Three select regulatory strategies with which to bring functional foods to market were reviewed, as follows:

1. the many ways to make a health claim in Canada. While there are five categories of health claims, collectively there are 19 different ways to express those five claims, all of which are dependent on compositional requirements and thresholds;
   
2. the making of a biological role claim -- how to do it, what is and is not permissible, overlooked market potential in the use of these claims;
   
3. upcoming legislation that will radically change the addition of vitamins and minerals to foods, and as well, result in age-specific and gender-specific nutritional supplements to support Canadians' active lifestyle through all stages of the lifecycle.

The Canadian food regulator, Health Canada, is one of the most informed and advanced organizations when it comes to dietary fibre, subsequently reflected in a very restrictive regulatory climate. While Canadian consumers are protected from fraudulent dietary fibre claims, ingredient and food manufacturers face the toughest dietary fibre regulations in the world. In contrast, the American food regulator, the FDA, which does not reference a FDA-approved definition of dietary fibre, for example, has a much more lax regulatory oversight of dietary fibre. Examples of successful regulatory strategies to stickhandle one's way through the thick regulatory market barrier in Canada, as well as the regulatory pathway in the US, were provided.

In May 2003, the UK government, through the Food Standards Agency, solicited sector-wide support from the UK food processing industry, to reduce the sodium content of its offerings, so as to reduce the average daily intake of sodium from the current level of 9 g to a level of 6 g, by year 2010.

Means and measures by which the UK government and special interest groups have obtained industry support were documented.

Similar health promotion activities in the USA were reported, in which the new Food Pyramid Ð now aptly titled My Pyramid (see www.mypyramid.gov) identified current sodium intake in the American population as too high, and as well, targeted processed foods as the major source of sodium in the American diet.

Salt and sodium intakes in the USA, Canada and the UK were reported, along with incidences of heart disease, particularly hypertension, even among teenagers.

Consumer pressure and restrictive legislation on this issue is not existent at this point in time. However, indications are strong that special interest groups, or even government intervention through persuasion or legislation, could soon result in a call for sodium-reduced food, much as we are witnessing societal pressure, proposed, or in some countries such as Denmark, passed legislation, to reduce or remove trans fat content.

Carol first differentiated a 'trend' from a 'fad' providing marketplace examples, followed by a description of the following major trends affecting the food industry today:

• The globalization of food-borne illness and pathogens;
  
• Electronic Data Interchange--EDI--and how it is changing retail and foodservice sectors;
  
• Mandatory Nutrition Labelling in Canada, and in the US, a proposal before FDA which includes fresh fish and seafood;
  
• Distribution channels--what old is new again--the return to the Corner General Store, complete with gas pumps;
  
• Consumer Complexity and a fragmented marketplace;
  
• Specific food trends in the Canadian marketplace.

As a conclusion, all trends covered in the speech were categorized within a SWOT analysis, along with specific recommendations as how to prepare and position personnel working in the Canadian seafood sector to avail themselves of these trends and employment opportunities. Then Carol left them with this quote:

"Knowledge is high in the head, but the salmon of wisdom swims deep" Neil Gunn (1891-1973)

Evidence of the arrival of the Anti-Atkins^TM counter-trend was detailed, including products, nutrition education, proposed multi-pronged regulatory intervention programs and marketplace data.

Recommendations for manufacturers both considering entering the low-carb sector, and for those needing to directly and successfully compete against low-carb foods was provided.

Horizontal trends -- those which effect many sectors of the food industry -- were highlighted throughout this comprehensive presentation.

The two dominant horizontal trends of interest to both the trade and consumers -- trans fatty acids and low-carb diets Ð- were profiled and explained in depth. Recommendations to address real or perceived consumer concerns were provided, such as the vital role of including consumer input through market research (i.e. sensory evaluation) throughout a product formulation or re-formulation process.

Other horizontal trends covered included:

Organic food: its prevalence, current sector growth and growth of specific categories

Obesity: Canadian and American prevalence and expectations placed by some stakeholders on how the food industry should be responding to this epidemic

Food Promotion to Children: Industry self-regulated initiatives and education sector programs to improve the nutrient profile of food selection in schools. Societal expectation that food manufacturers play a more tangible role in advertising, food composition, education and distribution so as to combat childhood obesity, overweight and malnutrition.

Regulatory Reform, Update and Outlook: Health claims are now permitted on some foods in Canada; a new Nutrition Facts panel is mandated, and declaration of more nutrients is now possible. The gap between science and regulations is narrowing and indications are that it will be even narrower in the future. These advancements on the Canadian regulatory scene also indicate many opportunities for food manufacturers to differentiate their products on a science-based nutrition platform. The outlook points to revisions of the Food Guide in Canada and Food Pyramid in the USA, as well as RDI harmonization between Canada and the USA.

Two media outlets -- CBC morning radio as well as the Moncton local journal, The Moncton Times -- provided extensive media coverage of this presentation.

Background: In January 2004, Canada formally recognized NHP's (Natural Health Products) as a legal category in and unto itself. NHPs labels must provide evidence-based indications that have been approved by a pre-market regulatory assessment. Approved products are assigned NPN's (Natural Health Product Identification Number), similar to a drug-specific DIN, and can be produced in only licensed manufacturing sites that follow NHP GMP's.

This ground-breaking legislation presents many opportunities for manufacturers, retailers, marketers and product developers of both food products and NHP's.

Workshop Content: This workshop was specifically designed to prepare all stakeholders, those in the food industry and the NHP industry, to take advantage of this newly-recognized sector by building on existing skill-sets and knowledge. Practical, news-you-can-use topics for discussion included:

1. Should I continue to market my product as a food, or, does the NHP category offer greater opportunity?
   
2. What type of scientific evidence do I need to support a claim; where and how do I get this information?
   
3. What GMP's (Good Manufacturing Practices) are appropriate for the products I am considering?
   
4. What may be involved in converting our manufacturing facility from meeting food regulations, to one meeting NHP regulations?
   
5. What is the cost of producing and marketing the product as a food, versus producing and marketing it as a NHP?

Case Study: Following the presentations, the real part of the workshop (the work part of the shop) unfolded. Participants were divided into breakout groups, in which they addressed a case study prepared by Carol Culhane and subsequently reconvened for group presentations and feedback from the expert panel.

Participants rated the Case Study examination as a definite highlight of the workshop. Assumptions were tested, options explored, more information acquired, networking maximized, and learning in a funfilled way was realized.