Health Canada is proposing to expand food-labelling requirements across the country aimed at reducing the number of food recalls and allergic reactions in prepackaged foods.
The current food and drug regulations require that ingredients of food products be declared on the labels of of certain ingredients are often not included in the list of ingredients.
Health Canada says when when seasoning, flour or margarine are used as ingredients in other foods, their components do not have to be included in the list of ingredients.
As a result, food allergens and gluten sources can be "hidden" from consumers trying to identify them in the list of ingredients.
Manufacturers will have to declare food allergens and gluten sources by name either in the list of ingredients or at the end of the list of ingredients in a statement called "Allergy and Intolerance Information."
Health Canada says the list of priority allergens includes nuts, eggs, milk, soybeans and fish. It's estimated that up to six per cent of young children suffer from food allergies.
Health Canada estimates nearly one per cent of the population is affected by celiac disease, a serious sensitivity to gluten.
The proposed changes come after more than a year of the government reviewing manufacturers labelling practices.
The changes are expected to be implemented by spring 2010.
