G/SPS/N/CAN/1345  
 
20 October 2020  
(20-7253) 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):  Acid Prolyl Endopeptidase from Aspergillus niger  GEP (ICS Codes: 
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 Food 
Enzymes  to Enable the Use of Acid Prolyl Endopeptidase from Aspergillus niger  GEP in 
Certain Foods - Reference Number: NO M/ADM -0155. Language(s):  English and French     
Number of pages:  4 
https://members.wto.org/crnattachments/2020/SPS/CAN/20_6240_00_e.pdf  
https://members.wto.org/crnattachments/2020/SPS/CAN/20_6240_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 acid prolyl 
endopeptidase (a type of protease) from Aspergillus niger  GEP in brewers' mash; ale, 
beer, light beer, malt liquor, porter, stout; distiller's mash, and protein hydrolysates  
(hydrolyzed animal, milk and vegetable protein). In addition, the use of this enzyme from 
this source was also requested in cereal - and plant -derived ingredients which will be 
further used as ingredients in the manufacture of non -alcoholic plant -based bev erages.  
Protease from other sources is already permitted for use in Canada as a food enzyme in 
the same foods that the petitioner has requested, with the exception of brewers' mash. 
However, the GEP strain of Aspergillus niger , which expresses the protease  "acid prolyl 
endopeptidase", is not a permitted source organism for any food enzyme in Canada.  
The results of the premarket assessment support the safety of acid prolyl endopeptidase 
from A. niger  GEP for its requested uses. Consequently, Health Canada ha s enabled the 
use of this enzyme from this source described in the information document by modifying 
the List of Permitted Food Enzymes , effective 9 October 2020.  
The purpose of this communication is to publically announce the Department's decision 
in this  regard and to provide the appropriate contact information for any inquiries or for 
those wishing to submit any 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.   G/SPS/N/CAN/1345  
 
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  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 standard?  
[ ] Yes   [ ] No 
If no, describe, whenever possible, how and why it deviates from the 
international standa rd:  
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 
9 October 2020 (available in English and French):  
https://www.canada.ca/en/health -canada/services/food -nutrition/public -involvement -
partnerships.html  
https://www.canada.ca/fr/sante -canada/services/aliments -nutrition/participation -public -
partenariats.html   
10. Proposed date of adoption (dd/mm/yy) : 9 October 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) : 9 October 2020  
[ ] Trade facilitating measure   
12. Final date for comments: [  ] Sixty days from the date of circulation of the 
notification and/or (dd/mm/yy) : 22 December 2020  
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 Food Enzymes  to Enable the Use of 
Acid Prolyl Endopeptidase from Aspergillus niger  GEP in Certain Foods - Reference 
Number: NOM/ADM -0155" is available through the following weblink:  
https://www.canada.ca/en/health -canada/services/food -nutrition/public -involvement -
partnerships/modification -permitted -food-enzymes -acid-prolyl -endopeptidase -
aspergillus -niger-gep.html  (English)  
https://www.canada.ca/fr/sante -canada/services/aliments -nutrition/participation -public -
partenariats/modification -permettre -utilisation -prolylendopeptidase -acide-aspergillus -
niger-gep.html  (French)  
Canada's Notification Author ity 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