Kickas.org Forums Ankylosing Spondylitis General Discussion #1 AS Web Support Group Food Labelling Requirements Tightened in Canada

Hey all, this was just announced on CBC, so I thought I'd post the link here. Food manufacturers will now be required to list any food allergens that might be present in their products, including gluten and sulphites! Frankly, it's about time. I cannot tell you how many times I've looked at that nebulous ingredient, 'spices', and wondered what exactly that meant. Now, if one of the allergens is included in those 'spices', it must be specified.

Here's the link to the article: Food Label Requirements

Love and hugs,

Thanks Kat, for the info - it is about time - especially when I have such problems with gluten, and sulfites.

Hugs
Gerri

Accept for small beer companies because it will cost too [url=muchhttps://www.kickas.org/ubbthreads/images/icons/default/eek.gif][url=muchhttps://www.kickas.org/ubbthreads/images/icons/default/eek.gif][url=muchhttps://www.kickas.org/ubbthreads/images/icons/default/eek.gif]muchhttps://www.kickas.org/ubbthreads/images/icons/default/eek.gif[/url][/url][/url]

I love how you give me the Ontario news that I need to be aware of. I watch the late night news the next morning but you usually beat me to the punch! Love ya,

Gerr, the first thing I thought of were the folk here who have so many different issues. It'll take 18 months to phase in, but it'll be worth the wait in the end!

Warm hugs,

Hey Sammee, our Health Minister (this is a Health Canada initiative) was asked why beer ingredients won't have to be itemized, when wine and spirits are. She said that this is an initiative for children's health and if anyone's child is drinking beer, there are other, bigger problems at home!!

'Course, you never know what might happen when you give your child up to be raised by someone else in a day care. Oops. Did I say that out loud? To those not in the know, I do not actually think that. This is the stated position of our federal government on the idea of a national, affordable, daycare program. Not mine by any stretch of the imagination.

Sammee, I actually get a heads up from my sweetie whenever something interesting like this comes across the CBC wires while he's in the car. Especially when he knows it's something I'll want to share with you all, here. I can't take all the credit, but I'm glad it helps!

Warm hugs,

I agree, it is darn well about time. There are ingredients in our food which have no right to even be there. Why? Because some scientist figures it is a good deal to add it or because then consumers will purchase that product thinking they are adding "extra" nutrition to their bodies? It is all bogus.

Now they have to do the ultimate and print ingredient labels for all cigarette packages. I am sure if folks would see in black and white what their smokes contain, they would think twice about smoking. At least I hope.

Actually, Magic, they do have to put the ingredients on cigarette packages:

Tar, Nicotine, Carbon Monoxide, Formaldehyde, Hydrogen cyanide, Benzene, all right there in black and white. All us smokers have been looking at that and those horrid pictures on our smoke packs for years. If that worked to deter most smokers from smoking, the tobacco industry would have gone bust ages ago. The only thing that will make a person quit smoking is to decide for him or herself that this is what he or she wants, and to have the willpower to follow through. It's the willpower I'm lacking right now. Grrr.

Warm hugs,

They have got a lot better at food labelling in the UK and its great. There is a whole list of potential allergens that get identified in an "allergy advice" box, some ingredients they have to give a source, like "maltodextrins from barley", and all ingredients have to be listed. I'm not sure right now how much is the law, and how much it is just the big supermarkets taking it on board and labelling well. Whatever way it does make it really easy to shop with the common allergies like gluten, dairy, fish, shellfish. Not quite so easy when like me you also avoid maize, though I know if its in there it has to be on the label.

One interesting thing though was that until just recently "gluten free" in the UK meant less than 200 parts per million, which is way too high for a lot of coeliacs. They have now reviewed and decided that it has to be less than 20 ppm to be called gluten free, and up to 200ppm can be called "low gluten". That was one thing that hit me when I first moved here from NZ, where "gluten free" meant "no detectable gluten". Made me realise how sensitive I actually was. There is also another description "no gluten containing ingredients" which is as good as they can get if it is made in a factory where gluten is used in other things.

Wonder how long it will take to really see the difference on the supermarket shelves in Canada? Is there going to be a long transition period?

gee, is it that obvious I no longer smoke? I quit over 30 years ago. Cold turkey.
Still feel that urge whenever I am stressed. I was 13 when I smoke my first cigarette. It was sweet but I never inhaled. lol