Ottawa announced today that it has modernized Canada’s beer standards, allowing more flexibility in what companies use to make beer and how they do it.
“The new labelling changes serve to protect consumer health. Food allergies and intolerances are a real concern and safety issue for many Canadians,” says Ginette Petitpas Taylor, Minister of Health. “The requirement to have beer labels clearly state if food allergens, gluten sources, or sulphites are present in the product will give consumers assurance that the beer they drink will not pose a risk to their health because of a food allergy or food sensitivity.”
The Food and Drug Regulations (FDR) outline specific requirements that must be met for a product to be labelled, packaged, sold, and advertised as beer in Canada. The changes to the FDR support business competitiveness by allowing Canadian companies more flexibility in what they use to make beer and how they do it.
“The changes to Canada’s Beer Standard will support industry innovation and will ensure beer is treated as distinct from other beverage alcohol categories for decades to come,” says Luke Harford, president, Beer Canada. “We are pleased to see that the changes permit the use of new ingredients and recognize beer as a beverage alcohol product that is low in sugars. We applaud the Canadian Food Inspection Agency and Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada’s efforts to support Canada’s brewing industry and look forward to future opportunities to work together to grow the domestic beer market.”
The new rules provides clarity on what constitutes standardized beer, and brewers will be able to develop new products by using new ingredients and flavouring preparations while maintaining the integrity of beer.
In addition, under the amended regulations, beer labels must declare food allergens, gluten sources, or added sulphites, which will help people with food allergies, celiac disease, or food sensitivities make more informed choices.
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