. /.WORLD TRADE
ORGANIZATIONG/SPS/N/CAN/155
10 December 2002
(02-6808)
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:   Department of Health
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):  Food irradiation (ICS: 67.020)
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:   Proposed Amendment to
the Food and Drug Regulations (1094 – Food Irra diation) (Available in English and French;
pages 3502-3510)
6. Description of content:  Treatment of foods with ionizing radiation, called food irradiation,
is one process which can be used during food production to reduce bacterial load and hence
improve food safety, prevent spoilage and control insect infestation in food commodities.
Provisions currently exist in the Food and Drug Regulations for the use of the irradiation
process on a limited number of foods.  The Table to Division 26 of the Regulations lists the
foods that can be irradiated and the respective purpose and conditions of use for each
product.  At the present time, food irradiation is permitted on potatoes and onions to inhibit
sprouting during storage; on wheat, flour,  and whole wheat flour to control insect
infestation during storage; and on whole or ground spices and dehydrated seasoning
preparations to reduce microbial load.
Health Canada has received several submissions to irradiate fresh and frozen ground beef,
fresh and frozen poultry, and prepackaged fresh, frozen, prepared and dried shrimp and
prawns to control pathogens, reduce microbial load and to extend durable shelf life.  A
submission has also been presented to irradiate mangoes as a disinfestation treatment to
control fruit flies and the mango seed weevil.
Scientists in Health Canada have reviewed the data provided in the submission, as well as
those found in numerous other scientific literature sources, in order to determine whether
these new proposed uses of the food irradiation process met regulatory requirements for
safety and effectiveness.  It has been concluded that:
- the consumption of the irradiated foods would not result in any risk to the health of the
consumer;
- the irradiation of the foods would not result in destruction or loss of nutrients in a food
recognized as a significant source of those nutrients in the diet; and
- the proposed uses of food irradiation could be beneficial through improved safety of the
food products resulting from enhanced control of pathogens or reduction in insectG/SPS/N/CAN/155
Page 2
infestation.
Therefore, Health Canada proposes to recommend amendments to the Table to Division 26
of the Regulations to permit the new applications of the food irradiation process as listed
above.
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:
[ X ] Codex Alimentarius Commission, [   ] Office International des Epizooties,
[   ] International Plant Prot ection Convention, [   ] None
If an international standard , guideline or recommendation exists, give the appropriate
reference and briefly identify deviations:   Codex General Standard for Irradiated Foods,
1983.  The Codex standard provides general guidance on the application of irradiation tofoods, but does not address specific commodities.
9. Relevant documents and language(s) in which these are available:  Canada Gazette,
Part I, 23 November 2002 (Available in English and French).
10. Proposed date of adoption:  Not stated
11. Proposed date of entry into force:  Not stated
12. Final date for comments:  21 February 2003
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://canada.gc.ca/gazette/part1/pdf/g1-13647.pdf