. /.  WORLD TRADE  
ORGANIZATION  G/SPS/N/CAN/210 
6 August 2004 
 (04-3359) 
Committee on Sanitary a nd Phytosanitary Measures Original:   English/ 
 French 
 
 
 
NOTIFICATION  
 
1. Member to Agreement notifying:   CANADA  
If applicable, name of local government involved: 
2. Agency responsible:   Health Canada 
3. Products covered (provide tariff item numbe r(s) as specified in national schedules 
deposited with the WTO; ICS numbers should be provided in addition, where 
applicable):  Carrageenan and sodium carbonate (ICS: 67. 220.20) 
4. Regions or countries likely to be affected, to the extent relevant or practicable:  not 
stated  
5. Title, language and number of pages of the notified document:   Interim Marketing 
Authorization regarding the use of carrageenan  as a stabilizing agent of the water content 
and sodium carbonate as a pH-adjusting agent in squid meat (available in English and 
French;  pages 2102-2103). 
6. Description of content:  Provision currently exists in the Food and Drug Regulations  for 
the use of carrageenan as a gelling agent and sodium carbonate as a pH-adjusting agent in a 
variety of foods.  Health Canada has re ceived a submission to permit the use of 
carrageenan as a stabilizing ag ent of the water content and sodium carbonate as a pH-
adjusting agent in squid meat for further processing at levels consistent with good 
manufacturing practice.  Evaluation of availabl e data supports the safety and effectiveness 
of this new use of carrag eenan and sodium carbonate. 
 
Therefore, it is the intention of Health Canada to recommend that the Food and Drug 
Regulations  be amended to permit the use of sodi um carbonate as a pH-adjusting agent and 
carrageenan as a stabilizing agent of the water content in squid meat intended for further 
processing at levels consistent with good manufacturing practice. 
 
As a means to improve the responsiveness of the regulatory system, an Interim Marketing 
Authorization (IMA) is being issued to pe rmit the immediate use of carrageenan and 
sodium carbonate, as indicated above, while the regulatory process is undertaken to 
formally amend the Regulations.  A revision to  this notification will be published at the 
start of the amendment process and Members will be given the opportunity at that time to 
submit comments on this proposed measure. 
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 G/SPS/N/CAN/210 
Page 2  
 
 8. International standard, guideline or recommendation:  
[   ] Codex Alimentarius Commission, [   ] World Organization for Animal Health 
(OIE), [   ] International Plant Protection Convention, [ X ] None  
If an international standard, guideline or recommendation exists, give the appropriate 
reference and briefly identify deviations:  
9. Relevant documents and language(s) in which these are available:  Canada Gazette, Part 
I, 31 July 2004 (available in English and French). 
10. Proposed date of adoption:   Immediate for this IMA.  For the final regulation, will be stated 
in subsequent Revision or A ddendum to this notification. 
11. Proposed date of entry into force:   Immediate for this IMA.  For the final regulation, will 
be stated in subsequent Revision or  Addendum to this notification. 
12. Final date for comments:  This document is not for comment at this time.  A comment 
period will be provided in a Re vision of this notification. 
Agency or authority designated to handle comments:  [   ] National notification 
authority, [ X ] National enquiry point, or addr ess, fax number and E-mail address (if 
available) of other body:    
13. Texts available from:  [   ] National notification authority, [ X ] National enquiry point, 
or address, fax number and E-mail address (if available) of other body: 
The electronic version of the regulator y text can be downloaded at:   
http://canadagazette.gc.ca/partI/2004/20040731/pdf/g1-13831.pdf