Health Canada Backs off TransFat Regulation

Canada steps back from regulating trans fats

Health Canada will delay regulation of trans fats in Canadian food products for at least two years, calling instead for industry to voluntarily limit use of the heart-clogging compounds.

Critics blame the delay on opposition from the U.S. government, whose food industry would face complications exporting to Canada if Ottawa introduced binding limits.

Trans fats are artificial compounds used to harden and stabilize vegetable oils, primarily baked and fried foods. There is strong scientific evidence linking trans fats to coronary heart disease.

Health Minister Tony Clement said Wednesday regulations will be introduced in two years if the industry doesn't reduce the compounds to the lowest possible levels.

Mr. Clement conceded that the trade issue had been raised by the U.S. food industry and their lobbying played a role in his decision to call for voluntary compliance.

“It was a factor that was brought to my attention; quite frankly it was not the determining factor. Health and safety of Canadians always has to come first, ahead of trade relations.”

He said industry has cut the intake of trans fats by 40 per cent in the last few years due to consumer demand.

“My point is this: let's keep on that track, let's make sure that the marketplace responds to consumer demand, but if in two years we do not meet our targets, the government will regulate. Even if we wanted to we could not regulate tomorrow anyway, because it takes time to do that in an appropriate way, especially because of trade issues and so on.”

The decision is at odds with the recommendations of a task force set up by Health Canada in early 2005. The task force said Ottawa should introduced regulatory limits by June 2008, applicable to all processed foods, domestic or imported.

The task force rejected the voluntary approach, citing the example of Denmark where concerns about trans fats were voiced for years without much effect.

“It was only after regulations came into effect that processed trans fats were virtually eliminated from the Danish food supply,” the task force said in its report last year.

Bill Jeffery, national co-ordinator of the Centre for Science in the Public Interest, which monitors food health issues, said he was disappointed in the government's decision.

Mr. Jeffery cited estimates that trans fats cause 2,000 heart attacks in Canada annually, suggesting that the delay in regulations could cause many deaths. “There are health consequences,” he said.

NDP critic Pat Martin was furious with the delay, calling it gutless and cowardly. He alleged Mr. Clement backed off due to concerns about falling out of step with the United States.

The two countries have been trying to harmonize their regulations in health, environment and other areas. Ottawa has repeatedly been accused of weakening regulations in areas such as pesticide residue and auto emissions for the sake of a harmonized Canada-U.S. approach.

Mr. Clement has called on the food industry to limit the trans fat content of vegetable oils and soft margarines to 2 per cent of total fat content, and the trans fat content for all other foods to 5 per cent.

Source: theGlobeandMail.com