6 Ways Ways Accurate Labelling Can Support Food-Borne Illness Prevention

Food-borne illnesses remain a significant public health concern in Canada, affecting thousands of people each year. For Food Handlers, food-borne illness prevention starts with Food Handler training, adhering to food safety regulations and, importantly, understanding food labels.

Clear and accurate food labelling plays a critical role in reducing contamination risks, ensuring allergen safety and maintaining proper food storage practices.

With the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) continuing to implement Food Labelling Modernization (FLM) initiatives to enhance transparency, Food Handlers must stay informed regarding new labelling requirements. 

In this article, we will explore how food labelling supports food-borne illness prevention, what Food Handlers should look for and how the Food Handler Certification Course can help them. For more insights on FLM and other major food safety trends, check out our Ultimate Guide to Food Safety Compliance in Canada: 2025 Edition.

1. How food labels prevent spoilage and storage mistakes
2. What Food Handlers should know about nutrition labels
3. How allergen labels protect customers and prevent cross-contamination
4. Spotting mislabelling and food fraud risks in the kitchen
5. How food labels help customers make safe food choices
6. How Food Handlers stay compliant with food labelling regulations

1. How food labels prevent spoilage and storage mistakes

Labelling is essential for ensuring that food is stored and handled correctly. Expiry dates, storage instructions and refrigeration requirements listed on labels help Food Handlers maintain food quality and prevent spoilage.

Key labelling components that support safe food storage include:

• Best before dates: Indicate the timeframe for peak freshness and quality
• Use-by dates: Critical for perishable foods; consuming after this date may pose health risks
• Storage guidelines: Specify if refrigeration, freezing or dry storage is required

Understanding these labels helps prevent the consumption of expired or improperly stored food, reducing the risk of food poisoning.

2. What Food Handlers should know about nutrition labels

With the implementation of Front-of-Pack Labelling (FOP) under FLM, Food Handlers can quickly identify high-risk products that contain excessive sodium, sugar or saturated fats. These labels are designed to help both consumers and food professionals make informed decisions about the products they handle, prepare and serve.

For Food Handlers, this means:

• Being aware of foods that may contribute to health risks
• Making informed choices when selecting ingredients for food preparation
• Educating customers about high-risk products upon request

3. How allergen labels protect customers and prevent cross-contamination

Food allergies can cause severe reactions, making accurate allergen labelling crucial. Canadian food safety regulations require that common allergens—including peanuts, tree nuts, milk, eggs, wheat, soy, sesame, fish and shellfish—are clearly stated on packaging. 

Food Handlers must be aware of these labels to prevent cross-contact and undertake effective allergen management procedures during food preparation.

Proper allergen labelling allows Food Handlers to:

• Identify allergens in packaged foods
• Prevent cross-contact when handling different food products
• Inform customers of potential allergens in meals served at restaurants and food establishments

4. Spotting mislabelling and food fraud risks in the kitchen

Mislabelled products can introduce hidden allergens, incorrect ingredient lists or misleading expiry dates, all of which pose food safety risks. Effective Food Handler training can help food service professionals detect inconsistencies and report potential issues before they reach customers.

To prevent the risks associated with mislabelling, Food Handlers should:

• Verify ingredient lists against known allergen declarations
• Ensure labels are clear and accurate before use
• Be aware of common food fraud practices, such as misrepresented seafood or diluted ingredients

5. How food labels help customers make safe food choices

With 93 percent of consumers prioritizing ingredient transparency, it is crucial that food labels clearly present ingredient information, allowing Food Handlers to identify ingredients, address customer inquiries and build trust.

Customers frequently ask about:

• Ingredient sourcing
• Nutritional values
• Potential allergens

6. How Food Handlers stay compliant with food labelling regulations

Canada’s food labelling laws are continuously evolving to enhance food safety and transparency. Compliance with CFIA regulations ensures that businesses meet legal standards and uphold public trust.

Food Handlers should stay informed about:

• Updates to nutrition fact tables and ingredient transparency
• New front-of-pack labelling requirements, which are required by December 31, 2025
• Industry best practices for labelling and food safety

Food Handler training emphasizes the importance of understanding labels, reducing non-compliance risks and ensuring high safety standards in food establishments.

How can the Food Handler Certification Course help?

The Food Handler Certification Course includes an entire module dedicated to food contamination, food-borne illness, allergy management and food safety regulations: 

Module One: Understanding Food Safety

Lesson 1 - Understanding Food Contamination

Lesson 2 - Food-Borne Illness & Allergy Management

Lesson 3 - Food Safety Laws & Responsibilities

This knowledge, combined with the implementation of modern labelling standards provides fundamental guidance for Food Handlers when it comes to food-borne illness prevention.

Maintaining the relationship between accurate food labelling and food-borne illness prevention

Accurate food labelling is an essential tool for Food Handlers in food-borne illness prevention. From ensuring allergen safety to preventing cross-contamination and regulatory compliance, clear and transparent labels contribute to safer food handling practices.

For more on FLM and other 2025 food safety trends, explore our Ultimate Guide to Food Safety Compliance in Canada: 2025 Edition.

As Food Labelling Modernization continues to evolve, staying informed and undergoing proper Food Handler training ensures that food professionals can confidently interpret labels and prepare food in a way that mitigates food safety risks.

Ensure compliance through the Food Handler Certification Course

Take control of food safety—understand your labels, stay compliant and protect your customers from food-borne illnesses. 

Ensure compliance and enhance your food-borne illness prevention efforts by enrolling in the Food Handler Certification Course at the Canadian Institute of Food Safety.

Want to know more before enrolling? Get in touch with our team, they will be happy to share key information about the course.