products.