Overview

Canada has a steady growth and demand for Natural Health Products (NHP). All Natural Health Products (NHPs) sold in Canada are subject to the NHP Regulations, which came into force on January 01, 2004. In Canada, NHPs and foods are regulated under the Food and Drugs Act (FDA) and its associated regulations. Health Canada (HC) is responsible for establishing and enforcing policies, regulations, and standards relating to the health, safety, and nutritional quality of food in Canada. Despite the steady demand, manufacturers may face difficulty in delivering an acceptable formulation within the approved ingredient list to obtain market entry for Canada.

There are several distinct differences in the regulations and categorization of dietary supplements. They are called Natural Health Products (NHPs) and require a Natural Product Number (NPN) license to sell and market legally in Canada. The licenses are issued by the Non-Prescription and Natural Health Products Directorate (NNHPD), a department within Health Canada (HC). Licensing is based on at least one (01) health claim to support at least one (01) of the medicinal ingredients in the product under the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA).

For general food products, manufacturers should ensure that their product complies with the regulations to be sold in Canada. Apart from the general foods and NHPs, we also have novel foods, which are food products that are new or changed compared to existing foods. Health Canada (HC) reviews novel foods for their safety before they are sold in Canada. For food and food supplements containing novel ingredients, manufacturers must submit a novel food application to Health Canada (HC) for authorization.

Freyr experts assist the manufacturers in registration and provide end-to-end support for food supplement Regulatory services in Canada.