Soylent can no longer ship to Canada • Hacker News Board

Re: Soylent can no longer ship to Canada

#31

Post by arkitaip » Tue, Oct 24, 2017, 1:11 AM UTC

retox wrote: post #25

ovao wrote: post #21

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Regulation of food products to some degree is critical to help prevent contamination and illness. In this case, Canada's regulations appear to be simply outdated and, perhaps, overly draconian.

I understand the need for regulations, especially in food and drugs, but when it comes to things like regulating the amount of fat/sugar/fiber I can't think of any reason other than an attitude of 'mommy knows best'. Thank you for taking the time to reply.

This seems to be a issue with health/food regulating government agencies all around the world. Here in Sweden the National Food Administration is constantly criticized for outdated dietary advice and are often accused to be influenced by food industry giants.

Also, I can go into any grocery store and buy all kinds of snacks, candy and soda which really are 100% garbage "food", so I'm not sure why anyone would think that regulating the percentage of fat would matter in term of health.

Re: Soylent can no longer ship to Canada

#32

Post by api_or_ipa » Tue, Oct 24, 2017, 1:12 AM UTC

raquo wrote: post #6

HarryHirsch wrote: post #3

The Canadian requirements look very sensible: http://www.inspection.gc.ca/food/labelling/food-labelling-fo... Spit it out - which one did Soylent fail?

Fat calories would be one reason. 47% in soylent vs 35% max allowed. Their announcement mentions that it failed more than one requirement, so there must be something else in addition to this.

I can sympathize with keeping the public safe, but there must be some legal way to promote non-traditional nutrition regimes, in this case as simple as increasing fat consumption.

There are many diets suiting many different lifestyles in Canada, from the traditional Inuit meat & fat heavy diet to many 'fad' diets extolled in magazines. It seems strange to me why it's legal to advocate a diet in media but illegal to label a product as such.

Re: Soylent can no longer ship to Canada

#33

Post by pumpaction » Tue, Oct 24, 2017, 1:13 AM UTC

cisanti wrote: post #17

Are that kind of drinks popular in North America and if, then why..? I'm having problems understanding why would anyone want to consume something like that.

It made me fart like crazy when I tried it. Felt very bloated and had some dire shits. And on top of all that, it had a rather unsatisfactory taste.

I wouldn't recommend it.

Re: Soylent can no longer ship to Canada

#34

Post by api_or_ipa » Tue, Oct 24, 2017, 1:13 AM UTC

alexozer wrote: post #20

How about in the meantime, Soylent makes a "Canada edition" that is otherwise identical but declared "NOT a meal replacement"?

That's probably what they'll do. "Not a meal replacement but sold in convenient 2000kcal pouches... wink wink".

Re: Soylent can no longer ship to Canada

#35

Post by RunawayGalaxy » Tue, Oct 24, 2017, 1:14 AM UTC

From what I understand, Soylent severely underestimates the importance of fiber in the human diet.

Re: Soylent can no longer ship to Canada

#36

Post by pumpaction » Tue, Oct 24, 2017, 1:15 AM UTC

nether wrote: post #13

Huel (another powdered food) is running into this. They just started shipping to the US, but are delayed with Canada because they say the regulations there are "much more stringent." Canada outright banned rBGH.

"Huel" sounds like an onomatopoeia for vomiting. Unfortunate name choice.

Re: Soylent can no longer ship to Canada

#37

Post by gwatch » Tue, Oct 24, 2017, 1:18 AM UTC

Welcome to socialism. Why should there be any cap on fat % (one of the requirements)? If I want to buy a food product knowing full well what the fat content is, and if Soylent wants to sell me a food product faithfully labeling the fat content, each of us to be engaged in a consensual transaction with no externalities (no third party getting hurt), why is Canadian government putting both of us in jail? Socialism is not just a bad idea that does not work, but an evil idea that encroaches on freedom. Feel free to disagree and provide your evidence.

Re: Soylent can no longer ship to Canada

#38

Post by pumpaction » Tue, Oct 24, 2017, 1:18 AM UTC

Perhaps Canadians with an interest in Soylent could use locally sourced hospital-type meal replacements instead?

If obtained from medical suppliers, they'll probably be healthier and have better quality control too.

Re: Soylent can no longer ship to Canada

#39

Post by freeflight » Tue, Oct 24, 2017, 1:18 AM UTC

cisanti wrote: post #17

Are that kind of drinks popular in North America and if, then why..? I'm having problems understanding why would anyone want to consume something like that.

> I'm having problems understanding why would anyone want to consume something like that.

Nothing of what Soylent Green does is new, companies like Fresenius, Nestle, Abbot and whatnot have been manufacturing balanced liquid nutrition for medical needs for decades.

I'm far more surprised these established players in the enteral nutrition market haven't started their own push for something like this, trying to sell their medical products as convenience lifestyle products. I guess they wouldn't want to cannibalize their own profits from the medical sales by offering a more affordable non-medical lifestyle alternative.

As somebody who works with this kind of stuff, parenteral and enteral nutrition, I think there's a real market here. But I'd vastly prefer offerings from established companies, rather than some random guys buying bulk ingredients on Amazon and mixing them up in moldy warehouses.

Re: Soylent can no longer ship to Canada

#40

Post by kijin » Tue, Oct 24, 2017, 1:22 AM UTC

api_or_ipa wrote: post #32

raquo wrote: post #6

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Fat calories would be one reason. 47% in soylent vs 35% max allowed. Their announcement mentions that it failed more than one requirement, so there must be something else in addition to this.

I can sympathize with keeping the public safe, but there must be some legal way to promote non-traditional nutrition regimes, in this case as simple as increasing fat consumption. There are many diets suiting many different lifestyles in Canada, from the traditional Inuit meat & fat heavy diet to many 'fad' diets extolled in magazines. It seems strange to me why it's legal to advocate a diet in media but illegal to l…

Advocating a diet (or any other opinion) is protected under Section 2 of the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms. Actually selling a product with potentially misleading labels is not.