Health Canada Raised the Juice Limit in Caffeinated Supplemented Beverages to 30%

On 13 August 2026, Health Canada quietly changed a rule that matters to every company making caffeinated water-based beverages in Canada. Through a Notice of Modification referenced MASF-2606, it amended the List of Permitted Supplemental Ingredients to allow up to 30% fruit and vegetable juice in certain caffeinated supplemented beverages, replacing the previous ceiling that kept juice content below 25%. The change is permissive, it took effect the day it was published, and there is no transition period.

That sounds like good news for product developers, and in many ways it is. But a permissive change is not a free one. If you reformulate up to the new limit, you may trigger label obligations that are easy to overlook, and the rule that stops you from calling these products juice has not moved an inch. This article explains exactly what changed, what did not, and what a disciplined food company should do before adjusting a recipe.

Executive summary

Health Canada's MASF-2606 modification gives beverage makers more formulation room while leaving the core consumer-protection guardrails in place. Here is the short version.

What changed: The juice limit for caffeinated water-based beverages in item 1 of the List of Permitted Supplemented Food Categories moved from less than 25% to no more than 30%, for both the 150 p.p.m. and the 400 p.p.m. caffeine entries.
When: Published 13 August 2026 through Notice of Modification MASF-2606, following a consultation that ran from 25 July to 8 October 2025.
Status: The change is permissive and effective on publication, with no transition period. You may adopt the 30% limit or keep formulating below 25%.
The catch: The prohibition on juice, puree, pulp and nectar wording on the label is unchanged, and any nutrient change from more juice must be reflected in the Supplemented Food Facts table.

What changed: the 30% juice limit

What is it? Health Canada raised the maximum juice content for certain caffeinated supplemented beverages from below 25% to no more than 30%. Why does it matter? It gives formulators more room to add fruit and vegetable juice without leaving the supplemented foods framework. What should companies do? Confirm which caffeine entry your product falls under, then decide whether to adopt the higher limit.

The change applies to water-based beverages listed in item 1 of the List of Permitted Supplemented Food Categories that contain added caffeine as a supplemental ingredient. Before MASF-2606, these products could not contain, singly or in combination, 25% or more juice, puree, pulp or nectar as consumed. After the modification, they may contain no more than 30% fruit and vegetable juice, puree, pulp or nectar. Health Canada applied the new limit to both relevant caffeine entries so that lower-caffeine and higher-caffeine beverages are treated consistently, rather than holding lower-caffeine products to a stricter standard.

The modification followed a standard pre-market process. A petitioner asked Health Canada to permit up to 30% juice, the Food and Nutrition Directorate assessed the safety impact and found no concerns, and the proposal was posted for a 75-day consultation that closed on 8 October 2025. The Notice of Modification confirming the change was published on 13 August 2026.

What did not change: the juice-term labelling ban

What is it? The rule preventing these beverages from being represented as juice is unchanged. Why does it matter? More juice in the recipe does not buy any freedom to say so on the label. What should companies do? Keep juice, puree, pulp and nectar out of the common name and off the label, except in the list of ingredients.

Health Canada was explicit that the higher juice limit does not affect the other conditions of use. Products still must not include the words juice, puree, pulp or nectar anywhere on the label other than where required in the list of ingredients, including in the common name. The stated intent is to prevent caffeinated supplemented beverages from being represented as foods that consumers might perceive as healthier. A product can now contain up to 30% juice and still cannot be marketed as containing juice. That distinction is where labelling errors will happen, and it is a close cousin of the representation and claim controls covered in our guide to plant-based and vegan claims under the SFCR.

Understanding the two caffeine entries

What is it? The List sets out two caffeine entries for item 1 beverages, each with its own conditions. Why does it matter? The mandatory statements and caffeine ceilings differ, so the entry your product falls under drives your label. What should companies do? Map your product to the correct entry before you touch the juice content.

