Notice of Modification to the List of Permitted Starch -Modifying Agents  to Enable the Use of  
Calcium Hypochlorite as a Starch -Modifying A gent  
Bureau of Chemical Safety, Food Directorate, Health Products and Food Branch     1 
  
Notice of Modification to the List of Permitted Starch -
Modifying Agents  to Enable the Use of Calcium 
Hypochlorite as a Starch -Modifying A gent  
Notice of Modification – Lists of Permitted Food Additives  
Reference Number: [NOM/ADM -0037] 
 
 
 October 3 , 2014   
Notice of Modification to the List of Permitted Starch -Modifying Agents  to Enable the Use of  
Calcium Hypochlorite as a Starch -Modifying A gent  
Bureau of Chemical Safety, Food Directorate, Health Products and Food Branch     2 Summary  
 
Food additives are regulated in Canada under Marketing Authorizations  (MAs) issued by the 
Minister of Health and the Food and Drug Regulations.  Approved food additives and their 
permitted conditions of use are set out in the Lists of Permitted Food Ad ditives  that are 
incorporated by reference in the MA’s and published on Health Canada’s website.  A petitioner 
can request that Health Canada approve a new additive or a new condition of use for an already 
approved food additive by filing a food additive submissi on with the Department's Food 
Directorate.  Health Canada uses this premarket approval process to determine whether the 
scientific data support the safety of food additives when used under specified conditions in foods 
sold in Canada.  
 
Health Canada received a food additive submission seeking approval for the use of calcium 
hypochlorite, as a starch -modifying agent, at a maximum level of use of good manufacturing 
practice.   
 
Since this is a food additive that was not previously permitted  for use in Canada, Health Canada 
published a Notice of Proposal to Enable the Use of a New Food Additive, Calcium 
Hypochlorite, as a Starch -Modifying Agen t on March 28, 2014,  requesting comments.  No 
comments were received by the Department as a result of this publication.  Since the conclusions 
of the evaluation remain as described in the Notice of Proposal, Health Canada has modified the 
List of Permitted Starch -Modifying Agents  as indicated below.  
 
Modification to the List of Permitted Starch -Modifying Agents : 
 
Item 
No. Column 1  
Additive  
 Column 2  
Permitted in or 
upon  Column 3  
Maximum Level of Use and 
Other Conditions  
C.1 Calcium Hypochlorite  Starch  Good Manufacturing Practice  
  
Rationale  
 
Health Canada’s Food Directorate completed a pre -market safety and efficacy assessment of 
calcium hypochlorite.  The assessment considered toxicological, chemical, microbiological and 
nutritional aspects of the proposal.  
 
Based on the results of the safet y assessment, the Food Directorate considers that the data 
support the safety of calcium hypochlorite when used under the conditions of use set out in the 
table above.  The Department has therefore enabled the use of calcium hypochlorite as described 
in that table.  
 
 
  
Notice of Modification to the List of Permitted Starch -Modifying Agents  to Enable the Use of  
Calcium Hypochlorite as a Starch -Modifying A gent  
Bureau of Chemical Safety, Food Directorate, Health Products and Food Branch     3 Implementation and Enforcement  
 
The above modification came into force October 3 , 2014 , the day it was published in the  List of 
Permitted Starch -Modifying Agents . 
 
The Canadian Food Inspection Agency is responsible for the enforcement of the Food and Drugs 
Act and its associated regulations with respect to foods.  
 
Contact Information  
 
Health Canada's Food Directorate is committed to reviewing any new scientific information on 
the safety in use of any permitted food additive, including  calcium hypochlorite . Anyone wishing 
to submit new scientific information on the use of this additive or to submit any inquiries may do 
so in writing, b y regular mail or electronically. If you wish to contact the Food Directorate 
electronically, please use the words “ calcium hypochlorite " 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