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Canada operates a statutory list of permitted supplemental ingredients (e.g. vitamins, minerals, amino acids) in food.  In addition, there is a temporary marketing approval (TMA) framework by exception, to use a specific supplement in a specific food.  The ongoing approval status of some of these TMA substances had been unclear.

This has now been clarified by a Health Canada notice.  It addresses this gap by issuing a table which provides information relevant to the use of these ingredients as conventional food ingredients and in supplemented foods, along with any data gaps that must be filled to establish safety as proposed supplemental ingredients.

In some cases, an ingredient has a history of safe use in food and is permitted as an ingredient (including in supplemented foods) on that basis. These ingredients may be used in all foods, including supplemented foods, according to the relevant provisions of the Food and Drug Regulations. Examples include certain food additives and flavourings. If use is proposed at levels higher than those with a history of safe use or if an ingredient has no such history, the ingredient would be considered a supplemental ingredient and require a pre-market assessment by Health Canada.

According to an investigation by Which? magazine, 15 out of 19 so-called sourdough loaves, sold in supermarkets, that they examined were not made in the traditional way and contain extra ingredients or additives.

Traditional sourdough is considered to be one of the oldest forms of bread and the technique can be traced back to ancient Egypt.

But Which? magazine says it looked at 19 sourdough loaves sold in supermarkets and found only four were made in the traditional way with the three basic ingredients.

The others contained extra ingredients, such as yeast, ascorbic acid and yoghurt and vinegar.

While these are not necessarily bad for you or unhealthy, Chris Young from the Real Bread Campaign says customers are being misled.

"If you are told you are buying something, you should get what you pay for. Particularly when some of the supermarkets are charging a premium for that product," he said.

The Real Bread Campaign group says it wants to see a legal definition of the terms "sourdough" or "artisan bread", so stores cannot "misinterpret" them.

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In the recent survey, conducted by the Food and Drug Administration Department of India under the milk survey of Food Safety and Standard Authority, the apex regulatory body to ensure food standards and quality in the country, 25 per cent of milk samples failed the quality check.

These samples were not only taken from dairies but also from milk packets.

“Under the survey, conducted by the FSSAI across the nation, we have collected 45 samples from various dairies and packaging units of the city. Over 10 samples have failed to clear the quality test including four contain sodium bicarbonate,” senior food safety officer Manish Swami said.

He said that samples of Mahindra Saboro, the packaged milk launched by Mahindra and Mahindra, were also failed as they contain sodium bicarbonate. “Samples of Saboro were also failed and many of the samples contain more water. Milk samples were also found to contain a neutraliser (sodium bicarbonate or sodium hydroxide) to increase the shelf life of milk. Many samples had fat content lower than what was prescribed by the Prevention of Food Adulteration Act, 1954 (PFA),” he added.

However, samples taken from rural areas were found even better than the set standards in terms of fat content and quality. Swami said that they would serve notices to the adulterators and also send our report to the FSSAI.

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