New food regulations: What you need to know

Federal regulatory changes are not just simple technical updates. They can have a direct impact on your formulations, your labels, and, ultimately, on the trust your customers place in your products. To help you stay informed and ready to act, here is a clear and practical overview of what to watch for and how to prepare.

Key changes to watch by 2026

In 2022, Health Canada introduced significant changes to the Food and Drug Regulations. As the deadline approaches, here is what is set to come into force in January 2026.

Nutrition symbols on the front of the package

What you need to know
As of January 1, 2026, Health Canada will require prepackaged foods manufactured or imported into Canada that meet or exceed thresholds for saturated fat, sugars, or sodium to display a nutrition symbol on the front of the package. This symbol must follow precise rules regarding color, size, and placement.

Why It’s important
These symbols are designed to guide purchasing decisions. A label indicating a high content of sodium or saturated fat could, depending on the product, influence a consumer’s choice.

How to prepare
If not already done, it is recommended to identify packages that require adjustments and plan the necessary changes before the deadline. Afterwards, you can prioritize the next packages that will need to be reprinted. You can also consider reformulating certain products in order to reduce the amounts of saturated fats, sugars, or sodium while preserving their characteristics.

Revision of the daily value for potassium

What you need to know
In July 2022, the daily value for potassium established by Health Canada was revised downward, now set at 3400 mg. This change may affect the percentage of the daily value (% DV) displayed in the nutrition facts table of certain products.

An update was also made regarding sodium, but it applies only to products intended for children under 4 years old.

This change in the reference value can make your % DV inaccurate, which may compromise the compliance of nutrition labeling.

How to prepare
Take advantage of already planned changes to your packaging related to the nutrition symbol to update the percentage of the daily value for potassium at the same time. This will allow you to optimize your revision efforts and ensure the accuracy of your nutritional information.

Supervised supplemented foods

What you need to know
Supplemented foods are now subject to clear rules requiring a mandatory identifier on the label, an adapted nutrition facts table, and details concerning precise limits on additional ingredients.

Why It’s important
These new rules aim to reinforce transparency and safety for consumers. They require special attention when formulating and labeling.

How to prepare
Ensure your supplemented products display the required identifier, use the appropriate Supplemented Food Facts table, and display the mandatory warnings depending on the ingredients used. Make sure to keep your technical documentation up to date, especially regarding active ingredients and their concentrations.

Vitamin D fortification

What you need to know
Vitamin D fortification thresholds have been raised for certain staple foods like milk and margarine.

Why It’s important
Your formulations and your nutrition facts tables may need to be reviewed in light of these new requirements.

How to prepare
Start by verifying that your current formulations meet the new thresholds. Then, update your compliance documents and product sheets to reflect the changes made.

Regulatory changes that have taken place since december 2024

Labeling of plant-based products (United States)

What you need to know
On January 6, 2025, the FDA published a guidance document on naming conventions for plant-based meat substitutes. This document sets out the agency’s position on best labeling practices, with the goal of ensuring clarity and transparency. The objective is to help consumers quickly understand the nature of the products they are buying.

Among its recommendations, the FDA advises companies to clearly indicate the plant source in the product name. For example, using “soy-based cheddar cheese” or “chickpea and lentil-based fish sticks” rather than simply “plant-based fish sticks.”

How to prepare
Start by identifying the products in your range that may require a label update and make the appropriate changes at your next print run. Then integrate this more transparent approach into your future product developments.

Allergen labeling (United States)

What you need to know
On the same day, the FDA published the fifth edition of its “Questions and Answers Regarding Food Allergen Labeling” guide. This document provides new clarifications on how allergens must be declared.

Notable changes include the removal of certain nuts from the list of priority allergens. Coconut, butternut, chestnut, and ginkgo nut are no longer part of it.

The FDA has also broadened certain definitions. The term “milk” now includes milk from goats, sheep, and other ruminants, not just cow’s milk. Likewise, “eggs” now refers to eggs from ducks, geese, quails, and other avian species, in addition to chicken eggs.

