Beer Industry in Canada Faces Trouble

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According to CTV Montreal, allergy and health groups are asking the government to push ahead with the new food-labeling regulations that were published in July of 2008 that require beer manufacturers and importers to clearly note potential allergens on labels. These labels would be an important indication for those with serious or life-threatening allergies.

The new labels would have to list any of ten priority allergens outlined by Health Canada, such as milk, eggs or shellfish, gluten sources, and sulphites, all over ten parts per million. The declaration would read “Allergy and Intolerance Information –Contains:…”

People fighting for the new regulations sent a letter to the prime minister this week, questioning the position of brewers who are asking to be exempt. “Our organizations remain, as we always have, willing to listen. What we are not prepared to do, prime minister, is let this once-in-a-generation opportunity be put at risk because of the last minute interventions of a powerful, private, industry lobby,” the letter said.

Jim McCarthy, executive director of the Canadian Celiac Association, said the assumption that celiacs should know the contents of brewers’ products is incorrect.

“It is not logical to believe everybody understands what’s in beer,” McCarthy said.

Andrew Fortin, spokesman for the Brewers Association of Canada, said that the cost implications are high for small breweries that use recycled bottles.

“It would be quite an issue to change their bottles,” said Fortin, with some companies recycling bottles up to 20 times.