. /.WORLD TRADE
ORGANIZATIONG/SPS/N/CAN/184
29 August 2003
(03-4512)
Committee on Sanitary and 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 number(s) as specified in national schedules
deposited with the WTO; ICS numbers should be provided in addition, where
applicable):  Sodium stearoyl-2-lactylate (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 the food additive sodium stearoyl-2-lactylate in
puddings and pudding mixes (Available in English and French; pages 2501-2502)
6. Description of content:  Provision currently exists in the Food and Drug Regulations for
the use of the food additive sodium stearoyl-2-lactylate as an emulsifying agent in
puddings and pudding mixes at a level up to 0.7 percent, expressed on a dry ingredient
weight basis.  Health Canada has received a submission to increase the maximum level ofuse of this food additive in various puddings and pudding mixes containing different levels
of solids.  The resulting upper limit of use of sodium stearoyl-2-lactylate would equate to
0.2 percent of the finished product instead of the exact amount added during processing.
Therefore, it is the intention of Health Canada to recommend that the Food and Drug
Regulations be amended to allow the maximum level of use of this food additive in
puddings and pudding mixes to be expressed as 0.2 percent by weight of the finished
product.
As a means to improve the responsiveness of the regulatory system, an Interim Marketing
Authorization (IMA) is being issued to permit the immediate use of sodium stearoyl-2-
lactylate at a maximum level of use of 0.2 percent by weight of the finished product, as
indicated above, while the regulatory process is undertaken to formally amend theRegulations.  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 di sease,  [   ]  protect territory from other
damage from pestsG/SPS/N/CAN/184
Page 2
8. International standard, gu ideline or recommendation:
[   ] Codex Alimentarius Commission, [   ] Office International des Epizooties,
[   ] International Plant Prot ection 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, 16 August 2003 (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 Revision of this notification.
Agency or authority designated to handle comments:  [   ] National notification
authority, [ X ] National enquiry point, or address, 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 regulatory text can be downloaded at:
http://canadagazette.gc.ca/partI/2003/20030816/pdf/g1-13733.pdf