Health Canada plan to require warning labels on ground beef, pork raises concerns

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 exempting ground beef or pork, a move Sylvain Charlebois, senior director of the Agri-food Analytics Lab at Dalhousie University, feels will deter people from buying those products in general.

“I’m not sure it’s right,” Charlebois told The Sam Laprade Show on CityNews Ottawa Tuesday. “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.”

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 says 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 explained.

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.