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Strengthening Canada's regulatory system

CAPACITY BUILDING PRIORITY

Regulatory Modernization

PROJECT TIMELINE
January 2022 to September 2023
PROJECT STATUS
Fund I: Complete
TOTAL INVESTMENT
$1,584,000

Consortia Contribution
$104,000

Cluster Contribution
$1,480,000

PARTNERS

Pulse Canada

Loblaw Companies Ltd.

Plant-Based Foods of Canada

Protein Industries Canada

Goal

Generate data to inform and support changes to Canadian regulatory frameworks that currently impede the food industry's ability to communicate the presence of plant protein to consumers, as well as develop a Regulatory Centre of Excellence to assist companies in the sector.

Project Summary

Using consumer surveys, lab experiments and regulatory experiments, the partners engaged 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 (e.g. determining whether a food is considered a “good source of protein”);
  • Naming conventions around plant-based foods (e.g., 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; and
  • Development of in vitro methods to evaluate protein digestibility.

In addition to their direct work on regulations, the partners established 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. This Centre conducts activities such as providing resources and funding to SMEs seeking regulatory approvals, investing in studies directed toward regulatory change, and creating a repository of regulatory knowledge and experience.

Results and Impact

The Regulatory Centre of Excellence has helped companies across the plant protein ecosystem navigate Canada’s regulatory system while addressing knowledge gaps related to regulatory modernization in three main areas:

  • How protein labelling regulations from other jurisdictions may be applied in Canada without negatively impacting nutrient density and protein quality;
  • How nomenclature around product labelling affects purchase decisions and consumer interpretation of such products; and
  • The validation of an in-vitro way of determining protein digestibility, to reduce animal testing.

Protein Industries Canada is continuing its regulatory modernization research work with industry partners through the project's second phase called "The Centre for Regulatory Research and Innovation"