How to prepare
Take the time to evaluate your product portfolio to identify those that require an update. In the future, apply this declaration approach from the development phase to ensure full compliance.

Ban on FD&C Red No. 3 Coloring (United States)

What you need to know
On January 15, 2025, the FDA announced the revocation of the authorization to use FD&C Red No. 3 coloring in food products. This decision follows a petition filed in 2023 by the Center for Science in the Public Interest (CSPI).

Red No. 3 is a synthetic dye derived from petroleum, used in foods since 1907, but banned in cosmetics for over 35 years due to its established link to cancer risks in animals.

Why It’s important
This regulatory decision aligns with the California Food Safety Act and aims to avoid fragmented regulation between different states.

How to prepare:
Start by identifying products intended for the US market that contain Red No. 3 coloring. Explore natural replacement solutions and plan to reformulate your recipes if necessary.

Deadline: January 15, 2027

New regulations targeting composition standards, additives, and analytical methods (Canada)

What you need to know
On December 18, 2024, Health Canada and the Canadian Food Inspection Agency published the final version of a regulation amending several aspects related to food additives, compositional standards, microbiological criteria, and method of analysis for food. These changes aim to modernize how food composition and safety are regulated in Canada.

Main changes

• More than 300 Canadian composition standards are now grouped into a separate document incorporated by reference, distinct from the core safety and health requirements of the Food and Drug Regulations

• New references are added, including the updated Table of Food Additive Specifications and the revised Lists of Permitted Food Additives. The regulation also introduces new provisions on the sale and labeling of additive premixes

• Analytical methods are now organized by type of food (standardized or not) and include the PDCAAS method to assess protein quality

Why It’s important
These structural changes have a direct impact on how standards are consulted, applied, and validated.

How to prepare
If you use or manufacture food additive premixes, ensure that the labeling complies with the new guidelines.

New definition of the “healthy” claim (United States)

What you need to know
On December 27, 2024, the FDA published a new regulation redefining the implicit “healthy” claim on food packaging. This updated definition is now based on food groups and overall nutritional habits, consistent with the latest US dietary guidelines.

To use the “healthy” claim, a product must contain significant amounts of foods from recommended groups or subgroups, such as vegetables, fruits, dairy, grains, proteins, or oils, and meet specific thresholds for saturated fat, sodium, and added sugars.

The FDA is also working on developing a symbol that manufacturers could voluntarily use on their labels to indicate that a product meets this definition. Public consultations were held in 2021 and 2022. The final publication is expected soon.

Why It’s important
This new definition will have a direct impact on the eligibility of products that already carry this claim.

How to prepare
Start by checking if your products that currently use the “healthy” claim are still compliant with the new criteria. If not, plan to update your labels. If you plan to use this claim in the future, assess the compliance of your products now to avoid future adjustments.

Deadline: February 2028

Regulation to watch: Stay tuned

Nutrition info box (United States)

What you need to know
The FDA has proposed a new front-of-pack nutrition label called the “Nutrition Info Box” This format aims to provide clear, interpretative information on levels of saturated fat, sodium, and added sugars per serving.

It would combine descriptive terms such as “low,” “medium,” or “high” with the percentage of the daily value, to help consumers better understand the amount of concerning nutrients in a product and to compare options more easily.

Why It’s important
Adding this new box to the front could require a redesign of several packages of your products sold in the US.

How to prepare
Stay tuned for future government publications to adapt when the regulation becomes official.

What now?

Regulatory requirements are accumulating and, in many cases, deadlines are tight. To avoid having to modify the same package multiple times, it is advisable to group regulatory updates whenever you overhaul a label. Start by clearly identifying the changes applicable to your products and establish a priority order to proceed. Once a plan is in place, the rest will be much easier to manage.

How datahex can help?

At Datahex, we specialize in simplifying food labeling compliance for businesses of all sizes. Our team monitors regulatory changes in Canada and the United States, so you always have up-to-date requirements for your product labels. We help you identify which labels need updates, interpret new regulations, and ensure your ingredient lists, nutrition facts tables, and allergen statements are always compliant.