FAQs

Product Information

What is the blueish hue on my Organic Rye Flakes, is it mold?

The colour of Rye Kernels can range from a yellowish-brown to a greenish-blue colour. When rolled, the flakes would share the same colour variation. We have attached some photos of the products that we have on hand for comparison.

Is your Baking Soda aluminum-free?

Yes. Our Baking Soda is mined from natural deposits and is naturally aluminum-free. We decided to remove the “no aluminum” statement from our Baking Soda label to avoid any misinterpretation that being aluminum-free is a special quality of our product. Please be assured that our Baking Soda is still the same, and contains no aluminum. Please refer to our document here for more detailed information: Baking Soda Label.

What is the difference between Cacao and Cocoa?

Cacao is known as the raw and unprocessed form of chocolate, while cocoa is roasted and processed under high temperature of heat. Cacao and cocoa are both excellent sources of nutrients, with cacao being more nutritious due to its purer state. Both can be used interchangeably. Cacao has a mildly bitter taste suitable for baking, while cocoa has a smoother tone for snacking purposes.

Some of your products are from China, are these safe to eat?

Yes. We source many of our products from different countries all over the world, and the products we source from China are through very reputable suppliers, whom we have been working with for over 20 years. We also receive a COA for all imported products which is done by a third party lab. Our organic products from China meet the same requirements and standards as any Canadian Organic product, which are applied to all imported organic products.

Do your raisins have oil in them?

Our Organic Sultana Raisins do contain sunflower oil to prevent clumping. Our Thompson Raisins, Organic Thompson Raisins, Currants, and Organic Currants do not.

Are your almonds pasteurized?

Yes. Both our organic and conventional almonds are steam pasteurized. But we also have the Organic Spanish Unpasteurized Almonds available now as well.

Do your pine nuts come from Pinus armandii, the species associated with metallo geusia?

No. We share our customers’ concern about “pine mouth” and we will continue to monitor the results of any scientific testing to ensure that our pine nut supply is the highest quality available.

Is your Epsom Salt food grade?

Yes. All our products are food grade. Our Epsom salt can be consumed internally or used in baths. Epsom salt can act as a laxative for constipation relief if ingested.

Is your sea salt organic?

In Canada, we are not allowed to label naturally-occurring products like salt as organic. But we do carry unrefined sea salt, which is considered organic in other parts of the world.

Will your seeds and grains sprout?

Some of our seeds are sold as sprouting seeds, which means they will sprout. Our unhulled whole grains are also capable of sprouting, but we cannot guarantee a high germination rate.

Westpoint Policies

Do you ship to residential addresses?

No. We ship only to commercial addresses to make sure our products are being delivered directly to where they will be stored or processed. It could be a commercial kitchen, retail store or any other commercial locations with proper storage conditions.

Are your products certified organic?

Yes. All of Westpoint Naturals’ organic products are certified organic by Pro-Cert Organic Systems. For more information about the methods and standards of Pro-Cert, please visit www.pro-cert.org.

How does Westpoint avoid cross-contamination of allergens?

All of our allergenic products are stored and packaged in segregated areas, then kept in sealed containers. All products are packaged by hand without the assistance of machines, so there is no complicated equipment that can be easily cross-contaminated.

Between every item that is packaged, all packing surfaces are cleaned and sanitized before packaging the next item. Each product has its own scoops which are not used for other products. Our employees are also highly trained and work diligently to avoid any cross contamination.

I have food allergies. What kind of allergens does Westpoint handle?

We do our best to segregate products that pose a risk of allergic reaction, but we do handle the following ingredients at our facility:

  • Peanuts
  • Tree Nuts
  • Sesame Seeds
  • Wheat
  • Milk (Powdered)
  • Soy
  • Mustard

I have Celiac disease. How does Westpoint handle its gluten free products?

We opened our gluten free facility in May 2014, which is separated from other packaging areas. Our gluten free products are handled with great care and we do our best to make our products safe for everyone. View our list of gluten free products here.

Why don’t you print a best before date on your products?

The Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) only requires a best before date on perishable products with a durable life of less than 90 days. All our products are dried, which can be stored at room temperature from 6 months to 2 years without any loss of quality.

We have implemented a lot numbering system instead to reflect the date when a product is packaged. The lot # you see on the back label is in DD/MM/YYYY format. To tell how fresh the products are, please see below for their optimal shelf lives:

  • 6 months: Nuts, seeds, whole grain flours, grain flakes, other high-fat products. *Refrigeration is recommended for these products to extend shelf life.
  • 12 months: Dried fruits & vegetables, light or white flours, whole grains.
  • 24 months: Legumes, white rice, herbs, spices, sweeteners, salt mixes, teas.

Does Westpoint sell to individuals?

No. Westpoint Naturals is a wholesaler only and we do not sell directly to individuals. We distribute our products across the country, and would be happy to help you find a retail supplier of our products in your area. Please see the Where To Buy page, or contact us for more information.

What are your hours of operation?

We are available via telephone or e-mail Monday to Friday from 8:30 am to 4:30 pm PST. We are closed weekends and all statutory holidays. Fax and email orders can be placed at any time and will be processed on the next business day if sent outside of office hours.