Feature	Caffeine entry (1)	Caffeine entry (2)
Beverage type	Non-carbonated water-based beverages in item 1	Carbonated and non-carbonated water-based beverages with added caffeine and total caffeine over 150 p.p.m.
Maximum caffeine	150 p.p.m. (150 mg/L)	400 p.p.m. (400 mg/L), no more than 180 mg per serving
Previous juice limit	Less than 25%	Less than 25%
New juice limit	No more than 30%	No more than 30%
Key mandatory statement	"Contains caffeine" on the principal display panel	"High caffeine content" plus a cautionary statement

Whichever entry applies, the new 30% juice ceiling is the same. What differs is the caffeine limit and the mandatory on-label statements, so the practical starting point is to confirm your total caffeine content from all sources and place your product in the correct entry.

Permissive, immediate and with no transition period

What is it? The change is a permissive modification that took effect on publication. Why does it matter? Nothing forces you to act, and nothing gives you a grace period if you do. What should companies do? Treat adoption as a deliberate reformulation decision, not an automatic update.

Because the modification is permissive, regulated parties may either adopt the new maximum of 30% juice or continue to comply with the original limit of less than 25%. Health Canada did not set a transition period because the change introduces no new mandatory requirement. In practical terms, this means a company can keep every existing product exactly as it is, with no action required. The obligations arrive only when you choose to reformulate, and they arrive immediately, because there is no phase-in.

The Supplemented Food Facts obligation hiding inside a permissive change

What is it? Adding more juice can change a product's nutrient profile, which must be reflected on the label. Why does it matter? Health Canada specifically flagged that manufacturers adopting the new limit must update the Supplemented Food Facts table for any resulting change. What should companies do? Recalculate the nutrition information before the reformulated product ships.

This is the quiet obligation inside an otherwise permissive change. Fruit and vegetable juice contributes sugars, and often vitamins and minerals, so moving from under 25% to 30% juice can shift the values that must appear in the Supplemented Food Facts table. Health Canada stated that manufacturers who opt for the new limit must ensure any resulting changes to the product, such as changes in nutrient composition, are reflected in corresponding changes to the table. A reformulation that updates the recipe but not the label is a compliance failure waiting to be found, whether by the Canadian Food Inspection Agency during an inspection or by a competitor complaint.

Where this sits in Canada's supplemented foods framework

What is it? Supplemented foods are regulated under Part B of the Food and Drug Regulations, with key lists incorporated by reference. Why does it matter? The rules for these products live in documents that change through Notices of Modification, not only in the regulations themselves. What should companies do? Track the incorporated lists directly, because that is where changes like MASF-2606 appear first.

Supplemented foods, including their supplemental ingredients, are regulated under Part B of the Food and Drug Regulations. Permitted food categories and permitted supplemental ingredients, with their conditions of use, are set out in the List of Permitted Supplemented Food Categories and the List of Permitted Supplemental Ingredients, both incorporated by reference into the regulations. Health Canada updates these lists through Notices of Modification, and the Canadian Food Inspection Agency enforces the labelling requirements for supplemented foods under the Food and Drugs Act.

A practical warning for anyone monitoring these changes: the modification appeared on the List itself before Health Canada's own Notices index caught up. Relying on a single index page can leave you weeks behind an in-force change. The reliable approach is to track the incorporated lists directly and confirm the date each one was last modified.

Compliance checklist for the 30% juice change

Use this checklist before adopting the new juice limit in a caffeinated supplemented beverage.

Confirm your product is an item 1 water-based beverage with added caffeine, and identify which caffeine entry applies.
Verify total caffeine from all sources against the applicable limit, 150 p.p.m. or 400 p.p.m. with no more than 180 mg per serving.
Decide deliberately whether to adopt the 30% limit or stay below 25%.
Recalculate the Supplemented Food Facts table for any nutrient change from the added juice.
Confirm the words juice, puree, pulp and nectar do not appear on the label except in the list of ingredients, including in the common name.
Check that all required cautionary statements and caffeine declarations remain correct for the applicable entry.
Update specifications, recipes and supplier documentation to reflect the reformulation.
Keep records showing the basis for your juice content and nutrient calculations.

Common mistakes to avoid

Assuming the higher juice limit also relaxes the ban on juice wording on the label. It does not.
Reformulating up to 30% juice without recalculating the Supplemented Food Facts table.
Treating the change as mandatory and rushing to update products that were already compliant.
Applying the 30% limit to a beverage that does not belong to item 1 or does not contain added caffeine.
Relying only on Health Canada's Notices index, which can lag the List itself, and missing the in-force date.
Forgetting that the Canadian Food Inspection Agency, not Health Canada, enforces these requirements at retail.

Frequently asked questions

How much juice can a caffeinated supplemented beverage contain in Canada now?

Following Notice of Modification MASF-2606, certain caffeinated water-based beverages in item 1 of the List of Permitted Supplemented Food Categories may contain no more than 30% fruit and vegetable juice, puree, pulp or nectar as consumed. The previous limit required these products to stay below 25%. The change applies to both the 150 p.p.m. and 400 p.p.m. caffeine entries.

When did the 30% juice change take effect?

The modification was published on 13 August 2026 and took effect the day it was published in the List of Permitted Supplemental Ingredients. Because the change is permissive and adds no new mandatory requirement, Health Canada did not provide a transition period.

Do I have to reformulate my product?

No. The change is permissive. You may adopt the new 30% limit or continue to comply with the original limit of less than 25%. Existing compliant products need no changes. The obligations apply only if you choose to increase the juice content.

Can I now call my product a juice or put the word juice on the label?

No. The prohibition on using the words juice, puree, pulp or nectar on the label, other than in the list of ingredients, is unchanged. This applies to the common name as well. The higher juice content does not change how the product may be represented to consumers.

What do I need to update on the label if I add more juice?

If adding juice changes the product's nutrient composition, you must update the Supplemented Food Facts table to reflect the new values. You should also confirm that all required caffeine declarations and cautionary statements remain accurate for the applicable caffeine entry.

Who enforces these requirements?

Health Canada sets the rules for supplemented foods and their ingredients, while the Canadian Food Inspection Agency enforces the Food and Drugs Act and its regulations for foods, including at retail. Both the formulation limit and the labelling requirements are enforceable.

What is a Notice of Modification?

A Notice of Modification, or NOM, is how Health Canada announces a change to a document incorporated by reference into the Food and Drug Regulations, such as the List of Permitted Supplemental Ingredients. It follows a Notice of Proposal and a consultation period, and the change generally takes effect when the updated list is published.

How MFLRC can help

MFLRC helps Canadian and international food and beverage companies navigate supplemented foods, labelling and market entry with confidence. A permissive change like MASF-2606 is exactly the kind of update that looks simple and quietly creates work, and we help clients act on it correctly.

Regulatory affairs and market entry: supplemented food category and ingredient assessments, Notice of Modification tracking and Canadian commercialization support.
Labelling and quality review: Supplemented Food Facts table verification, bilingual label review and claim assessment.
Audit and compliance: gap assessments and CFIA inspection readiness for food manufacturers and importers.

Thinking of adding more juice to a caffeinated beverage? We confirm whether your product qualifies, recalculate the label impact and keep the file defensible. Explore our regulatory affairs, licensing and import and export services and quality and compliance services, or see how we support the food and beverage sector.

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Conclusion

MASF-2606 is a small change with an outsized lesson. A permissive modification can look like a simple green light, yet it carries a labelling obligation, leaves a consumer-protection guardrail firmly in place, and appears in the incorporated lists before the official index reflects it. Companies that read the actual condition of use, recalculate their Supplemented Food Facts table and keep juice wording off the label will turn the extra formulation room into an advantage. Those who assume a higher limit means fewer rules will find the opposite. For the broader labelling picture, see our guide to supplemented foods compliance in Canada, and treat a short regulatory review as cheaper insurance than a labelling correction later.