Food label seminar a must for small business

Source: Saskatchewan Agriculture and Food

Those little labels on food packages that tell you how many calories are in that chocolate bar or bag of peanuts may be tiny, but they hold a lot of important information.

As many food processors and manufacturers are aware, nutritional labelling is about to be mandatory in Canada for everyone from the smallest processor to the largest factory.

That’s why the Saskatchewan Food Industry Development Centre Inc. is holding a Health Claims and Nutritional Labelling seminar in Saskatoon on October 17.

Shika Agblor, Senior Food Scientist with the Market Development and Food Branch of Saskatchewan Agriculture and Food, says smaller food industry businesses may also be in the label game already if they supply large retail stores.

“The large retail deadline for these labels has already passed, so if you supply a large chain store, you have to be compliant already,” she said.

What if you just sell your snacks at the local “Mom and Pop” operation? Mandatory nutrition labelling will come into effect in December 2007 for all food providers, but Agblor says it will be much easier on your business to find out how to use those labels now.

“Some manufacturers may view this as just a technical responsibility, but it’s important to remember that the manufacturer is responsible for the product,” she said. “If the retailer receives a complaint or concern about the nutritional information not being correct, the manufacturer is liable.”

The Food Centre seminar will deal with a number of topics about labelling that affect people and businesses across the food industry, including association members, academics, food researchers, retailers, manufacturers and even those who design the labels for products. Agblor says the seminar has very wide appeal as a result.

“This seminar is also of interest to dieticians, nutritionists, health and food service workers – pretty much anyone who deals with the food supply chain,” she noted.

The basic how-to and technical information will be covered in detail for those who need to find out how to label their products. Seminar speaker Jyoti Sahasrabudhe formerly worked with Health Canada on reviewing the Canadian Nutrient Database (CND). The CND is the national system that records the nutritional values of all foods. Sahasrabudhe will explain how that database is used with chemical analysis of a food sample to determine the values we read on the label.

Other seminar speakers may help producers and manufacturers add value while they go through the labelling process. A University of Saskatchewan Food Science Specialist will explain how to properly have a sample of your product analyzed for labelling, and there will also be representatives on hand from federal and provincial programs to help producers determine if there is any industry assistance available to help companies make the label transition.

The Health Claims and Nutrition Labelling seminar runs October 17, 2006 at the Travelodge Hotel in Saskatoon. Pre-registration (prior to October 17) is $106 per person (GST included) to attend, and on-site registration is $130 per person. Interested parties can register by calling the Food Centre at (306) 933-7555, or e-mailing info@foodcentre.sk.ca.

For further information, contact:

Shika Agblor, Ph.D., Senior Food Scientist, Market Development and Food Branch
Saskatchewan Agriculture and Food
Phone: (306) 933-5769
E-mail: sagblor@agr.gov.sk.ca
Website: www.foodcentre.sk.ca