Genesis R&D Manual

Canada FOP

Owned by Nate Edwards
Last updated: Jan 24, 2024 by Jill Hohnstein (Unlicensed)
2 min read

Canada requires FOP symbols when certain nutrients (Sodium, Saturated Fat and Sugars) exceed 15 %DV. (In some cases, depending on the reference amount, the threshold could be 10% or 20%.) Not all foods have to display an FOP. These exemptions are listed here.

Determine if you need an FOP 

  1. Go to Edit Label 

  1. Make sure Canada is selected as your authority 

  1. Select Front of Package. Any nutrients that exceed the threshold will be listed. 

This determination is based on the Recipe’s serving size. However, the regulations say you must use the Reference Amount to determine FOP requirements if that amount is larger than your serving size. As such, Genesis enables you to set the RA.  

Set the Reference Amount 

  1. Go to Edit Label > Front of Package.  

  2. Check “Set Reference Amount” 

  1. Click “Select” 

  1. Choose the Reference Amount for the food item that most closely matches your Recipe. 

  1. Click OK. 

Required FOPs may change depending on the RA, but these calculations are done behind the scenes and will not change anything on your Labels. 

Change the specifications 

You can select from a variety of layout formats for your FOP symbols, depending on your package size and language requirements.  

  1. Choose Language (English, French or bilingual) 

  1. Choose Orientation 

  1. Choose Size 

The FOP symbol preview will appear on your Label View page as a bitmap image. This image is not high quality and is for preview purposes only. To use this image in your packaging design, you will want to download the .eps vector file.  

Download the FOP symbol as a vector .eps. 

  1. Right click and select Export > As Image > To file 

  1. Navigate to where you want to save the file 

  1. Rename if necessary 

  1. Click Save 

  1. Open and edit it in your preferred vector-editing program 

Genesis Classic has the basic formats built into the program. The regulations, however, allow for even more variations. If Genesis does not have the exact style you need, you can visit the Health Canada website here: https://www.canada.ca/en/health-canada/services/technical-documents-labelling-requirements/nutrition-symbol-formats-label-designers/compendium-nutrition-symbol-formats.html . From there, you can download a PDF file of all the images or request .ai images from Health Canada.   

Some foods do not need to display a nutrition symbol. These include:

  • foods exempt for technical reasons, such as:

    • packaged individual portions that are only intended to be served by a restaurant or other commercial enterprise to accompany meals or snacks (for example, individually portioned crackers served with soup or creamers served with a cup of coffee)

    • milk and cream sold in refillable glass containers

    • foods in very small packages

    • raw, single ingredient whole cuts of meat, poultry and fish that do not carry a nutrition facts table

  • foods with a protective effect on health, such as fruits and vegetables without added sodium, sugars, or saturated fat

  • certain dairy products, such as plain milk, plain yogurt and cheese because they are important sources of calcium that is needed to promote bone health and reduce the risk of osteoporosis

  • raw, single ingredient ground meats and poultry to avoid giving the impression that they are nutritionally inferior to whole cuts that do not carry a nutrition symbol

  • butter, sugar, salt and other products used for the same purpose as butter, sugar or salt, such as:

    • honey

    • celery salt

    • maple syrup

    • vegetable oils

    • seasoning salt