Health Canada’s plan to require warning labels on ground beef and pork raising concerns
Posted Jun 7, 2022 09:04:00 PM.
Health Canada is expected to start putting labels on products containing high levels of saturated fats, sugars, or sodium, but concerns are being raised as two of the most affordable sources of protein are not being granted exemptions.
The agency is not granting exemptions for both ground pork and beef, and senior director of the Agri-food Analytics Lab at Dalhousie University Sylvain Charlebois feels this move will deter people from buying those products in general.
“I'm not sure it's right,” Charlebois told The Sam Laprade Show with guest host Derick Fage on Tuesday, June 7. “I mean these products have been a part of our culinary day and age for centuries. In fact, 50 per cent of all the beef sold in Canada is ground beef.”
He adds by not providing an exemption to ground beef and pork, Canada would be the first country to require warning labels on the front of single ingredient products.
Charlebois explained despite having similar levels of saturated fats as ground beef and pork, dairy products have been granted an exemption and will not require the warning labels.
“According to Health Canada, the dairy lobby actually was able to convince Health Canada that saturated fats and dairy are very different,” he said.
Charlebois also clarifies once ground beef and pork is cooked, the amount of saturated fats will fall below the threshold for requiring the warning labels.
Listen to the full interview with Sylvain Charlebois below: