The Canadian regulations on plant-based foods will be looked into and updated through a new partnership, an April 4 news release says.
Protein Industries Canada is partnering with Pulse Canada, Plant-Based Foods of Canada and Loblaw Companies Limited to examine Canadian regulations related to the plant-based foods and ingredients sector to support regulatory modernization. The release says they’ll use consumer surveys, lab experiments and regulatory experiments. The partners will also engage with government to prioritize consumer health and safety while addressing knowledge gaps to help inform regulatory modernization in the following four areas:
- Protein labelling claims (ex: determining whether a food is considered a “good source of protein”)
- Naming conventions around plant-based foods ex: how and when companies can use words such as “plant-based cheese,” “sausage” or “patties”)
- Discretionary fortification of simulated plant-based meat and poultry products on nutrient intake
- Development of in vitro methods to evaluate protein digestibility
The group will also establish a virtual Regulatory Centre of Excellence — creating a central point of contact for businesses in the sector looking for information about regulations affecting their operations.
The release notes that by modernizing regulations and establishing the Regulatory Centre of Excellence it’ll help companies across Canada’s plant-based foods and ingredients sector compete in the global market. A total of $1.6 million is being invested into the project; together with industry, Protein Industries Canada has committed more than $451 million to Canada’s plant-based food, feed and ingredients ecosystem.
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