1.

Notifying Member: Canada

If applicable, name of local government involved:  

2.

Agency responsible: Health Canada

3.

Products covered (provide tariff item number(s) as specified in national schedules deposited with the WTO; ICS numbers should be provided in addition, where applicable): Saccharin (ICS Code: 67.220)

4.

Regions or countries likely to be affected, to the extent relevant or practicable:

[X]    All trading partners  

[ ]      Specific regions or countries:  

5.

Title of the notified document: The inclusion of saccharin as a food additive in table-top sweeteners in the new Marketing Authorization for Food Additives That May Be Used as Sweeteners.  Language(s): English and French  Number of pages: 10

6.

Description of content: Pursuant to the Jobs, Growth, and Long-term Prosperity Act (Bill C-38), the Department of Health (the Department) has undertaken a number of initiatives to create a more efficient and responsive regulatory framework for foods. These proposed regulatory amendments are designed to implement specific efficiencies enabled by Bill C-38.

As a continuation of previous work conducted with respect to food additives in implementing Bill C-38, the repeal of provisions in Part E relating to saccharin is being proposed in order to enable the inclusion of saccharin as a food additive in table-top sweeteners in the new Marketing Authorization for Food Additives That May Be Used as Sweeteners.

On April 24, 2014, saccharin was added to the List of Permitted Sweeteners and is permitted for use in a number of foods, but not in table-top sweeteners, the only food category in which it cannot be authorized until it is removed from Part E of the Food and Drug Regulations (FDR). Regulatory amendments are proposed to amend Part E of the FDR to eliminate the current conditions of sale applicable to saccharin in table-top sweeteners by removing references to "saccharin sweeteners". Including saccharin in the List of Permitted Sweeteners incorporated by reference in the Marketing Authorization for Food Additives That May Be Used as Sweeteners would permit it to be used in table-top sweeteners.

The removal of the saccharin provisions in Part E would be a benefit to the food industry as it would allow saccharin to be used in table-top sweeteners in a manner consistent with the use of other permitted sweeteners in table-top sweeteners. This would also allow for consistency in labelling and at points of sale with other table-top sweeteners.

7.

Objective and rationale: [X] food safety, [ ] animal health, [ ] plant protection, [ ] protect humans from animal/plant pest or disease, [ ] protect territory from other damage from pests.  

8.

Is there a relevant international standard? If so, identify the standard:

[X]    Codex Alimentarius Commission (e.g.  title or serial number of Codex standard or related text) The Codex General Standard for Food Additives (GSFA) provides for the use of saccharin, calcium saccharin, potassium saccharin and sodium saccharin in numerous foods including: canned fruit (maximum level 200 ppm or 0.02%); chewing gum (2,500 ppm or 0.25%); various types of desserts (100 ppm or 0.01%); fruit toppings (200 ppm or 0.02%); aromatized alcoholic beverages (80 ppm or 0.008%); jams, jellies and marmalade (200 ppm or 0.02%); and table-top sweeteners (GMP).

[ ]      World Organization for Animal Health (OIE) (e.g. Terrestrial or Aquatic Animal Health Code, chapter number)  

[ ]      International Plant Protection Convention (e.g. ISPM number)  

[ ]      None

Does this proposed regulation conform to the relevant international standard? 

[ ] Yes   [X] No

If no, describe, whenever possible, how and why it deviates from the international standard:  

9.

Other relevant documents and language(s) in which these are available:

Canada Gazette Part I - 13 December 2014, Pages 3022-3031 (available in English and French): 

http://www.gazette.gc.ca/rp-pr/p1/2014/2014-12-13/html/reg1-eng.php (English)

http://www.gazette.gc.ca/rp-pr/p1/2014/2014-12-13/html/reg1-fra.php (French)

10.

Proposed date of adoption (dd/mm/yy):  

Proposed date of publication (dd/mm/yy):  

11.

Proposed date of entry into force: [ ] Six months from date of publication, and/or (dd/mm/yy): The Department is proposing that the amendments come into force on the day in which they are registered. The regulatory proposal also includes transitional provisions that permit the sale of saccharin sweeteners.

[ ]      Trade facilitating measure  

12.

Final date for comments: [ ] Sixty days from the date of circulation of the notification and/or (dd/mm/yy): 27 February 2015

Agency or authority designated to handle comments: [ ] National Notification Authority, [X] National Enquiry Point. Address, fax number and e?mail address (if available) of other body:  

13.

Text(s) available from: [ ] National Notification Authority, [X] National Enquiry Point. Address, fax number and e?mail address (if available) of other body:

The electronic version of the regulatory text can be downloaded at:

Health Canada - List of Permitted Sweeteners sets out authorized food additives

http://www.hc-sc.gc.ca/fn-an/securit/addit/list/9-sweetener-edulcorant-eng.php (English)

http://www.hc-sc.gc.ca/fn-an/securit/addit/list/9-sweetener-edulcorant-fra.php (French)