WORLD TRADE  
ORGANIZATION   
G/SPS/N/CAN/636 
30 October 2012  
 (12-5917) 
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):  Trisodium pyrophosphate in certain st andardized meat, poultry, marine and 
freshwater products and unsta ndardized foods (ICS Codes:  65.150, 67.040, 67.120, 
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 "Trisodium Pyrophosphate" in 
certain Standardized Meat, Poultry and Marine and Freshwater Products, and in 
Unstandardized Foods  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 permit the use of  trisodium pyrophosphate in certain standardized meat, poultry, marine 
and freshwater products, and in unstandardized foods. 
Health Canada received a submission requesti ng legal approval for the use of trisodium 
pyrophosphate in those standardized meat, poultry meat, marine and freshwater animal 
products and in unstandardized foods, where th e use of tetrasodium pyrophosphate (sodium 
phosphate, tetrabasic) and/or sodium acid pyro phosphate is already permitted.  Trisodium 
pyrophosphate is a phosphate that has a variety of technical functions and would be used in 
the place of other already-permitted phosphate salts. 
The proposed maximum level of use of trisodi um pyrophosphate in standardized meat, 
poultry and marine and freshwater animal produc ts is 0.5 per cent total added phosphate, 
calculated as sodium phosphate, dibasic.  This  maximum level of use would apply to the 
use of trisodium pyrophosphate when used singl y as well as to combinations of trisodium 
pyrophosphate with other phosphate salts.  Th e level of use in unstandardized foods is 
proposed to be at a use level consistent w ith Good Manufacturing Practice (GMP).  These 
proposed maximum levels of use are the same as the levels of use that are currently legally 
prescribed for other already permitted phosphates in these foods. G/SPS/N/CAN/636 
Page 2  
 
  Health Canada has completed a safety assessment  of all relevant information, including 
information provided in support of the prop osed use of trisodium pyrophosphate as 
described in the food additive submission, and determined that there are no health or safety 
concerns associated with its use in the prescribed applications.  Furthermore, the Department has determined that the petitioner has satisfactorily met the requirements for a 
food additive submission outlined in Section B.16.002 of the Food and Drug Regulations.  
Therefore, Health Canada is proposing to allow trisodium pyrophosphate to be legally 
enabled for use as described in the fo llowing technical consultation 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.    
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) Trisodium pyrophosphate (tris odium diphosphate; acid trisodium 
pyrophosphate; INS 450 ii) was included in the Joint FAO/WHO Expert 
Committee on Food Additives (JECFA) 2001 evaluation of phosphates.  It is 
recognized under four functional classes: stabilizers, leavening agents, emulsifiers and nutrients.  Under the Codex Genera l Standard for Food Additives (GSFA), 
provisions for specific phosphate salts in  food are defined at the food additive 
group level, i.e., "phosphates".  This means that any phosphate salt recognized in 
the GSFA is permitted for use in f oods in which phosphates are allowed.  
Currently, twenty-nine phosphate salts ar e listed in the GSFA for use in many 
different foods, including frozen processed  meat, poultry, and game products in 
whole pieces or cuts; processed comminuted meat, poultry, and game products; and crustacean and fish pastes. Trisodium pyrophosphate is recognized under the GSFA 
in three functional classes: emulsifier, raising agent and stabilizer. 
[ ] 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 15 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) :     G/SPS/N/CAN/636 
 Page 3 
 
 
  11. Proposed date of entry into force:  [ ] Six months from date of publication , and/or  
(dd/mm/yy) :  The Regulations come into force on the day on which they are adopted in the 
Canada Gazette , Part II. 
[ ] Trade facilitating measure   
12. Final date for comments:  [ ] Sixty days from the date of circulation of the notification 
and/or (dd/mm/yy) :  28 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 Consultation Document on Health Canada's 
Proposal to Enable the use of the Food Add itive "Trisodium Pyrophosphate" in certain 
Standardized Meat, Poultry and Marine and Freshwater Products, and in Unstandardized 
Foods" can be downloaded at:  
http://www.hc-sc.gc.ca/fn-an/consu lt/trisod/document-consultation-eng.php  (English) 
http://www.hc-sc.gc.ca/fn-an/consu lt/trisod/document-consultation-fra.php  (French)