Health Canada says it is preparing for the possibility that a shortage of sunflower oil could further strain baby formula supplies in Canada.
The federal agency says it's “working closely with manufacturers” that rely on sunflower oil as a key ingredient to produce formula that still meets Canadian standards.
That includes efforts to speed up evaluation of any ingredient substitutions, noting that a switch “is considered a major change and it must undergo pre-market assessment.”
Ukraine and Russia together export half of the world's sunflower oil, but the ongoing war has seen Russian invaders accused of blocking Ukrainian ports and preventing food staples from leaving.
In the meantime, Health Canada says it will extend a temporary plan to import more baby formula from Europe and the United States to bolster domestic supplies.
The plan to bring 20 infant formulas approved for use in Europe and the United States currently expires June 30. bhe federal agency says in an emailed statement that “the interim policy will be extended” but did not elaborate.
The national spokeswoman for the Retail Council of Canada says they've been told the order will be extended to Dec. 30, 2022.
Last week, the federal agency acknowledged a shortage of infant formulas designed for babies with food allergies and certain medical conditions.
A massive product recall in February led to the shutdown of Abbott Nutrition's Michigan plant, exacerbating pandemic-era supply chain woes and depleting stock in the United States.
While not as severe here, the Retail Council of Canada says its members have also experienced shortages, and in response restricted online orders and in-person purchases to meet demand.
Health Canada says the measures are all in service of mitigating further strain on Canadian formula supplies.
“Due to the urgency of the situation, and the critical nature of these products, Health Canada is monitoring the situation closely, and working with manufacturers in regards to infant formula supplies,” the agency said in a statement emailed late last week.
“If additional safety or supply information is identified, Health Canada will take appropriate action and inform Canadians as needed.”
Health Canada introduced the interim order to extend imports March 10, in a bid “to prevent and mitigate shortages,” listing several formulas that grew to 20 by May 9 with the addition of a liquid Enfamil product.
The agency recommended that the Canadian Food Inspection Agency temporarily lift food labelling and “composition requirements” for products from the United States, the United Kingdom, Ireland and Germany that are otherwise comparable to Canadian standards.
The Retail Council of Canada says Ottawa is working to mitigate the potential of further shortages brought on by the war in Ukraine, which “is having a massive impact on cost of all oils.”
“But sunflower oil is a particular ingredient in baby formula,” says Michelle Wasylyshen.
“And so given that we know that the war in Ukraine is likely not going to end for some time, and that the impact of sunflower flower oil will be significant on these products, Health Canada has been working with manufacturers to see if there's ways to alter that ingredient within their formulas in advance of this pending shortage so that they can get ahead of it.”
This report by The Canadian Press was first published May 24, 2022.
A new report by the Canadian Institute for Health Information says 83 per cent of adults in this country have a regular primary-care provider, but that still leaves 5.4 million adults without one.
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Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is expected to announce a major drop in the number of new permanent residents Canada will accept in 2025.
Pope Francis issued the fourth encyclical of his papacy on Thursday, denouncing a world that 'is losing its heart' during times of global turmoil marked by 'wars, socio-economic disparities and the uses of technology that threaten our humanity.'
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Two B.C. RCMP officers won’t face criminal charges for their use for force that left a man who had been arrested for public intoxication with a concussion, a torn shoulder and a chunk of his hair missing – but they could face professional discipline.
Four people are dead and another is in hospital following a fiery crash in downtown Toronto that happened overnight on Lake Shore Boulevard.
Quebec’s Bureau of Independent Investigations (BEI) is investigating after police in Gatineau, Que. shot and killed a man who allegedly stabbed an officer during an investigation.
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Trash carried by a North Korean balloon fell on the presidential compound in central Seoul on Thursday, officials said, the second such case in recent months that raise concerns about the vulnerability of key South Korean sites during potential North Korean aggression.
An Israeli strike on a school where displaced people were sheltering in the central Gaza Strip killed at least 17 people on Thursday, Palestinian medical officials said.
Turkiye’s air force struck Kurdish militant targets in Iraq and Syria on Wednesday in apparent retaliation for an attack at a key state-run defence company that killed five people and wounded more than a dozen others.
The Justice Department warned Elon Musk’s America PAC in recent days that his US$1 million sweepstakes to registered voters in swing states may violate federal law, people briefed on the matter told CNN.
If you’re a regular visitor to Walt Disney World, your annual passes are going to cost you more. The resort in Orlando, Fla., hiked prices on all four levels of its passes on Wednesday.
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is expected to announce a major drop in the number of new permanent residents Canada will accept in 2025.
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau says the Liberal party is 'strong and united,' despite efforts from within his caucus to oust him as leader.
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A new report by the Canadian Institute for Health Information says 83 per cent of adults in this country have a regular primary-care provider, but that still leaves 5.4 million adults without one.
A quick shake of the head after a hard hit could signal that a person has a concussion, a new study suggests, based on the experiences of young athletes.
A recall has been issued for certain clothing items sold at Giant Tiger stores over high levels of lead, according to a notice published by Health Canada Tuesday.
Vancouver Fire Rescue Services received its first shipment of new firefighting gear on Wednesday, advancing the department's plans to reduce cancer risk for its members.
