William Yan, Professor

School of Nutrition Sciences
University of Ottawa

Supplemented Foods: Balancing regulation and science to develop a new food category

In this presentation, Dr. William Yan and Andrew Morgan will co-present on the Supplemented Food Regulations, which became mandatory in 2026. Topics discussed include: -The regulatory environment prior to the development of the regulations, and the need for change. -The collaborative approach taken by Health Canada and food and beverage industry stakeholders to ensure data gaps around product consumption and understanding were addressed. -Labelling requirements for Supplemented Foods. -Food categories eligible for supplementation and permitted supplemental ingredients. -How the Pre-market and Post-market components of the regulations have worked for stakeholders. -The regulatory tools which permit continued innovation in a safe and responsible way. -Education and awareness initiatives. -Future challenges. We look forward to sharing our experiences with you, and to the engaging Q&A session that will follow the presentation.

Speaker Bio:

Dr. William Yan obtained his Bachelor and Master degrees in Microbiology and Ph.D. degree in Medical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases from the University of Alberta. He completed his post-doctoral training at Tufts University Medical School in Boston, MA before beginning his career in Health Canada’s Food Directorate as a Research Scientist in 1995. In 2010, Dr. Yan was appointed Director of the Bureau of Nutritional Sciences in the Food Directorate. Over a 10 year tenure, he led several high profile ministerial priorities under the Healthy Eating Strategy: the amendment of the nutrition labelling regulations; the prohibition of partially hydrogenated oils; sodium reduction, and the development of the front-of-package nutrition labelling regulations. He also led the work in developing a regulatory framework for products in the Food/Natural Health Products interface resulting in the publication of the new Supplemented Foods Regulation in July 2022. After his retirement from Health Canada, Dr. Yan is currently a CNS-SCN Fellow of the Canadian Nutrition Society and teaches undergraduate and post-graduate programs at the University of Ottawa.