One hundred and fifty-six samples of breakfast cereals were collected from the Canadian retail marketplace over a 3-year period. The samples were analysed for the mycotoxins deoxynivalenol, nivalenol, HT-2 toxin, zearalenone, ochratoxin A, and fumonisins B1 and B2 to contribute to dietary exposure estimates in support of the development of Canadian guidelines for selected mycotoxins in foods. The samples included corn-, oat-, wheat- and rice-based cereals, as well as mixed-grain cereals, and were primarily from North American processors. Overall, deoxynivalenol was the most frequently detected mycotoxin--it was detected in over 40% of all samples analysed. Fumonisins and ochratoxin A were each detected in over 30% of all samples. Zearalenone was detected in over 20% of all samples. Nivalenol and HT-2 toxin were each detected in only one sample. The survey clearly demonstrated regular occurrence of low levels of multiple mycotoxins in breakfast cereals on the Canadian market.

Research conducted in the mid-1990s indicated that the levels of Trans fats in Canadian diets were among the highest in the world. The consumption of Trans fats raises blood levels of low-density lipoprotein (LDL)-cholesterol, while reducing levels of high-density lipoprotein (HDL)-cholesterol. In June 2007, Health Canada called on the food industry to voluntarily reduce levels of Trans fats in vegetable oils and soft (tub)-margarines to <2 of total fat, and in all other foods, to <5. Industry must show satisfactory progress by June 2009, or Health Canada might have to introduce legislation to ensure that recommended limits are achieved. Since 2005, Health Canada has been performing a national assessment of prepackaged and restaurant foods that likely contain Trans fats. From 2005 to 2009, 1120 samples were analyzed, of which 852 or approximately 76 met the recommended Trans fat limits. As a result of reformulation, most of the products had decreased Trans + saturated fat content. The estimated average intake of Trans fatty acids (TFA) in Canada significantly dropped from the high value of 8.4 g/day in the mid-1990s to 3.4 g/day (or 1.4 food energy) in 2008. However, this TFA intake of 1.4 of energy is still above the World Health Organization recommended limit of TFA intake of <1 of energy, which suggests that the Canadian food industry needs to put more effort into reducing the TFA content in its products, especially in tub-margarines, donuts, and bakery products.

Between 1998 and 2000, 151 samples of raisins and sultanas and two samples of currants were collected from retail outlets across Canada and analysed for ochratoxin A. Samples were extracted with methanol-sodium bicarbonate, and the extracts were cleaned-up by immunoaffinity column chromatography. Ochratoxin A was quantified by liquid chromatography with fluorescence detection. The minimum quantifiable level was 0.1 ng (g-1). Ochratoxin A was present, above the minimum quantifiable level, in 67 (79%) of 85 samples of raisins, in 39 (59%) of 66 samples of sultanas, and in both samples of currants. The overall mean level of ochratoxin A was 1.8 ng g(-1) in both the raisins and sultanas, and 2.8 ng g(-1) in the currants.