Seafood and Health

Reading Nutrition Information on Seafood Labels

Product labels are one of Canadians' top sources of nutrition information, with more than three quarters saying they had used them in the past year.(1)

What nutrition information might be on packaged seafood?

Canada's regulations on nutrition labelling are designed to provide nutrition information in a standardized format, allowing for comparison between food products. Nutrition information helps consumers make informed food choices that may reduce the risk of diet-related diseases and permit dietary management of chronic diseases.

Almost all pre-packaged food must have a list of ingredients and a Nutrition Facts table. Raw, single-ingredient seafood is not required to display the Nutrition Facts table; however, many products do show this information.

Some foods may also have specific nutrition or health claims if they meet the criteria for those claims. When a nutrition or health claim is used on the label, the Nutrition Facts table must also be given.

The nutrition information on food labels can help people to:

• compare foods
• find out what nutrients are in a food
• choose foods with more or less of a certain nutrient

Reference:

1. Canadian Council of Food and Nutrition: Tracking Nutrition Trends VI, CCFN, August 2006
   www.ccfn.ca/pdfs/TNT_VI_Report__2006.pdf

List of Ingredients
Nutrition Facts Information
Understanding Nutrition and Health Claims

List of Ingredients

Most packaged food must have a list of ingredients.

• Ingredients in the food are listed by weight from most to least amount. This means that the first ingredient listed is the one present in the largest amount.
• The list of ingredients is a source of information for people with allergies or for people who avoid certain ingredients based on their beliefs.

Nutrition Facts Information

To get more complete information about the nutrient value of a food, always look for the Nutrition Facts table. Remember that raw, single-ingredient seafoods are not required to display the Nutrition Facts table; however, many products do show this information.

Nutrition Facts includes:

• the specific amount of food (the specified serving size) on which all of the nutrient information is based;
• the number of Calories and amounts of the 13 core nutrients that must be shown on almost all labels (fat, saturated fat, trans fat, cholesterol, sodium, carbohydrate, fibre, sugars, protein, vitamin A, vitamin C, calcium and iron). Additional nutrients may be listed on some labels.
• the % Daily Value (% DV), a number that helps people figure out whether there is a lot or a little of a specific nutrient in the food. For example:
  - A food that has a % DV of 5% or less for fat, sodium or cholesterol would be low in these nutrients.
  - A food that has a % DV of 10% or less for saturated + trans fats would be low in these nutrients.
  - A food that has a % DV of 15% or more for calcium, iron or fibre would be high in these nutrients.

Look for information on serving sizes, calories and nutrients. Compare the Nutrition Facts table on food labels to choose foods that contain less fat, saturated fat, trans fat, sugars and sodium.

Here's a sample Nutrition Facts table:

Source of the sample Nutrition Facts table:
www.highliner.com/site/eng/HL_06.asp

Understanding Nutrition and Health Claims

Nutrition and health claims highlight a nutrition-related feature of a food. Health Canada sets rules that must be met before a nutrition-related claim can be made on a label or in an advertisement. Government regulations also specify the wording that must be used in claims to ensure that they are consistent and are not misleading. Furthermore, if a product label has a nutrition or health claim, it must also have a Nutrition Facts table to provide more detailed information about its nutritional value.

There are several types of nutrition and health claims that the food industry may choose to use if a product meets the conditions.

Nutrition Claims
Health Claims
- Biological role claims
- Diet-related health claims

Nutrition Claims

Nutrition claims, or nutrient content claims (such as "low in saturated fat", "source of omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids" or "a good source of protein") often appear on the front of a food package, providing a quick and easy way to identify foods with specific nutritional attributes of interest. Information about the nutrient featured must also appear in the Nutrition Facts table.

Terms such as "free", "low" or "reduced" can help identify foods that contain lower amounts of particular nutrients such as fat, saturated fat or sodium. Choosing foods with these claims can help to moderate the intake of certain nutrients to benefit health. For example, although some fat is necessary for energy and helps your body to absorb fat-soluble vitamins, consuming too much fat or too much of the wrong types of fat, such as saturated fat and trans fat, could lead to the development of health issues such as heart disease or stroke.

Claims such as "good source" and "high" can help identify foods that contain important amounts of fibre, vitamins and minerals. Examples of nutrient content claims that might be seen on some seafood products are shown in the chart:

Examples of nutrient content claims that might apply to seafood

Term	What it means
Free	an amount so small, health experts consider it nutritionally insignificant
"Free of trans fatty acids"	- less than 0.2 grams of trans fats* - and low in saturated fat
Cholesterol free	- less than 2 milligrams of cholesterol - and low in saturated fat (includes a restriction on trans fat)* - not necessarily low in total fat
Low	always means a very small amount
"Low in saturated fat"	- 2 grams or less of saturated fat and trans fat combined*
Source	always means a "significant" amount
"Source of omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids"	- at least 0.3 grams of omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids*
"Source of protein"	- a 'protein rating' of 20 or more based on the quantity and the quality of the protein† (for seafood this means at least 7.5% protein by weight)
"Excellent source of protein"	- a 'protein rating' of 40 or more based on the quality and the quantity of the protein† (for seafood this means at least 15% protein by weight)
"Excellent source of selenium"	- 12.5 micrograms or more of selenium*

* the amount in a 'reference amount' of the food (which for fish and shellfish is 125 grams raw or 100 grams cooked; and for canned fish is 55 grams) and in a 'serving of stated size' (the specific amount of food listed in Nutrition Facts)

† protein rating = the quantity of protein present in a Reasonable Daily Intake of the food (which for fish and shellfish is 100 grams) X the quality of the protein (the Protein Efficiency Ratio of the food, which for fish is 2.7)

Health Claims

A health claim is any representation that states, suggests, or implies that a relationship exists between a food (or a constituent of that food) and health. Some health claims refer to the maintenance or support of specific body functions (biological role claims). Others refer to the reduction of the risk of disease (diet-related health claims).

