ASC Clearance Services Announces New Rates and Timelines for Food and Non-alcoholic Beverage Advertising that includes Health Claims Starting May 1, 2011

Effective May 1, 2011, ASC Clearance Services rates and timelines for the review of food and non-alcoholic beverage advertising submissions that include health claims will change. These new rates and timelines take into account the level of complexity and the time required to review food and non-alcoholic beverage submissions that include claims such as:

1. disease risk reduction claim(s)* or;
2. therapeutic claim(s)* or;
3. new function/nutrient function claim(s)*

*(See definitions of health claims below)

Rates and Timelines (effective May 1, 2011)

Definitions

Disease Risk Reduction Claims: Disease risk reduction claims are generally statements that link a food or a constituent of a food to reducing the risk of developing a diet-related disease or condition (e.g. osteoporosis, cancer, hypertension) in the context of the total diet. The composition of a food that carries the claim must contribute to a dietary pattern associated with the claimed benefit. These claims can be found in the Table following B.01.603 of the Food and Drug Regulations.
Example: "A healthy diet low in saturated and trans fats may reduce the risk of heart disease. (Naming the food) is free of saturated and trans fats."

Therapeutic Claims: Therapeutic claims are claims about treatment or mitigation of a health-related disease or condition, or about restoring, correcting or modifying body functions. Such claims require Health Canada approval.
Example: "250 ml (1 cup) of TastyTasty with plant sterols provides 50% of the daily amount of plant sterols shown to help lower cholesterol in adults."

New Function Claims: Function claims are claims about the specific beneficial effects that the consumption of a food or a constituent of a food (i.e. nutrient or other component) has on normal functions or biological activities of the body. Such claims relate to a positive contribution to health and to the maintenance of a physiological function or to physical or mental performance.
Example: "Consumption of 1 cup of green tea helps to protect blood lipids from oxidation."

New Nutrient Function Claims: Nutrient function claims, formerly known as biological role claims, are a subset of function claims that describe the well-established roles of energy or known nutrients that are essential for the maintenance of good health or for normal growth and development.
Example: "Calcium aids in the formation and maintenance of bones and teeth."

The above definitions are from Section 8.1 of the Canadian Food Inspection Agency’s Guide to Food Labelling and Advertising.