Not All Food Approvals Are the Same and You Deserve to Know the Difference

Not All Food Approvals Are the Same and You Deserve to Know the Difference 

Most people assume that if food is sold in Canada, it’s been approved in the same way. 
That’s not always true. 

In Canada, foods enter the market through different regulatory pathways. Which pathway applies depends on whether a food is produced using long-established methods or newer technologies and processes, often referred to as novel. Understanding that difference is central to making an informed choice. 

Traditional vs. Novel Approval: What’s the Difference? 

Foods produced using long-established farming and processing methods are generally regulated through existing food safety frameworks. These are often referred to as traditional foods, and they do not require individual pre-market approval before being sold. 

Other foods fall under what is known as novel approval. 

Novel foods include those that: 

• Are genetically modified or gene edited 

• Are produced using new or non-traditional processes that significantly change the food 

• Or do not have a history of safe use in Canada 

These foods must undergo a separate pre-market assessment before entering the Canadian food supply. 

Both pathways are legal. 
Both are regulated. 
But they are not the same. 

Why Does This Matter? 

This is where transparency breaks down 

Foods approved under the novel food framework are generally not required to be labeled as such. That means your food label may not tell you whether a product was approved through traditional pathways or through novel approval — simply because it doesn’t have to. 

For consumers who want to understand how their food is produced and approved, that information gap matters. 

Why Transparency Matters to Us 

At duBreton, we believe transparency matters — not to tell people what to choose, but to make sure they can choose, with real information in hand. 

Choice only exists when it’s paired with knowledge. 

As new technologies become more common in the food system, we believe consumers deserve clearer access to how food is approved and produced. 

While foods approved under the novel framework are not required to be labeled, there is a public record of these approvals. 

Health Canada maintains a list of foods, brands, and ingredients that have been approved under the novel food framework. It’s one of the few places where this information is available to the public. 

👉 https://www.canada.ca/en/health-canada/services/food-nutrition/genetically-modified-foods-other-novel-foods/approved-products.html 

We encourage you to take a look and decide for yourself. 

Trust Is Built When Information Isn’t Hidden 

We believe transparency strengthens the food system. 
Trust is earned — not assumed.