Notice of Modification to the List of Permitted Food Enzymes to Enable the Use of Acid Prolyl Endopeptidase from Aspergillus niger GEP in Certain Foods

Reference Number: NOM/ADM-0155 [2020-10-09]

Background

Health Canada's Food Directorate completed a premarket safety assessment of a food additive submission seeking approval for the use of acid prolyl endopeptidase (a type of protease) from Aspergillus niger GEP in brewers’ mash; ale, beer, light beer, malt liquor, porter, stout; distiller’s mash, and protein hydrolysates (hydrolyzed animal, milk and vegetable protein). In addition, the use of this enzyme from this source was also requested in cereal- and plant-derived ingredients which will be further used as ingredients in the manufacture of non-alcoholic plant-based beverages. 

Protease from other sources is already permitted for use in Canada as a food enzyme in the same foods that the petitioner has requested, with the exception of brewers’ mash.  However, the GEP strain of Aspergillus niger, which expresses the protease “acid prolyl endopeptidase”, is not a permitted source organism for any food enzyme in Canada.

The results of the premarket assessment support the safety of acid prolyl endopeptidase from A. niger GEP for its requested uses. Consequently, Health Canada has enabled the use of this enzyme from this source described in the information document below by modifying the List of Permitted Food Enzymes, effective October 9, 2020.

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 Food Enzymes to Enable the Use of Acid Prolyl Endopeptidase from Aspergillus niger GEP in Certain Foods - Reference Number: NOM/ADM-0155, please contact our publications office or send an e-mail to hc.publications-publications.sc@canada.ca with the words "hpfb BCS nom-adm-0155-eng" in the subject line of your e-mail.

Contact information

Health Canada's Food Directorate is committed to reviewing any new scientific information on the safety in use of any permitted food additive, including acid prolyl endopeptidase from A. niger GEP. Anyone wishing to submit new scientific information on the use of this additive or to submit any inquiries on this modification may do so in writing, by regular mail or electronically. If you wish to contact the Food Directorate electronically, please use the words "acid prolyl endopeptidase (NOM-0155)" 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 0K9
E-mail: hc.bcs-bipc.sc@canada.ca

Supporting information

Food Additives