G/SPS/N/CAN/1001  
 
16 March 2016  
(16-1545)  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; IC S numbers should be provided in 
addition, where applicable): Sodium Hydrogen Malate (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: Health Canada's Proposal to Enable the Use of a New 
Food Additive, Sodium Hydrogen Malate, as a Coating for Unstandardized Flavouring Preparations Used in Chewing Gum, Dry Beverage Mixes, Gelatin Dessert Powders and Unstandardized Confectionery  Language(s): English and French  Number of pages: 4 
and 5 
http://members.wto.org/crnattachments/2016/SPS/CAN/16_1061_00_e.pdf  
http://members.wto.org/crnattachments/2016/SPS/CAN/16_1061_00_f.pdf  
6. Description of content: Health Canada's Food Directorate completed a detailed safety 
assessment of a food additive submission seeking approval for the use of sodium 
hydrogen malate in an unstandardized flavouring preparation to be used in chewing 
gum, dry beverage mixes, unstandardized confectionery and gelatin dessert powders. 
As no safety concerns were raised through this assessment, it is the intention of Health 
Canada to enable this food additive, as described in the information document. The 
purpose of this communication is to publically announce the Department's intention 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. 
Health Canada's Food Directorate is committed to reviewing any new scientific 
information on the safety in use of any food additive, including sodium hydrogen malate. 
Anyone wishing to submit new scientific informat ion on the use of this food additive or to 
submit any inquiries may do so in writing, by regular mail or electronically. If you wish to contact the Food Directorate electronically, please use the words "sodium hydrogen 
malate" in the subject line of your e-mail. Health Canada is able to consider information 
received by 27 May 2016, 75 days from the date of this posting. 
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/1001 
 
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  8. Is there a relevant international st andard? If so, identify the standard:  
[X] Codex Alimentarius Commission (e.g. title or serial  n u m b e r  o f  C o d e x  
standard or related text) Sodium hydrogen DL-malate (INS 350(i)) is listed in 
Table III of the Codex General Standard for Food Additives (GSFA). It may be 
used in a number of foods under the cond itions of good manufacturing practice, 
including confectionery, chewing gum, water-based flavoured drinks, and fruit-
flavoured gelatin. 
[ ] World Organization for Animal Health (OIE) (e.g. Terrestrial or Aquatic 
Animal Health Code, chapter number)    
[ ] International Plant Protection Convention (e.g. ISPM number)    
[ ] None Does this proposed regulation conform to the relevant international standard?   
[X] 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 4 March 2016 (available in English and French):  
http://www.hc-sc.gc.ca/fn-an/consult/index-eng.php  (English) 
http://www.hc-sc.gc.ca/fn-an/consult/index-fra.php  (French) 
10. Proposed date of adoption (dd/mm/yy) : The proposed food additive use will be 
legally enabled once it is published in Health Canada's List of Permitted Food Additives 
with Other Generally Accepted Uses (http://www.hc-sc.gc.ca/fn-an/securit/addit/list/8-
other-autre-eng.php ). 
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) : The food additive use noted in this document comes into force 
the day on which the modifications are made to the List of Permitted Food Additives with 
Other Generally Accepted Uses  (http://www.hc-sc.gc.ca/fn-an/ securit/addit/list/8-other-
autre-eng.php ). 
[ ] Trade facilitating measure   
12. Final date for comments: [ ] Sixty days from the date of circulation of the 
notification and/or (dd/mm/yy) : 27 May 2016 
Agency or authority designated to hand le 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 Notifi cation Authority, [X] National Enquiry 
Point. Address, fax number and e-mail address (if available) of other body:   
The "Health Canada's Proposal to Enable the Use of a New Food Additive, Sodium 
Hydrogen Malate, as a Coating for Unstandardized Flavouring Preparations Used in Chewing Gum, Dry Beverage Mixes, Gelatin Dessert Powders and Unstandardized 
Confectionery" is available through the following weblink:  
http://www.hc-sc.gc.ca/fn-an/consult/nop- adm-0013/document-consultation-eng.php  
(English)  
http://www.hc-sc.gc.ca/fn-an/consult/nop- adm-0013/document-consultation-fra.php  
(French)