Health Canada’s Proposed Serving Size Guidance Bureau of Nutritional Sciences, Food Directorate, Health Products and Food Branch 1 Health Canada’s Proposed Serving Size Guidance Standardizing serving sizes to facilitate consumer understanding and use of the Nutrition Facts table (NFt) July 14, 2014
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Health Canada’s Proposed Serving Size Guidance
Bureau of Nutritional Sciences, Food Directorate, Health Products and Food Branch 1
Health Canada’s Proposed Serving Size Guidance
Standardizing serving sizes to facilitate consumer
understanding and use of the Nutrition Facts table (NFt)
July 14, 2014
Health Canada’s Proposed Serving Size Guidance
Bureau of Nutritional Sciences, Food Directorate, Health Products and Food Branch 2
Bureau of Nutritional Sciences, Food Directorate, Health Products and Food Branch 5
For these cases, manufacturers should use the reference amount
of food in grams or millilitres set out in Schedule M of the
FDR as the metric component to be declared in the NFt. This
amount would be stated in the NFt along with the closest
corresponding household measure. The common household
measure will depend on the type of product.
How to Apply Guideline 1:
1.1 Products that are either fluids or semi-solids, OR that
are typically measurable with a volumetric measure
(cup, tablespoon or teaspoon), OR that are consumed as many small pieces (15 or
more) in one eating occasion
i) When the reference amount of the food is in millilitres:
For liquid foods, the serving size should be declared using the reference amount in
millilitres, along with the corresponding household measure. For example, for ketchup,
with a reference amount of 15 mL, the serving size would be declared as
“Per 1 tbsp (15 mL)”.
Common household measures
Fraction of the food or container –
e.g. 1/3, 1/4, 1/8, 1/9, 1/12
Common visual measures of food –
e.g. cups, tablespoons, tbsp, teaspoons,
tsp, 250 mL, 125 mL,
15 mL, 5 mL, etc.
Unit(s) of food – e.g. 1 fillet, 25 chips,
3 crackers, etc.
Examples of fluid or semi-solid products:
Milk, cream cheese, yogurt, etc.
Examples of foods measureable in a volumetric measure:
Flour, rice, pasta (e.g., macaroni), bite-sized crackers, etc.
Examples of products consumed as many small pieces (15 or more*):
Grain-based snack mixes, chips, cracker chips, French fries, etc.
*Depending on the weight of individual pieces, some of these foods could be consumed in fewer than
15 pieces in one eating occasion, and would be covered by Guideline 2.1.
Note:
Breakfast cereals are covered in Guideline 3.1.
Guideline 1 Use the Reference Amount and the Corresponding Household Measure for products that are either
measureable with a volumetric measure (e.g. a measuring spoon or cup), OR consumed as many small
pieces (15 or more), OR that are of varying size or unique in shape.
Health Canada’s Proposed Serving Size Guidance
Bureau of Nutritional Sciences, Food Directorate, Health Products and Food Branch 6
Acceptable volumetric
measures used as household
measures
- Common fractions and multiples of
the teaspoon (1/8, ¼, ½ of the
teaspoon, 2 teaspoons, etc.)
- Multiples of the tablespoon
(1, 2, 3 tablespoons, etc.)
- Multiples of 5 mL for small amounts,
up to 60 mL
- Common visual fractions and
multiples of the metric cup (¼, 1/3, ½,
2/3, ¾, 1, 1 ¼, 1 1/2 cups, etc.)
When the reference amount in millilitres is not a
commonly used metric measure, the serving size should
be declared using the reference amount along with the
closest corresponding household measure in teaspoons,
tablespoons, or cups.
Example: For a soft drink, with a reference amount of
355 mL, the serving size on a 2 L bottle would be
shown as “Per 1 1/2 cups (355 mL)”.
When the reference amount in millilitres is a commonly
used measure, the serving size in millilitres may serve
as both the household measure and metric measure.
Example: For milk, with a reference amount of
250 mL, the serving size could be shown as either “Per
1 cup (250 mL)” or “Per 250 mL”.
ii) When the reference amount of the food is in grams:
The serving size should be declared using the reference amount in grams along with
the corresponding household measure, either as a measuring spoon or cup. In
addition, this approach should be taken for products consumed as many small pieces
(15 or more), as this would result in a more consumer friendly measure.
Example: For cream cheese, with a reference amount of 30 g, if 2 tablespoons of
cream cheese is the closest household measure to the reference amount, the serving
size would be shown as “Per 2 tablespoons (30 g)”.
Example: For chips, with a reference amount of 50 g, if 25 chips weigh 48 g and this
is the closest household measure to the reference amount, the serving size would be
shown as “Per 25 chips (50 g)”.
*Depending on the weight of individual pieces, some of these foods could be
consumed in fewer than 15 pieces in one eating occasion, and would be covered by
Guideline 2.1.
iii) When the food is a mix and requires preparation:
The serving size should be declared using the amount of food (e.g. mix) needed to
make the reference amount of the final product.
Health Canada’s Proposed Serving Size Guidance
Bureau of Nutritional Sciences, Food Directorate, Health Products and Food Branch 7
Example: If the amount of hot chocolate mix needed to make the reference amount of
175 mL (¾ cup) of hot chocolate is 2 tablespoons and this amount weighs 30 g, the
serving size would be shown as “Per 2 tbsp (30 g)”.
Note:
The serving size could also be shown as “Per 2 tbsp (30 g) (about ¾ cup prepared)” to
show the equivalent prepared serving size. This line can appear in the Standard NFt
when only water is used to prepare the food, for example, hot chocolate made with
water. This line can also appear in the Dual Format – Foods Requiring Preparation
(B.01.456, FDR) NFt when ingredients other than water are used to prepare the food,
for example, pudding made with milk.
For foods requiring preparation, the amount of food suggested by the manufacturer in
the preparation instructions should be consistent with the serving size listed in the
NFt. Using the hot chocolate example, the instructions on the label should state that 2
tablespoons of the mix are needed to make ¾ cup of hot chocolate.
1.2 Products of varying size consumed as a single or small number of units The serving size should be declared using the reference amount along with the
corresponding description of the unit of food, using terms such as small, medium or large,
and where appropriate, a fraction.
Example: For fish or poultry, with a reference amount of 125 g, the serving size would be
shown as “Per 1 small fillet (125 g)” or “Per 1/2 large chicken breast (125 g)”.
Example: For non-uniform pre-sliced deli meats, with a reference amount of 55 g, the
serving size would be shown as “Per 3 medium slices (55 g)”.
Examples of foods: frozen fish fillets, chicken pieces, steaks, non-uniform pre-sliced deli meats, etc.