G/SPS/N/CAN/1307  
 
4 June 2020  
(20-4020) Page: 1/3 
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):  Benzoic Acid and its Salt (ICS Codes: 67.200.20, 67.120.30)  
4. Regions or countries likely to be affected, to the extent relevant or practicable : 
[X] All trading partners   
[ ] Specific re gions or countries:   
5. Title of the notified document:  Notice of Modification to the List of Permitted 
Preservatives  to Enable the Use of Benzoic Acid and its Salts in Oyster Flavoured 
Sauce  - Reference Number: NOM/ADM -0147. Language(s):  English and French . 
Number of pages:  3 and 4  
https://members.wto.org/crnattachments/2020/SPS/CAN/20_3550_00_e.pdf  
https://members.wto.org/crnattachments/2020/SPS/CAN/20_3550_00_f.pdf  
6. Description of content:  On occasion, Health Canada may identify the need to make 
changes to the Lists of Permitted Food Additives  in order to correct minor errors, to adjust 
wording in the interest of clarity, to ensure consistency in terminology, or to make 
changes that are required as a consequence of amendments to the Food and Drug 
Regulations  (Regulations) or emerging scientific developments related to the 
effectiveness and/or  safety of an approved food additive.  
Health Canada's Food Directorate received a request seeking approval for the use of 
sodium benzoate as a preservative used at a maximum level of 1,000 ppm in 
oyster -flavoured sauce. Oyster -flavoured sauce is regulated as an unstandardized fish 
product in Canada, and consequently, is not permitted to contain either benzoic acid or 
salts of benzoic acid due to the exception captured under subitem B.1(2) of Part 2 of the 
List of Permitted Preservatives . 
The Food Directorat e conducted an internal review of its files to understand the rationale 
behind the establishment of the exception, and found no scientific evidence, from a health 
and safety perspective, to soundly rationalize the establishment of the exception. 
In additio n, emerging scientific developments have demonstrated the effective 
anti-microbiological activities of benzoic acid and its salts when used for the preservation 
of meat, poultry and fish products. Therefore, Health Canada has enabled the use of 
benzoic aci d and its potassium and sodium salts described in the information document 
by modifying Part 2 of the List of Permitted Preservatives , effective 5 May 2020.  
The purpose of this communication is to publically announce the Department's decision 
in this regar d and to provide the appropriate contact information for any inquiries or 
feedback on this modification.  G/SPS/N/CAN/1307  
 
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  7. Objective and rationale: [X]  food safety, [  ] animal health, [  ] plant protection, 
[ ] protect humans from animal/plant pest or disease, [  ] protec t 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) :  
[X] None  
Does this proposed regulation conform to the relevant international st andard?  
[ ] 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' Web -site, posted 
5 May 2020 (available in English and French):  
https://www.canada.ca/en/health -canada/services/food -nutrition/public -involvement -
partnerships.html  (English)  
https://www.canada.ca/fr/sante -canada/services/aliments -nutrition/participation -public -
partenariats.html  (French)   
10. Proposed date of adoption (dd/mm/yy) : 5 May 2020  
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) : 5 May 2020  
[ ] Trade facilitating measure   
12. Final date for comments: [  ] Sixty days from the date of circulation of the 
notification and/or (dd/mm/yy) : 1 August 2020  
Agency or authority designated to handle comments: [  ] National Notification 
Authority, [X]  National Enquiry Point. Address, fax number and e -mail address 
(if avai lable) of other body:   G/SPS/N/CAN/1307  
 
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  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 Preservatives to Enable the Use of 
Benzoic Acid and its Salts in Oyster Flavoured Sauce - Reference Number: 
NOM/ADM -0147" is available through the following weblink:  
https://www.canada.ca/en/health -canada/services/food -nutrition/public -involvement -
partnerships/modification -list-permitted -preservatives -benzoic -acid.html  (English ) 
https://www.canada.ca/fr/sante -canada/services/aliments -nutrition/participation -public -
partenariats/modification -liste-agents -conservation -permettre -acide-benzoique.html  
(French)  
Canada's Notification Authority and Enquiry Point  
Technical Barriers and Regulations Division  
Global Affairs Canada  
111 Sussex Drive  
Ottawa, Ontario K1A 0G2  
Tel: +(343) 203 4273  
Fax: +(613) 943 0346  
E-mail: enquirypoint@international.gc.ca