G/SPS/N/CAN/1453  
 
12 September 2022  
(22-6712) 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):  Potassium sorbate to oyster -flavoured sauces (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 
Preservatives  to Extend the Use of Potassium Sorbate to Oyster -Flavoured Sauces . 
Language(s):  English and French . Number of pages:  3 and 4  
https://members.wto.org/crnattachments/2022/SPS/CAN/22_6037_00_e.pdf  
https://members.wto.org/crnattachments/2022/SPS/CAN/22_6037_00_f.pdf  
6. Description of content:  Health Canada's Food Directorate received a request seeking 
approval for the use of potassium sorbate as a preservative at a maximum level of 
1,000  parts per million (ppm) in oyster -flavoured sauces. Oyster -flavoured sauce is 
considered an unstandardized fish product in Canada, and consequently, is not permitted 
to con tain potassium sorbate due to the exception captured under subitem S.9 (2) of 
Part 2 of the List of Permitted Preservatives . 
The Food Directorate recently permitted the use of benzoic acid and its salts as Class 2 
preservatives in oyster flavoured sauce ba sed on the fact that there was no scientific 
evidence to soundly rationalize the establishment of the above mentioned exceptions for 
Class 2 preservatives in certain types of unstandardized foods. Therefore, Health Canada 
has extended the use of potassium sorbate described in the information document by 
modifying Part 2 of the List of Permitted Preservatives , effective 26 August 2022.  
The purpose of this communication is to publically announce the Department's decision in 
this regard and to provide the appr opriate 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 an imal/plant pest or disease, [  ] protect territory from 
other damage from pests.   G/SPS/N/CAN/1453  
 
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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 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 26 August 2022 (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) : 26 August 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) : 26 August 2022 
[ ] Trade facilitating measure   
12. Final date for comments: [  ] Sixty days from the date of circulation of the 
notification and/or (dd/mm/yy) : 8 November 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 Preservatives  to Extend the Use of 
Potassium Sorbate to Oyster -Flavoured Sauces" is available through the following weblink:  
https://www.canada.ca/en/health -canada/services/food -nutrition/public -involvement -
partner ships/notice -modification -list-permitted -preservatives -extend -use-potassium -
sorbate -oyster -flavoured -sauces.html  (English)  
https://www.canada.ca/fr/sante -canada/services/aliments -nutrition/participation -public -
partenariats/avis -modification -liste-agents -conservation -autorises -afin-etendre -utilisation -
sorbate -potassium -sauces -aromatisees -huitres.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