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Trans and Saturated Fat on Food Labels in Canada: Fact or Fiction?

  • Quantitative Research
  • Published:
Canadian Journal of Public Health Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Objective

Food labels are the number one source for nutrition information for Canadians, but are food labels accurate? This study aims to provide an assessment of the accuracy of the reported trans fatty acid and saturated fatty acid values on food labels in selected foods.

Methods

Over 380 samples of cookies, crackers, granola bars, breakfast bars and a variety of frozen foods were collected between 2005 and 2008 in the Greater Toronto Area, Ottawa and Vancouver, as part of Health Canada’s Trans Fat Monitoring Program. The food categories chosen were based on earlier studies indicating that they were significant sources of trans fatty acids and the individual samples were chosen based on market share data. The trans fatty acid and saturated fatty acid contents of the samples were determined by gas chromatography and the laboratory results were compared to the values reported in the Nutrition Facts tables.

Conclusions

Statistical analysis indicated no significant difference between laboratory and food label values for cookies, crackers, granola bars, breakfast bars and frozen foods for trans fat or saturated fat. The results demonstrate that Canadians can rely on food labels for making informed dietary choices with respect to trans fat and saturated fat content.

Résumé

Objectif

L’étiquetage alimentaire est la première source d’information sur la nutrition pour les Canadiens, mais ces étiquettes sont-elles exactes? Nous avons cherché à déterminer l’exactitude des valeurs en acides gras trans et en acides gras saturés indiquées sur les étiquettes de certains produits alimentaires.

Méthode

Plus de 380 échantillons de biscuits, de craquelins, de barres tendres, de barres de petit déjeuner et d’aliments surgelés divers ont été prélevés entre 2005 et 2008 dans la Région du Grand Toronto, à Ottawa et à Vancouver dans le cadre du Programme de surveillance des gras trans de Santé Canada. Les catégories d’aliments ont été choisies en fonction d’études antérieures indiquant qu’elles étaient des sources importantes d’acides gras trans, et les échantillons individuels, en fonction des données sur leurs parts de marché. Les contenus des échantillons en acides gras trans et saturés ont été déterminés par chromatographie gazeuse, et les résultats obtenus en laboratoire ont été comparés aux valeurs du tableau Valeur nutritive sur l’étiquette du produit.

Conclusion

L’analyse statistique n’a fait état d’aucune différence significative entre les valeurs en gras trans ou en graisses saturées obtenues en laboratoire et indiquées sur les étiquettes des biscuits, des craquelins, des barres tendres, des barres de petit déjeuner et des aliments surgelés. Les Canadiens peuvent donc se fier à l’étiquetage alimentaire pour faire des choix éclairés en ce qui a trait au contenu en gras trans et en graisses saturées de leurs aliments.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Food Laboratory Division, Ontario Region, Regions and Programs Branch, Health Canada, 2301 Midland Avenue, Scarborough, ON, M1P 4R7, Canada

    Peter Pantazopoulos BSc, Keri Kwong MSc, William Lillycrop BSc, Lynn Wong BSc, Yu Gao MSc, Shirley Chalouh BSc & Mark Samadhin MSc

  2. Bureau of Nutritional Sciences, Food Directorate, Health Products and Food Branch, Health Canada, Ottawa, ON, Canada

    W. M. Nimal Ratnayake PhD, Sara Krenosky MSc, Lydia Dumais BSc & Mary R. L’Abbe PhD

  3. Department of Nutritional Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada

    Mary R. L’Abbe PhD

Authors
  1. Peter Pantazopoulos BSc
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  2. Keri Kwong MSc
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  3. William Lillycrop BSc
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  4. Lynn Wong BSc
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  5. Yu Gao MSc
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  6. Shirley Chalouh BSc
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  7. Mark Samadhin MSc
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  8. W. M. Nimal Ratnayake PhD
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  9. Sara Krenosky MSc
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  10. Lydia Dumais BSc
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  11. Mary R. L’Abbe PhD
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Peter Pantazopoulos BSc.

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Conflict of Interest: None to declare.

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Pantazopoulos, P., Kwong, K., Lillycrop, W. et al. Trans and Saturated Fat on Food Labels in Canada: Fact or Fiction?. Can J Public Health 102, 313–316 (2011). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF03404057

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF03404057

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