This is a minor amendment that does not make any changes to the compositional standard. This amendment is warranted to better identify the sherbet as a dairy based product when the French name sorbet laitier is used. During the discussions on the development of a National Dairy Code for Canada and related amendments to compositional standards for dairy products, it was brought to the attention of Health Canada and the Canadian Food Inspection Agency that confusion has arisen over the use of the term sorbet in both the Dairy Products Regulations and the Food and Drug Regulations . This confusion relates to the fact that the term sorbet in French, as used in Europe and the United States, designates a water based product which does not contain dairy ingredients.
Product sold under the same name in Canada is dairy based.
In order to correct the potential for confusion in the marketplace created by this situation, an amendment is being made to change the French term for sherbet to sorbet laitier , a product which clearly contains dairy ingredients. Alternatives Under the Food and Drug Regulations and the Dairy Products Regulations , the compositional standards for dairy products are provided to ensure consistency and protect consumers from health, safety and fraud risks. Maintaining the status quo was rejected as this would not permit a clear and unambiguous understanding of sherbet as a dairy product when the French term is used. Benefits and Costs There is a clear benefit to consumers and industry since compliance with current standards for sherbet will be facilitated and potential confusion over the composition of sherbet on the French versions of labels will be eliminated. The amendment identifies clearly that the new French term sorbet laitier is a dairy product.