WORLD TRADE  
ORGANIZATION   
G/SPS/N/CAN/647 
7 January 2013  
 (13-0039) 
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):  Ascorbic acid in olives (ICS Codes:  67.080, 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:  Notice of Modification to the List of Permitted 
Preservatives  to Enable the Use of Ascorbic Acid as a Preservative in Olives - Reference 
Number NOM/ADM-0004  Language(s):  English and French  Number of pages:  3 and 4
6. Description of content:  This document provides inform ation on Health Canada's 
modification to the List of Permitted Preservatives  to enable the use of ascorbic acid as a 
preservative in olives. 
Health Canada's Food Directorate has recently  completed a detailed safety assessment of a 
food additive submission seeking approval to add ascorbic acid to olives for use as a preservative. 
Ascorbic acid is already permitted for use in  Canada as an antioxidant preservative in a 
variety of foods at various levels of use.  However, it is not permitted for use in olives, 
which are a standardized food in Canada. 
Since no safety concerns have been raised through this assessment, the department has 
therefore enabled the use of ascorbic acid wh en used as an antioxidant preservative in 
olives at levels consistent with Good Manufacturing Practice (GMP).  
Health Canada's Food Directorate is committed to reviewing any new scientific information 
on the safety in use of any food ad ditive, including ascorbic acid. G/SPS/N/CAN/647 
Page 2  
 
   
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)  
 The Codex Standard for Table Olives  (CODEX STAN 66-1981), which was 
elaborated jointly between the Codex Alim entarius and the International Olive Oil 
Council, specifically provides for the use of ascorbic acid as an antioxidant in 
olives at a maximum level of use of 0.2 g/kg (i.e. 0.02%). 
[ ] 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 Partners hips" Website, posted 
20 December 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) :  The proposed food additive use will be legally 
enabled once it is published in Health Canada's List of Permitted Preservatives  "http://hc-
sc.gc.ca/fn-an/securit/addit/list/11-preserv-conserv-eng.php ". 
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 food additive uses noted in this doc ument, come into force the day on 
which the modifications are made to the List of Permitted Preservatives  "http://hc-
sc.gc.ca/fn-an/securit/addit/list/11-preserv-conserv-eng.php ".  The uses noted in this 
document are an extension of use of a food add itive that is currently permitted for use in 
Canada. 
[ ] Trade facilitating measure   
12. Final date for comments:  [ ] Sixty days from the date of circulation of the notification 
and/or (dd/mm/yy) :  4 March 2013 
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:     G/SPS/N/CAN/647 
 Page 3 
 
 
  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:  "Notice of Modification to the List of Permitted Preservatives  to 
Enable the Use of Ascorbic Acid as a Preservative in Olives - Reference Number 
NOM/ADM-0004" can be downloaded at:  
http://www.hc-sc.gc.ca/fn-an/consult/nom -adm-0004/document-consultation-eng.php  
(English) 
http://www.hc-sc.gc.ca/fn-an/consult/nom -adm-0004/document-consultation-fra.php  
(French)