Notice of Modification to the List of Permitted Preservatives to Modify the Maximum Level of Use of Potassium Sorbate  
as a Class 3 Preservative in Cakes, Croissants, Danish Pastries and Muffins   
Bureau of Chemical Safety, Food Directorate, Health Products and Food Branch     1 
  
Notice of Modification to the List of Permitted 
Preservatives to Modify the Maximum Level of Use of 
Potassium Sorbate as a Class 3 Preservative in Cakes, 
Croissants, Danish Pastries and Muffins  
Notice of Modification – Lists of Permitted Food Additives  
Reference Number: [NOM/ADM -0035] 
 
 
 August  20, 2014   
Notice of Modification to the List of Permitted Preservatives to Modify the Maximum Level of Use of Potassium Sorbate  
as a Class 3 Preservative in Cakes, Croissants, Danish Pastries and Muffins   
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 Additives  that are 
incorporated by reference in the MAs and published on Health Canada’s website.  A petitioner 
can request that Health Canada approve a n ew additive or a new condition of use for an already 
approved food additive by filing a food additive submission with the Department's Food 
Directorate.  Health Canada uses this premarket approval process to determine whether the 
scientific data support th e 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 potassium 
sorbate as a preservative at a maximum level of use of 3,500 p.p.m. in cakes, croissants, Danish 
pastries and muffins. The petitioner has requested an increase in t he maximum level of use of 
potassium sorbate to align with the levels currently used in these products in the United States.  
 
Potassium sorbate is already permitted for use in Canada as a class 2 and a class 3 preservative in 
the List of Permitted Preserv atives in a variety of foods, including in unstandardized foods 
(which include cakes, croissants, Danish pastries and muffins) at a maximum level of use of 
1,000 p.p.m. .   
 
The results of Health Canada’s evaluation of available scientific data support the safety and 
efficacy of potassium sorbate when used at 3,500 p.p.m. as a preservative in cakes, croissants, 
Danish pastries and muffins.  Therefore, Health Canada has modifie d the List of Permitted 
Preservatives  to increase the maximum level of use of potassium sorbate in cakes, croissants, 
Danish pastries and muffins by adding the entry  shown below to the list.   
 
Modification to the List of Permitted Preservatives  
 
Part 3 - Class 3 Preservatives  
 
Item 
No. Column 1  
Additive  Column 2  
Permitted in or 
upon  Column 3  
Maximum Level of Use and Other 
Conditions  
P.1 Potassium 
Sorbate  (3) Cakes; 
Croissants; 
Danish pastries; 
Muffins  (3) 3,500 p.p.m.  
 
 
 
 
 
  
Notice of Modification to the List of Permitted Preservatives to Modify the Maximum Level of Use of Potassium Sorbate  
as a Class 3 Preservative in Cakes, Croissants, Danish Pastries and Muffins   
Bureau of Chemical Safety, Food Directorate, Health Products and Food Branch     3 Rationale  
 
Health Canada’s Food Directorate completed a pre -market safety and efficacy assessment of 
potassium sorbate.  The assessment considered microbiological, toxicological and nutritional 
aspects of potassium sorbate when used as described above.     
 
Based on the results of the safety assessment, Health Canada’s Food Directorate considers that 
the data support the safety of potassium sorbate when used under the conditions of use set out in 
the table above.  The Department has therefore enabled the use of potass ium sorbate as described 
in the above table.  
 
Implementation and Enforcement  
 
The above modification came into force August  20, 2014 , the day it was published in the  List of 
Permitted Preservatives . 
 
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 potassium sorbate . Anyone wishing to 
submit new scientific information on the use of this food additive or to submit any inquiries may 
do so in writing, by regular mail or electronically. If you wish to contact the Food Directorate 
electronically, please use the words " potassium sorbate " in the subject line of you r 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