G/SPS/N/CAN/1502  
4 May 2023  
(23-3132) 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):  L-alpha -glycerylphosphorylcholine for use in supplemented foods as a 
supplemental source of choline  
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 proposal to enable the use of 
L-alpha -glycerylphosphorylcholine in as a supplemental ingredient in foods . Language(s):  
English and Fren ch. Number of pages:  6 
6. Description of content:  Health Canada's Food Directorate has assessed L -alpha -
glycerylphosphorylcholine for use in supplemented foods. This ingredient was previously 
identified by the Food Directorate for further assessment since it was an ingredient that 
was present in product(s) that were eligible to transition to the food regulatory framework, 
from the natural health products framework, under Temporary Marketing Authorizations.  
The Food Directorate concluded tha t information related to the safety of L -alpha -
glycerylphosphorylcholine supports its safe use in supplemented foods as a source of 
supplemental choline provided the levels of use do not exceed the previously established 
maximum levels for choline, and tha t certain other labelling requirements are met; as set 
out in the information document. Therefore, Health Canada proposes to enable the use of 
L-alpha -glycerylphosphorylcholine as a source of supplemental choline by modifying the 
choline entry in the List of Permitted Supplemental Ingredients.  
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, chapt er number) :  
[ ] International Plant Protection Convention (e.g.  ISPM number) :  
[X] None  
Does this proposed regulation conform to the relevant international standard?  G/SPS/N/CAN/1502  
 
- 2 - 
 
  [ ] 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 17 April 2023 (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) : The proposed source of supplemental choline 
will be legally enabled once published in Health Canada's List of permitted supplemental 
ingredients  (https://www.canada.ca/en/health -canada/services/food -
nutrition/supplemented -foods/technical -documents/list -permitted -food-ingredients.html ). 
Proposed date of pub lication (dd/mm/yy) :  
11. Proposed date of entry into force: [  ] Six months from date of publication , and/or  
(dd/mm/yy) : The supplemental ingredient modification noted in this document comes 
into force the day they are made to the List of permitted supple mental ingredients  
(https://www.canada.ca/en/health -canada/services/food -nutrition/supple mented -
foods/technical -documents/list -permitted -food-ingredients.html ). 
[ ] Trade facilitating measure   
12. Final date for comments: [  ] Sixty days from the date of circulation of the 
notification and/or (dd/mm/yy) : 1 July 2023  
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 proposal to enable the use of alpha -glycerylphosphorylcholine in 
supplemented foods" is available through the following weblink:  
https://www.canada.ca/en/health -canada/services/food -nutrition/publ ic-involvement -
partnerships/notice -proposal -enable -use-l-alpha -glycerylphosphorylcholine -supplemental -
ingredient -foods.html  (English)  
https://www.canada.ca/fr/sante -canada/services/aliments -nutrition/participation -public -
partenariats/avis -proposition -visant -permettre -utilisat ion-l-alpha -
glycerylphosphorylcholine -ingredient -supplementaire -aliments.html  (French)  
Canada's Notification Authority and Enquiry Point  
Technical Barriers and Regulations Division  
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