Frequently Asked Questions

  • Product Information
  • Westpoint Policies

Product Information

What is the blueish hue on my Organic Rye Flakes, is it mold?

The colour of Rye Kernels can range from a yellowish-brown to a greenish-blue colour. When rolled, the flakes would share the same colour variation. We have attached some photos of the products that we have on hand for comparison.

Is your Baking Soda aluminum-free?

Yes. Our Baking Soda is mined from natural deposits and is naturally aluminum-free. We decided to remove the “no aluminum” statement from our Baking Soda label to avoid any misinterpretation that being aluminum-free is a special quality of our product. Please be assured that our Baking Soda is still the same, and contains no aluminum. Please refer to our document here for more detailed information: Baking Soda Label.

What is the difference between Cacao and Cocoa?

Cacao is known as the raw and unprocessed form of chocolate, while cocoa is roasted and processed under high temperature of heat. Cacao and cocoa are both excellent sources of nutrients, with cacao being more nutritious due to its purer state. Both can be used interchangeably. Cacao has a mildly bitter taste suitable for baking, while cocoa has a smoother tone for snacking purposes.

Some of your products are from China, are these safe to eat?

Yes. We source many of our products from different countries all over the world, and the products we source from China are through very reputable suppliers, whom we have been working with for over 20 years. We also receive a COA for all imported products which is done by a third party lab. Our organic products from China meet the same requirements and standards as any Canadian Organic product, which are applied to all imported organic products.

Do your raisins have oil in them?

Our Organic Sultana Raisins do contain sunflower oil to prevent clumping. Our Thompson Raisins, Organic Thompson Raisins, Currants, and Organic Currants do not.

Are your almonds pasteurized?

Yes. Both our organic and conventional almonds are steam pasteurized. But we also have the Organic Spanish Unpasteurized Almonds available now as well.

Do your pine nuts come from Pinus armandii, the species associated with metallo geusia?

No. We share our customers’ concern about “pine mouth” and we will continue to monitor the results of any scientific testing to ensure that our pine nut supply is the highest quality available.

Is your Epsom Salt food grade?

Yes. All our products are food grade. Our Epsom salt can be consumed internally or used in baths. Epsom salt can act as a laxative for constipation relief if ingested.

Is your sea salt organic?

In Canada, we are not allowed to label naturally-occurring products like salt as organic. But we do carry unrefined sea salt, which is considered organic in other parts of the world.

Will your seeds and grains sprout?

Some of our seeds are sold as sprouting seeds, which means they will sprout. Our unhulled whole grains are also capable of sprouting, but we cannot guarantee a high germination rate.

Westpoint Policies

Do you ship to residential addresses?

No. We ship only to commercial addresses to make sure our products are being delivered directly to where they will be stored or processed. It could be a commercial kitchen, retail store or any other commercial locations with proper storage conditions.

Are your products certified organic?

Yes. All of Westpoint Naturals’ organic products are certified organic by Pro-Cert Organic Systems. For more information about the methods and standards of Pro-Cert, please visit www.pro-cert.org.

How does Westpoint avoid cross-contamination of allergens?

All of our allergenic products are stored and packaged in segregated areas, then kept in sealed containers. All products are packaged by hand without the assistance of machines, so there is no complicated equipment that can be easily cross-contaminated.

Between every item that is packaged, all packing surfaces are cleaned and sanitized before packaging the next item. Each product has its own scoops which are not used for other products. Our employees are also highly trained and work diligently to avoid any cross contamination.

I have food allergies. What kind of allergens does Westpoint handle?

We do our best to segregate products that pose a risk of allergic reaction, but we do handle the following ingredients at our facility:

  • Peanuts
  • Tree Nuts
  • Sesame Seeds
  • Wheat
  • Milk (Powdered)
  • Soy
  • Mustard

I have Celiac disease. How does Westpoint handle its gluten free products?

We opened our gluten free facility in May 2014, which is separated from other packaging areas. Our gluten free products are handled with great care and we do our best to make our products safe for everyone. View our list of gluten free products here.

Why don’t you print a best before date on your products?

The Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) only requires a best before date on perishable products with a durable life of less than 90 days. All our products are dried, which can be stored at room temperature from 6 months to 2 years without any loss of quality.

We have implemented a lot numbering system instead to reflect the date when a product is packaged. The lot # you see on the back label is in DD/MM/YYYY format. To tell how fresh the products are, please see below for their optimal shelf lives:

  • 6 months: Nuts, seeds, whole grain flours, grain flakes, other high-fat products. *Refrigeration is recommended for these products to extend shelf life.
  • 12 months: Dried fruits & vegetables, light or white flours, whole grains.
  • 24 months: Legumes, white rice, herbs, spices, sweeteners, salt mixes, teas.

Does Westpoint sell to individuals?

No. Westpoint Naturals is a wholesaler only and we do not sell directly to individuals. We distribute our products across the country, and would be happy to help you find a retail supplier of our products in your area. Please see the Where To Buy page, or contact us for more information.

What are your hours of operation?

We are available via telephone or e-mail Monday to Friday from 8:30 am to 4:30 pm PST. We are closed weekends and all statutory holidays. Fax and email orders can be placed at any time and will be processed on the next business day if sent outside of office hours.