Notice of Modification to the List of Permitted Sequestering Agents to Enable the Use of Trisodium Pyrophosphate as a Sequestering Agent in Standardized Meat and Poultry Products

Background

Health Canada received a food additive submission seeking approval for the use of trisodium pyrophosphate in those standardized meat, poultry and fish products and unstandardized foods where the use of tetrasodium pyrophosphate (sodium pyrophosphate, tetrabasic) and sodium acid pyrophosphate are currently permitted.

To seek comments on enabling the use of this phosphate, in October 2012 Health Canada published an Information and Consultation Document on Health Canada's Proposal to Enable the Use of the Food Additive 'Trisodium Pyrophosphate' in Certain Standardized Meat, Poultry and Marine and Freshwater Products, and in Unstandardized Foods. No new scientific information was submitted to the Department as a result of this publication.

On August 20, 2014, Health Canada updated the List of Permitted Food Additives with Other Generally Accepted Uses and the List of Permitted Sequestering Agents to enable the use of trisodium pyrophosphate in unstandardized foods and certain standardized fish products. These changes were publically announced in the Notice of Modification to the List of Permitted Food Additives with Other Generally Accepted Uses and the List of Permitted Sequestering Agents to Enable the Use of Trisodium Pyrophosphate in Unstandardized Foods and Certain Standardized Fish Products that was published on Health Canada's website. The notice also indicated that the approval for use of this additive in standardized meat and poultry products would be delayed until Health Canada resolved the regulatory issues relating to the provisions in the Food and Drug Regulations that set out minimum protein requirements when phosphate additives are used.

To address these issues with respect to the requested uses of trisodium pyrophosphate, Health Canada has transposed the applicable rules respecting minimum protein requirements from the Food and Drug Regulations to the List of Permitted Sequestering Agents. The Department has now enabled the use of trisodium pyrophosphate in standardized meat and poultry products by modifying the List of Permitted Sequestering Agents, effective February 13, 2015.

The purpose of this communication is to publically announce the Department's decision in this regard and to provide the appropriate contact information for any inquiries or for those wishing to submit any new scientific information relevant to the safety of this food additive.

Information Document

To obtain an electronic copy of the Notice of Modification to the List of Permitted Sequestering Agents to Enable the Use of Trisodium Pyrophosphate as a Sequestering Agent in Standardized Meat and Poultry Products - Document Reference number: NOM/ADM-0043, please contact our publications office or send an e-mail to publications@hc-sc.gc.ca with the subject heading "hpfb BCS nom-adm-0043-eng".

Contact Information

Health Canada's Food Directorate is committed to reviewing any new scientific information on the safety in use of any food additive, including trisodium pyrophosphate. Anyone wishing to submit new scientific information on the use of this additive or to submit any inquiries may do so in writing, by regular mail or electronically. If you wish to contact the Food Directorate electronically, please use the words "trisodium pyrophosphate" in the subject line of your e-mail.

Bureau of Chemical Safety, Food Directorate
251 Sir Frederick Banting Driveway
Tunney's Pasture, PL: 2202C
Ottawa, Ontario K1A 0L2
E-mail: bcs-bipc@hc-sc.gc.ca

Supporting Information

Food Additives