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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.

This presentation by Tabatha Hambidge (Research Scientist at the National Measurement Laboratory, LGC) provides an overview of the analysis of novel foods for the presence of CBD, which covers:

• What is CBD?
• How is CBD obtained?
• How does CBD differ from other cannabinoids that are controlled?
• How can we test for the presence of CBD in food supplements and other consumer products?

The e-seminar is intended for individuals working in laboratories that are testing CBD, the food industry and those involved with the UK official control system.

The production of this e-seminar was co-funded by the UK Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, Defra, the Food Standards Agency, Food Standards Scotland and the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, BEIS via the Government Chemist, under the Joint Knowledge Transfer Framework for Food Standards and Food Safety Analysis.

This e-seminar has also been added to the Training section of this website.

 The recording for this webinar, which was held on 29 March 2023, is now available. .

An e-seminar covering issues surrounding the use of CBD in food supplements and difficulties likely to be encountered in their analytical testing has been published.

It aims to help manufacturers, suppliers and laboratories understand the issues surrounding the use of cannabidiol, more commonly known as CBD, in food supplements and the difficulties likely to be encountered in testing food supplements containing CBD. The manufacture and supply of food supplements are strictly controlled under food laws, it is therefore important to understand what CBD is and how it is regulated in food products. This presentation focuses on CBD, its chemistry in relation to food supplements and regulatory legislation, as well as considering the analytical aspects of measuring CBD in food supplements.

The e-seminar is intended for individuals working in official control laboratories, the food industry and those involved with the UK official control system.

The production of this e-seminar was co-funded by the UK Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, Defra, the Food Standards Agency, Food Standards Scotland and the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, BEIS via the Government Chemist, under the Joint Knowledge Transfer Framework for Food Standards and Food Safety Analysis.

This e-seminar has also been added to the Food Authenticity Network's Training Section, where 12 other authenticity related e-seminars are available.

The Food Standards Agency is reiterating its advice to the CBD industry to submit their novel food applications and move towards compliance with novel food regulations. Companies with suitably validated applications should then be able to continue selling their products in England and Wales until they have been considered by independent scientific committees and a decision on authorisation has been made. 

The criteria for products which can remain on sale from 1 April 2021 has been updated. Previously, only products which were on sale at the time of the FSA’s announcement (13 February 2020) and were linked to an application which had been validated by 31 March 2021 were to be included. To maximise the opportunity to pass validation, this now includes all products linked to an application submitted before 31 March 2021 that is subsequently validated.

Businesses wishing to sell their products in Britain should submit their novel food applications via the new Regulated Products system which is jointly operated by the Food Standards Agency and Food Standards Scotland.