Only health claims that are permitted by Health Canada may be used on food labels and advertisements. Regulations set out the specific claims allowed and their wording. There is a process for approval of new health claims. Health Canada is reviewing the current framework for the management of health claims on food to ensure efficiency and flexibility in the approval of health claims, while retaining high standards needed to maintain the credibility of these claims.

Biological Role Claims

Biological role claims, or function claims, refer to the well-established roles of nutrients or energy in maintaining or supporting specific body functions, for the maintenance of good health or for normal growth and development. Three that could be relevant to seafood are shown below:

• "DHA, an omega-3 fatty acid, supports the normal development of the brain, eyes and nerves."
• "Protein helps build and repair body tissues and helps build antibodies."
• "Vitamin D is a factor in the formation and maintenance of bones and teeth."

Generally, for a biological role claim to be made, the food must be a "source" of that nutrient, and the Nutrition Facts table must show the amount of the highlighted nutrient in the food serving. Often other information must be shown as well.

• In the case of DHA, a "source" level has not yet been defined. The amount of DHA (in grams) in a serving of stated size must be shown outside of the Nutrition Facts table. Within the Nutrition Facts table, the amount of omega-3, omega-6 and monounsaturated fatty acids must also be given.
• When a biological role claim is made for protein, the food must meet the requirements for "source of protein". (See table above, "Examples of nutrient content claims that might apply to seafood".)
• For a vitamin or mineral, the food must contain a minimum of 5% of the Recommended Daily Intake of that nutrient (i.e. a "source"). The percentage of the Daily Value (% DV) of the vitamin or mineral must also appear in the Nutrition Facts table.

Diet-Related Health Claims

Diet-related health claims, or disease risk reduction claims, are representations that state, suggest or imply a relationship between the consumption of foods (or food constituents) and a reduced risk of disease. Health claims translate complex diet-health relationships into simple, relevant messages. There is a process for approval of new health claims-they are only permitted when sound scientific evidence has established a relationship between certain elements of healthy diets and reduction of risk of certain diseases.

The regulations prohibit foods from claiming to prevent, treat or cure diseases or disorders; to do so brings them under the category of 'drug' rather than 'food'. To further protect the public, any food (or drug) cannot be claimed to the general public to prevent, treat or cure any of the specific diseases or disorders listed in the regulations (e.g. arthritis, asthma, depression, diabetes, heart disease, hypertension)-because these serious health problems should be diagnosed and treated by a medical practitioner.

Five diet-related health claims are currently permitted on food labels and advertisements in Canada. The two that would apply to some seafood products are shown in the chart:

Conditions for making the two diet-related health claims that are most likely to apply to seafood

To make a health claim about...	the food...
potassium, sodium and reduced risk of high blood pressure For example, "A healthy diet containing foods high in potassium and low in sodium may reduce the risk of high blood pressure, a risk factor for stroke and heart disease. (Naming the food) is a good source of potassium and is low in sodium."	-must be low in (or free of) sodium -may also be high in potassium (if the statement says it is) -must be low in saturated fatty acids -must be limited in alcohol -must have more than 40 Calories if the food is not a vegetable or a fruit -must have a minimum amount of at least one vitamin or mineral
saturated and trans fats and reduced risk of heart disease For example, "A healthy diet low in saturated and trans fats may reduce the risk of heart disease. (Naming the food) is low in saturated and trans fats."	-must be low in (or free of) saturated fat and trans fat -must be limited in cholesterol, sodium and alcohol -must have more than 40 Calories if the food is not a vegetable or a fruit -must have a minimum amount of at least one vitamin or mineral -must, if it is a fat or an oil, be a source of omega-3 or omega-6 polyunsaturated fatty acids

Remember that if a nutrition or health claim is used, the Nutrition Facts table must also be given. While claims are a good starting point, the Nutrition Facts gives more complete information about the nutrient value of a food.

To learn more:

• Health Canada's website on nutrition labelling
  www.hc-sc.gc.ca/fn-an/label-etiquet/nutrition/index_e.html
• Interactive Nutrition Label and Quiz
  www.hc-sc.gc.ca/fn-an/label-etiquet/nutrition/cons/interactive_e.html
• Nutrition and Health Claims
  www.hc-sc.gc.ca/fn-an/label-etiquet/claims-reclam/index_e.html
• Managing Health Claims for Foods in Canada: Towards a Modernized Framework. Discussion Paper, Health Canada, November 2007
  www.hc-sc.gc.ca/fn-an/consultation/init/man-gest_health_claims-allegations_sante_e.html
• Guide to Food Labelling and Advertising (Canadian Food Inspection Agency)
  www.inspection.gc.ca/english/fssa/labeti/guide/toce.shtml
• Healthy Eating is in Store for You (Canadian Diabetes Association and Dietitians of Canada)
  www.healthyeatingisinstore.ca