Provinces support CRFA’s proposal for provision of nutrition information

(Jun. 25/12) A win for members!
CRFA’s recommendation that B.C.’s Informed Dining program be used as a model for the provision of nutrition information by restaurants has been accepted by provincial governments.

Released on June 8, a joint report (PDF) of provincial and territorial health ministers from across Canada referenced CRFA’s work with the provinces in developing a national framework for provision of nutrition information, and committed to:

Why use B.C.’s Informed Dining program?
CRFA worked closely with the B.C. government to develop the voluntary Informed Dining program as an alternative to making it mandatory for operators to post both sodium and calorie counts on menus and menu boards. 

Other recommendations
The report also references CRFA’s How to Reduce Sodium in Menu Items (PDF) guide, and looks to enhance existing tools to monitor progress in sodium reduction. Additionally, it recommends developing common nutritional standards for use in the Broadcast Code for Advertising to Children.

Click here (PDF) to read the full report.

Additional tools
Health Canada simultaneously released “Guidance for the Food Industry on Reducing Sodium in Processed Foods,” intended to provide direction to the food industry on continuing sodium reduction efforts. Food processors are advised to reach sodium reduction targets, whether food is destined for retail stores or restaurant and foodservice operators.

Click here for Health Canada’s guide.

Health Canada has also updated its website with new content and tools – including a user-friendly summary of the guiding benchmark sodium reduction levels and a calculator. Click here to visit Health Canada’s new sodium page.