Officials in Hong Kong said Wednesday they have discovered dinosaur fossils in the city for the first time on a remote, uninhabited island that's part of a geopark.
A meteor lit up our region's sky last night – with a large fireball shooting across the horizon over Lake Erie at around 7:00 p.m.
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Cardi B says she has been hospitalized with a medical emergency and will have to miss a Saturday night headlining performance at an Atlanta music festival.
Almost three years after the deadly Astroworld Festival tragedy, Houston rapper and concert headliner Travis Scott just settled hundreds of lawsuits related to the case.
Canada's discount airline is suspending operations to and from Saskatoon.
Equifax Inc. is launching a program to allow newcomers to transfer their foreign credit history to Canada.
Things could be looking up for Waterloo, Ont.-based company and former tech darling Sandvine, after being removed from the U.S. Department of Commerce Entity List earlier this week.
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Chris Boucher was back, for at least one game. The veteran forward spent most of last season at the far end of the Toronto Raptors' bench, rarely seeing playing time.
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Former 'Malcolm in the Middle' star Frankie Muniz is set to continue his NASCAR career with a full-time ride in the Truck Series for 2025.
An increased risk of fire has prompted the recall of thousands of Honda hybrid vehicles in Canada.
A senior executive for Volkswagen in China has been deported for allegedly using cocaine and marijuana while on vacation in Thailand, according to Chinese authorities and German media reports.
The U.S. government's road safety agency is investigating Tesla's 'Full Self-Driving' system after getting reports of crashes in low-visibility conditions, including one that killed a pedestrian.
He is a familiar face to residents of a neighbourhood just west of Roncesvalles Avenue.
A meteor lit up our region's sky last night – with a large fireball shooting across the horizon over Lake Erie at around 7:00 p.m.
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Hortense Anglin was the oldest graduate to make her way across the platform at York University's Fall Convocation ceremony this week. At the age of 87, she graduated with an Honours degree in Religious Studies.
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An investigation into a climate of fear at a Montreal primary school has reignited a debate about secularism in Quebec's education system, with the provincial government pledging to consider new measures to keep religion out of classrooms.
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Southey RCMP say drivers should expect delays on Highway 6 Wednesday night after a serious crash.
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A psychologist who recently assessed Geovanny Villalba-Aleman believes he may have experienced a psychotic break before stabbing three people in a gender studies class at a University of Waterloo.
Corrections Service Canada has confirmed a women’s prison in Kitchener is in lockdown.
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The president and CEO of New Brunswick-based Covered Bridge Potato Chips is taking an 'extended leave of absence' after being charged with domestic violence this past weekend.
It only took minutes for North Bay pharmacist Brian Chute to be out $1,500 after fraudsters deceptively swapped his bank card with another.
A new report by the Canadian Institute for Health Information says 83 per cent of adults in this country have a regular primary-care provider, but that still leaves 5.4 million adults without one.
A 27-year-old man is miraculously alive after his pickup went over Hawk Cliff near Port Stanley. Fire fighters estimate that from the top to bottom of the embankment is around 270 feet.
Under tough cross-examination at the London courthouse on Wednesday, Rachel Johnson, 21, was asked a number of times why there was a delay in calling 911
OPP have confirmed that a transport truck driver crashed into a historic home just southeast of London this morning.
A suspect in an armed robbery that took place one year ago in Hanover will officially face the court for their charges following an arrest on Sunday.
A haunted house in the Ontario Town of Innisfil is causing a real scare for some people a week before Halloween.
In the Town of Tecumseh, residents and athletes alike are facing a pickleball problem that may prove costly.
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A man who fired at least 19 gunshots at an RCMP detachment in northern British Columbia, narrowly missing officers inside, has won a reduced prison sentence from the province's highest court, which ruled the sentencing judge failed to fully weigh the man's mental illness at the time.
Dave Lindsey began growing giant pumpkins to bring a bit of magic to his grandkids' Halloween.
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Nearly two years after a man was stabbed to death in downtown Kelowna, RCMP have made an arrest in the case.
Graduate students looking to become mental-health professionals will have more opportunities to study in the University of Lethbridge’s Master of Education Counselling Psychology program.
A dazzling light display is making its return to Lethbridge this holiday season.
As part of anniversary celebrations, the City of Lethbridge is inviting the community to see VisitLethbridge.com Arena like they never have before.
The lack of 24-hour public washrooms has been a long-standing issue in the Sault, especially considering the rise in homelessness.
The union representing the fire rangers with the Ministry of Natural Resources says money won’t fix the systemic problems in the workplace.
Rallies by a group called Voices Against Violence took place across the country on Monday, including Sault Ste. Marie.
Investigators found the remains of a 77-year-old American man on Wednesday at the scene of a fire that destroyed a hotel in western Newfoundland earlier on the weekend.
Police in western Newfoundland say a 77-year-old man visiting the province from Kansas is missing after a fire at a hotel in Deer Lake, N.L.
At 2 p.m. on Thursday, the scene at the Lions Club in Clarenville, N.L., rivalled any rowdy St. John's bar that thumps with music late on a weekend night.
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