Notice of Modification to the List of Contaminants and Other Adulterating Substances in Foods  
to Add the Maximum Level for Total Glycoalkaloids (TGA) in Potato Tubers   
  
Bureau of Chemical Safety, Food Directorate, Health Products and Food Branch    1 
  
Notice of Modification to the List of Contaminants 
and Other Adulterating Substances in Foods  to 
Add the Maximum Level for Total 
Glycoalkaloids (TGA)  in Potato Tubers  
 
Notice of Modification  – List of Contaminants and Other 
Adulterating Substances in Foods  
 
Reference Number: NO M/ADM C -2018 -2 
January 2 5, 2018  
Notice of Modification to the List of Contaminants and Other Adulterating Substances in Foods  
to Add the Maximum Level for Total Glycoalkaloids (TGA) in Potato Tubers   
  
Bureau of Chemical Safety, Food Directorate, Health Products and Food Branch    2 Summary  
 
Food contaminants and other adulterating substances are chemicals that may be present in foods 
at levels that could impact the overall safety and/or quality of foods. These substances can either 
be inadvertently present in foods or in some cases intentiona lly added for fraudulent purposes. 
Establishing maximum levels (MLs) is a form of risk management that may be employed to 
reduce exposure to a particular chemical contaminant in food sold in Canada. Canadian MLs for 
chemical contaminants in food are set ou t in the List of Contaminants and Other Adulterating 
Substances in Foods , which is incorporated by reference into Section B.15.001 of Division 15 of 
the Food and Drug Regulations  (Regulations) , and in the List of Maximum Levels for Various 
Chemical Contaminants in Foods , which has a history of being maintained on Health Cana da’s 
website outside of the Regulations. All MLs for contaminants in food are established by Health 
Canada and are enforceable by the Canadian Food Inspection Agency.  
 
The List of Maximum Levels for Various Chemical Contaminants in Foods  specifies an ML of 
200 parts per million ( p.p.m.) (expressed in the list as 20 0 mg/kg or milligrams per kilogram) 
total glycoalkaloids  (TGA)  in potato tubers (fresh weight), with TGA  specified as being the sum 
of alpha -solanine and alpha -chaconine. These two glycoalkaloids are estimated to comprise 
approximately 95% of the TGA content of potatoes. If potato tubers are found to contain TGA 
concentrations above 200 p .p.m., they would be considered in violation of section 4(1) of the  
Food and Drugs Act . 
 
Based on the weight of evidence from case studies on human exposure to glycoalkaloids from 
potato tubers, a TGA concentration of 200 p .p.m. or less  in fresh potato tubers is considered 
protective of human health . 
 
Health Canada published a   Proposal to Transfer the Maximum Level for total glycoalkaloids 
(TGA) in potato tubers (fresh weight) from the List of Maximum Levels for Various Chemical 
Contaminants in Foods to the regulatory List of Contaminants and Other Adulterating 
Substances in Fo ods - Reference Number: NOP/ADP -C-2017 -5. The proposal  was published on 
August 4, 2017 and was open for public comment fort  75 days. 
 
As no comments were received that would alter the approach described in the Notice of 
Proposal, Health Canada has transferred  the ML for potato tubers  from the List of Maximum 
Levels for Various Chemical Contaminants in Foods  to Part 2 of the regulatory List of 
Contaminants and Other Adulterating Substances in Foods , as shown in the table below.  It is not 
considered necessary to qualify that potato tubers are ‘fresh weight’  and so the term ‘fresh 
weight’  is not part of the listing.   
 
The Notice of Proposal described two footnotes that were proposed to be added to Part 2 of the 
List. Health Canada further considered these footnotes and determined that only the first 
footnote, shown below, is required. This footnote was added when Part 2 of the List was 
modified to add an ML for patulin in apple juice and unfermented apple cider ( NOM/ADM C -
2018 -1).   
Notice of Modification to the List of Contaminants and Other Adulterating Substances in Foods  
to Add the Maximum Level for Total Glycoalkaloids (TGA) in Potato Tubers   
  
Bureau of Chemical Safety, Food Directorate, Health Products and Food Branch    3  
Modification to Part 2 of the List of Contaminants and Other Adulterating Substances in 
Foods  
 
Item 
No. Column 1  
Substance  Column 2  
Food1 Column 3  
Maximum Level  
11 Glycoalkaloids, total 
(sum of alpha -solanine 
and alpha -chaconine)  Potato tubers  200 p.p.m.  
 
 
Rationale  
 
As described in the Notice of Proposal ( NOP/ADP -C-2017 -5), the ML for TGA  in fresh potato 
tubers was originally developed by Health Canada over three decades ago in conjunction with 
public guidance provided by Agriculture Canada.  Health Canada is of the opinion that the ML of 
200 p .p.m. TGA  in potato tubers continues to be protective of the health of the Canadians.  
 
This risk management approach is supplemented by Health Canada’s guidance  on minimising 
exposure to glycoa lkaloids from potatoes . Canadian monitoring data demonstrates that an ML of 
200 p .p.m. TGA  in potato tubers is achievable when good agricultural, manufacturing and 
storage practices are followed.  
 
Other Relevant Information  
 
As described in the Notice of Proposal ( NOP/ADP -C-2017 -5), the Canadian ML for TGA in 
fresh potato tubers aligns with the upper limit  of 200 p .p.m. TGA in potatoes tubers  that is 
recognized as a safe concentration by the U. S. Department of Agriculture  and the Organisation 
for Economic Co -operation and Development  as reported in the document entitled Consensus 
Document on Compositional Considerations for New Varieties of Potatoes: Key Food and Feed 
Nutrients, Anti -Nutrients and Toxicants , and th e ML of 200 p.p.m. TGA in potato tubers 
established by the  Swedish National Food Administration .  
 
Notification – Summary of Comments  
 
No comments were provided during the public comment period in response to the  forementioned  
Notice of Proposal . 
 
Implementation and Enforcement  
 
The above modification will come into force  January 2 5, 2018 , the day it is published in the List 
of Contaminants and Other  Adulterating Substances in Foods .   
Notice of Modification to the List of Contaminants and Other Adulterating Substances in Foods  
to Add the Maximum Level for Total Glycoalkaloids (TGA) in Potato Tubers   
  
Bureau of Chemical Safety, Food Directorate, Health Products and Food Branch    4   
The Canadian Food Inspection Agency is responsible for the enforcement of the food -related 
aspects of the Food and Drugs Act  and its associated regulations.  
 
Contact Information  
 
Health Canada's Food Directorate is com mitted to reviewing any new scientific information on 
the chemical  safety of foods. Anyone wishing to submit new scientific information relating to 
glycoalkaloids in potato tubers  may do so in writing, by regular mail or electronically. If you 
wish to contact the Food Directorate electronically, please use the words “glycoalkaloids in 
potato tubers ” in the subject line of your e -mail.  
 
Bureau of Chemical Safety, Food Directorate  
251 Sir Frederick Banting Driveway  
Tunney’s Pasture, PL: 2202C  
Ottawa, Ontario K1A 0L2  
E-mail: bcs-bipc@hc -sc.gc.ca