G/SPS/N/CAN/1444  
 
24 June 2022  
(22-4918) Page: 1/2 
Committee on Sanitary and Phytosanitary Measures  Original: English/French  
 
  NOTIFICATION  
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):  Gellan gum (ICS code: 67.220.20)  
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:  Notice of Modification to the List of Permitted 
Emulsifying, Gelling, Stabilizing or Thickening Agents  to Extend the Use of Gellan Gum to 
Beverage Whiteners . Language(s):  English and French . Number of pages:  3 
https://members.wto.org/crnattachments/2022/SPS/CAN/22_4298_00_e.pdf  
https://members.wto.org/crnattachments/2022/SPS/CAN/22_4298_00_f.pdf  
6. Description of content:  Health Canada's Food Directorate completed a premarket safety 
assessment of a food additive submission seeking approval for the use of gellan gum in 
flavoured coffee whiteners.  
Gellan gum is already permitted for use in Canada as a stabilizing agent in a variety of 
foods at maximum levels of use up to 5,000 ppm.  
The re sults of the premarket assessment supports the safety and the efficacy of gellan 
gum for its requested use. Consequently, Health Canada has extended the use of gellan 
gum as described in the information document below by modifying the List of Permitted 
Emulsifying, Gelling, Stabilizing or Thickening Agents , effective 3 June 2022.  
The purpose of this communication is to publically announce the Department's decision in 
this regard and to provide the appropriate contact information for those wishing to submit 
an inquiry or new scientific information relevant to the safety of this food additive.  
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:  
[ ] Codex Alimentarius Commission (e.g.  title or serial number of Codex 
standard or related text) :  
[ ] World Organization for Animal Health (OIE) (e.g.  Terrestrial or Aquatic 
Animal Health Code, chapter number) :  
[ ] International Plant Protection Convention (e.g.  ISPM number) :  G/SPS/N/CAN/1444  
 
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  [X] None  
Does this proposed regulation conform to the relevant international standard?  
[ ] Yes   [  ] 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:  
Health  Canada's Food and Nutrition – "Public Involvement and Partnerships " Website, 
posted 3 June 2022 (available in English and French):  
https://w ww.canada.ca/en/health -canada/services/food -nutrition/public -involvement -
partnerships.html  
https://www.canada.ca/fr/sante -canada/servic es/aliments -nutrition/participation -public -
partenariats.html  
10. Proposed date of adoption (dd/mm/yy) : 3 June 2022  
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) : 3 June 2022  
[ ] Trade facilitating measure   
12. Final date for comments: [  ] Sixty days from the date of circulation of the 
notification and/or (dd/mm/yy) : 23 August 2022  
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 " Notice of Modification to the List of Permitted Emulsifying, Gelling, Stabilizing or 
Thickening Agents to Extend the Use of Gellan Gum to Beverage Whiteners " is available 
through the following weblink:  
https://www.canada.ca/en/health -canada/services/food -nutrition/public -involvement -
partnerships/notice -modification -list-permitted -emulsifying -gelling -stabilizing -thickening -
agents -gellan -gum-beverage -whiteners.html  (English)  
https://www.canada.ca/fr/sante -canada/services/aliments -nutrition/particip ation-public -
partenariats/avis -modification -liste-agents -emulsifiants -gelifiants -stabilisants -
epaississants -autorises -gomme -gellan -blanchisseurs -boisson.html  (French)  
 
Canada's Notification Authority and Enquiry Point  
Technical Barriers and Regulations Div ision 
Global Affairs Canada  
111 Sussex Drive  
Ottawa, Ontario, K1A 0G2  
Canada  
Tel: +(343) 203 4273  
Fax: +(613) 943 0346  
E-mail: enquirypoint@international.gc.ca