. /.WORLD TRADE
ORGANIZATIONG/SPS/N/CAN/187
18 September 2003
(03-5001)
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):  Citric acid in various standardized vegetable products (ICS: 67.020,
67.080.20, 67.160.20)
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 citric acid as a pH-adjusting agent in various
standardized vegetable products (English and French; pages 2765-2766)
6. Description of content:  Provision currently exists in the Food and Drug Regulations (the
Regulations) for the use of citric acid as a pH-adjusting agent in a variety of standardized
and unstandardized foods.
Health Canada has received submissions for the use of citric acid as a pH-adjusting agent
in various standardized vegetable products at a maximum level of use consistent with good
manufacturing practice.  These specific standardized vegetable products are:- tomato paste
- concentrated tomato paste
- tomato juice
- tomato pulp
- tomato puree- canned diced red peppers
- canned sweet red bell peppers
- canned palm hearts
- canned okra
- canned fruit pods of Moringa oleifera Lam. containing the seeds [‘peas’]
- canned squash
- canned bitter melon
- canned guar (cluster) beans
- canned peas
- canned yams
- canned potatoes
- canned salsifies- canned marinated artichoke crowns
- canned marinated Mediterranean saladG/SPS/N/CAN/187
Page 2
The use of citric acid will benefit consumers through the availability of quality canned
vegetable products named above with improved shelf-life, stability and appearance.  This
use will also benefit the industry by facilitating the manufacture of these canned vegetable
products.
Therefore, it is the intention of Health Canada to recommend that the Food and Drug
Regulations be amended to permit the use of citric acid as a pH-adjusting agent in the
standardized vegetable products listed above at a maximum level of use 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 permit the immediate use of citric acid, as indicated
above, while the regulatory process is undertaken to formally amend the Regulations.  Arevision 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 pests
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, 13 September 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/2003/20030913/pdf/g1-13737.pdf