WORLD TRADE  
ORGANIZATION   
G/SPS/N/CAN/639 
8 November 2012  
 (12-6147) 
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 numbe r(s) as specified in national schedules 
deposited with the WTO;  ICS numbers should be provided in addition, where applicable):  Hexose oxidase in pizza mozzarella cheese, part-skim pizza mozzarella 
cheese, ultra-heat treated milk, and dough for bread, baking and pasta (ICS Codes:  67.060, 
67.100, 67.220) 
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:  Information and Consultation Document on Health 
Canada's Proposal to Enable the use of th e Food Additive "Hexose Oxidase" in pizza 
mozzarella cheese, part-skim pizza mozzarella cheese, ultra-heat treated milk, and dough 
for bread, baking and pasta  Language(s):  English and French  Number of pages:  9 and 
10 
6. Description of content:  This document provides informati on on Health Canada's proposal 
to enable the use of hexose oxidase in pizza mo zzarella cheese, part-skim pizza mozzarella 
cheese, ultra-heat treated milk, and dough for bread, baking and pasta. 
Health Canada received a subm ission requesting legal approval of the use of a new enzyme, 
hexose oxidase, in pizza mozzarella cheese, part-skim pizza mozzarella cheese, ultra-heat 
treated (UHT) milk, and dough for bread, ba king and pasta in accordance with Good 
Manufacturing Practices.  Hexose oxidase curren tly has no approved food additive uses in 
Canada. 
Food Directorate scientists at Health Cana da conducted a detailed evaluation of the 
submission requesting approval of hexose oxid ase, focusing on safety and efficacy.  Their 
evaluation considered the chemical, microbiological, and toxicological aspects of the proposed use of hexose oxidase as a food additive. 
Since no safety concerns have been raised through this assessment, the department is 
proposing to enable the use of this food add itive as described in the information document 
below.  The purpose of this communication is  to seek comments on this proposed action. G/SPS/N/CAN/639 
Page 2  
 
  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 stan dard?  If so, identify the standard:  
[X] Codex Alimentarius Commission (e.g.  title or serial number of Codex standard 
or related text)  
Hexose oxidase is listed as a processing aid in the Inventory of Processing Aids of 
the Codex Committee on Food Additives. 
The JECFA has specifications for hexose oxidase from Chondrus crispus  
expressed in Hansenula polymorpha ("http://www.fao.org/docrep/007/y5777e/
y5777e00.htm ").  These specifications were prepared at the 63rd JECFA (2004) and 
published in Food and Nutrition Paper 52 Add 12 (2004).  An allowable daily 
intake (ADI) "not specified" was established at the 63rd JECFA (2004). 
[ ] 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 Invol vement and Partners hips" Website, posted 
5 November 2012 (available in English and French):  http://www.hc-sc.gc.ca/fn-a n/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) :  Normally within four to five months from the 
posting of the Information Document  on the Health Canada website. 
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 proposed food additive use will be le gally enabled once it is published in 
Health Canada's Lists of Permitted Food Additives (" http://www.hc-sc.gc.ca/fn-
an/securit/addit/list/index-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) :  3 January 2013 
Agency or authority designated to handl e comments:  [ ] National Notification 
Authority, [X] National Enquiry Point.  Address, fax number and e-mail address (if 
available) of other body:     G/SPS/N/CAN/639 
 Page 3 
 
 
  13. Texts available from:  [ ] National Notification  Authority, [X] National Enquiry Point.  
Address, fax number and e-mail address (if available) of other body:    
The electronic version of:  "Information and Consultation Document on Health Canada's 
Proposal to Enable the use of the Food Add itive 'Hexose Oxidase' in  pizza mozzarella 
cheese, part-skim pizza mozzarella cheese, ultr a-heat treated milk, and dough for bread, 
baking and pasta" can be downloaded at:  
http://www.hc-sc.gc.ca/fn-an/consu lt/hexose-oxydase/hexose-oxydase-eng.php  (English) 
http://www.hc-sc.gc.ca/fn-an/consu lt/hexose-oxydase/hexose-oxydase-fra.php  (French)