Food Allergen Labelling in Canada

by Carol T. Culhane, P.H.Ec. MBA

Food allergies affect an estimated 5 to 6% of Canadian children and 3 to 4% of Canadian adults. A much larger percentage of the population suffers from a food intolerance, which does not trigger a defense response from the body’s immune system following ingestion. A food intolerance, however, may exhibit symptoms similar to that of a food allergy.

Therefore, the accuracy of the ingredient information on the label of pre-packaged food is a very important safety concern for consumers.

Manitoba Home Economists Launch New Blog!

The Manitoba Association of Home Economists (MAHE) is reaching out to families everywhere. Their new blog, Homefamily.net is a consumer focused blog written by Professional Home Economists to provide tips, techniques and information to consumers to help improve their quality of life.

Canada takes stance on salt, sugar, fats in processed food

After reading that Canadians on average consume about 26 teaspoons of sugar daily, it was refreshing to see Canada sign onto the UN agreement to combat chronic diseases.

Dr. Margaret Chan, the general director of the World Health Organization, and also a Professional Home Economist, slammed the tobacco industry for trying to "subvert this treaty".  She also said:

"Processed foods, very high in salt, trans fats, and sugar have become the new staple food in nearly every corner of the world. They are readily available and heavily marketed. For a growing number of people, they are the cheapest way to fill a hungry stomach,"

Time to Revive Home Economics

The New York Times recently had a piece promoting the need to bring Home Economics education back into the school system as we fight decaying families, teeth and an ever growing waste line.  Here are some excerpts that I enjoyed.


"NOBODY likes home economics. For most people, the phrase evokes bland food, bad sewing and self-righteous fussiness."

"Indeed, in the early 20th century, home economics was a serious subject. When few understood germ theory and almost no one had heard of vitamins, home economics classes offered vital information about washing hands regularly, eating fruits and vegetables and not feeding coffee to babies, among other lessons.

"Eventually, however, the discipline’s basic tenets about health and hygiene became so thoroughly popularized that they came to seem like common sense. As a result, their early proponents came to look like old maids stating the obvious instead of the innovators and scientists that many of them really were. Increasingly, home economists’ eagerness to dispense advice on everything from eating to sleeping to posture galled."