Notice of Modification to the List of Permitted Emulsifying, Gelling, Stabilizing or Thickening Agents to Correct Conditions of Use for Food Additives in Sour Cream - Reference Number: NOM/ADM-0198 [2023-03-31]

Background

In 2020, Health Canada extended the use of potassium phosphate, dibasic to the same foods and at the same maximum levels of use as was permitted for sodium phosphate, dibasic. One of the new uses for potassium phosphate, dibasic was in sour cream as was set out for sodium phosphate, dibasic in the List of Permitted Emulsifying, Gelling, Stabilizing or Thickening Agents.

This list also sets out permitted uses for certain other food additives in sour cream. For 14 of the food additives, the list sets out a condition of use in Column 3 that limits the total amount of the food additives permitted in sour cream when they are used in combination. Sodium phosphate, dibasic is excluded from this in-combination condition of use. Potassium phosphate, dibasic should similarly have been excluded when it was authorized for use in sour cream in 2020.

Also, Column 3 of the French version of the List of Permitted Emulsifying, Gelling, Stabilizing or Thickening Agents correctly set outs that carob bean gum and gelatin can each be used singly in sour cream at a maximum level of use of 0.5%. This maximum level of use for these two additives, used singly, was missing from the English version of the list.

This Notice describes the action Health Canada has taken to correct these errors by modifying the List of Permitted Emulsifying, Gelling, Stabilizing or Thickening Agents, effective March 31, 2023.

The purpose of the information document is to publicly announce the Department's decision in this regard and to provide the appropriate contact information for those wishing to submit an inquiry.

Information Document

To obtain an electronic copy of the Notice of Modification to the List of Permitted Emulsifying, Gelling, Stabilizing or Thickening Agents to Correct Conditions of Use for Food Additives in Sour Cream - Reference Number: NOM/ADM-0198, please contact our publications office or send an e-mail to publications-publications@hc-sc.gc.ca with the words "hpfb BCS nom-adm-0198-eng" in the subject line of your e-mail.

Contact Information

Health Canada's Food Directorate is committed to reviewing new scientific information on the safety in use of any permitted food additive. Anyone wishing to submit an inquiry or new scientific information on the use of a permitted food additive may do so in writing, by regular mail or electronically. If you wish to contact the Food Directorate electronically, please use the words "corrective modification to List 4 (NOM-0198)" 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: bcs-bipc@hc-sc.gc.ca

Supporting Information

Food Additives