. /.  WORLD TRADE  
ORGANIZATION   
G/SPS/N/CAN/637 
30 October 2012  
 (12-5918) 
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):  Dimethyl dicarbonate in wine and uns tandardized water-based non-alcoholic 
beverages (ICS Codes: 67.160, 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 Notification Document on Health 
Canada's Proposal to enable the use of Di methyl Dicarbonate as a Preservative in Wine and 
in Unstandardized Water-Based Non-Alcoholic Beverages  Language(s):  English and 
French  Number of pages:  3 and 4 
6. Description of content:  This document provides informati on on Health Canada's proposal 
to enable the use of dimethyl dicarbonate as a preservative in wine and in unstandardized 
water-based non-alcoholic beverages. 
Health Canada received a food additive submission seeking approval for the use of 
dimethyl dicarbonate (DMDC) as a preservative at a maximum level of use of 250 parts per 
million (ppm) in various unstandardized wa ter-based non-alcoholic beverages and at a 
maximum level of use of 200 ppm in wine.  Unstandardized water-based non-alcoholic 
beverages includes such products as ready-to -drink teas, fruit-flavoured sport drinks, 
energy drinks, and carbonated flavoured soft drinks. 
The results of Health Canada's evaluation of the available scientific data support the safety 
and efficacy of DMDC when used as requested.  Therefore, it is the intention of Health 
Canada to amend Part 3 of the List of  Permitted Preservatives to allow dimethyl 
dicarbonate to be legally enabled for use as described in the notification document. 
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/637 
Page 2  
 
  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) The proposed use of DMDC is consistent with the international 
Codex General Standard for Food Ad ditives (CODEX STAN 192-1995), which 
includes entries for the use of DMDC in "w ater-based flavoured drinks", including 
"sport," "energy", or "electrolyte" drinks and "particulated drinks" to a maximum of 
250 mg/kg; and in "grape wines" to a maximum level of 200 mg/kg. 
[ ] 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 Partnerships' Website, posted 
25 October 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 List of Permitted Food Additives. 
[ ] Trade facilitating measure   
12. Final date for comments:  [ ] Sixty days from the date of circulation of the notification 
and/or (dd/mm/yy) :  23 December 2012 
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:    
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 Notification Document on Health Canada's 
Proposal to Enable the Use of Dimethyl Dicarbonate as a Preservative in Wine and in Unstandardized Water-Based Non-Alcoho lic Beverages" can be downloaded at:  
http://www.hc-sc.gc.ca/fn-an/consult/dim ethy/document-consultation-eng.php  (English) 
http://www.hc-sc.gc.ca/fn-an/consult/d imethy/document-consultation-fra.php  (French)