Canada gives Cargill's Oliggo-fiber green light
as a dietary fiber in Canada, adding to the number of companies
allowed to list inulin in this category on labels.
In 2006, Health Canada approved Orafti's Beneo inulin as a dietary fiber, allowing manufacturers to advertise higher fiber content on food labels and opening the way for brands such as Cargill's to also seek the go-ahead. Formulators in Canada cannot list fiber sources such as inulin, resistant starches or fructooligosaccharides on nutrition labels as readily as in the United States. "This Canadian ruling on Cargill's Oliggo-fiber inulin enables consumer packaged goods companies to incorporate increased amounts of fibre into products without affecting taste and texture," said Steve Snyder, vice president of Cargill Health & Food Technologies. According to Cargill, it received a "no objection letter" from Health Canada to the effect that Oliggo-fiber inulin from chicory roots is not a "novel fibre" in Health Canada Guideline No. 9, 1988, thereby allowing manufacturers using Oliggo-Fiber to incorporate terms such as 'high source of fibre' on food labels. "This is great news for Canadian food manufacturers looking to meet consumer demand for naturally-sourced fibre by incorporating Oliggo-Fiber inulin into their food products," said Snyder.
