Notice of Modification to the List of Permitted Preservatives  to Extend the Use of Ascorbic Acid as a Preservative in Canned (naming the 
fruit) and Canned (naming the vegetable) at a Maximum Level of Use Consistent with Good Manufacturing Practice   
Bureau of Chemical Safety, Food Directorate, Health Pro ducts and Food Branch     1 
  
Notice of Modification to the List of Permitted 
Preservatives  to Extend the Use of Ascorbic Acid as a 
Preservative in Canned (naming the fruit) and Canned 
(naming the vegetable) at a Maximum Level of Use 
Consistent with Good Manufacturing Practice  
Notice of Modification – Lists of Permitted Food Additives  
Reference Number: [NOM/ADM -0045] 
 
 
 February  19, 201 5  
Notice of Modification to the List of Permitted Preservatives  to Extend the Use of Ascorbic Acid as a Preservative in Canned (naming the 
fruit) and Canned (naming the vegetable) at a Maximum Level of Use Consistent with Good Manufacturing Practice   
Bureau of Chemical Safety, Food Directorate, Health Pro ducts 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 number of food additive submissions seeking approval for the use of 
ascorbic acid as a preservative at a maximum level of use consistent with Good Manufacturing 
Practice (GMP)1 in various canned fruit and vegetable products.  These products are subject to 
the food compositional standards for “Canned (naming the vegetable) ” or “Canned (naming the 
fruit) ” set out in sections B.11.002 and B.11.101, respectively, of the Food and Drug 
Regulations .  
 
Packaging technologies for processed foods, such as re-sealable or portable plastic jars, have 
gained popularity with Canadian consumers.  From a technical perspective, plastic does not 
prevent oxidative browning as well as metal cans do.  For example, traditional canned pears and 
pineapple do not need to have additional ascorbic acid added to the can, as the tin plate of the can 
is oxidized prior to the oxidative degrada tion of  the food, thereby protecting the food over its 
shelf -life.  Unlike sealed metal cans, plastic jars also allow some transfer of oxygen from the air 
to the contents of the jar, even when an oxygen barrier is used.  Added ascorbic acid provides an 
option for preventing oxidation and maintain ing the flavour and colour of the food through its 
shelf -life.   
 
Ascorbic acid is currently permitted for use as a preservative in several standardized foods at 
levels of use ranging from 150 parts per million (p .p.m.) in canned applesauce to 550 p .p.m. in 
canned peaches.  It is also permitted in unstandardized foods and various standardized foods 
such as canned apples, canned pears, canned pineapple, canned potatoes and canned salsifies at 
levels of use consistent with GMP.   
 
The results of Health Canada’s evaluation of available scientific data support the safety of 
ascorbic acid when used as a preservative at levels consistent with GMP in canned vegetable and 
canned fruit products in general.  Therefore, Health C anada has modified the List of Permitted 
Preservatives  to add “Canned (naming the fruit) ” and “Canned (naming the vegetable) ” to 
column 2 for Item A.2 Ascorbic Acid.   In addition, the listings for canned white asparagus, 
canned applesauce, canned peaches, canned mandarin oranges, canned apples, canned pears, 
                                              
1 The amount of the food additive added to a food in manufacturing and processing should not exceed the amount 
required to accomplish the purpose for which that additive has been  added .   
Notice of Modification to the List of Permitted Preservatives  to Extend the Use of Ascorbic Acid as a Preservative in Canned (naming the 
fruit) and Canned (naming the vegetable) at a Maximum Level of Use Consistent with Good Manufacturing Practice   
Bureau of Chemical Safety, Food Directorate, Health Pro ducts and Food Branch     3 canned pineapple , canned potatoes and canned salisifies have been removed since these foods are 
captured in the  scope of “Canned (naming the fruit) ” and “Canned (naming the vegetable) ”.   
 
The revised listing for item A.2 is as follows.  
 
Modification to Part 1 of the List of Permitted Preservatives  
 
Revised listing for item A.2, Ascorbic Acid  
 
Item 
No. Column 1  
Additive  Column 2  
Permitted in or upon  Column 3  
Maximum Level of Use and 
Other Conditions  
A.2 Ascorbic 
Acid  (1) Ale; Beer; Canned 
mushrooms; Canned 
tuna; Cider; Frozen 
minced fish; Frozen 
(naming the fruit); 
Glaze for frozen fish; 
Headcheese; Light 
beer; Malt  liquor; 
Meat binder or 
(naming the meat 
product) binder where 
sold for use in 
preserved meat and 
preserved meat by -
product (Division 14 
only); Porter; 
Preserved fish; 
Preserved meat; 
Preserved meat by -
product; Preserved 
poultry meat; 
Preserved poultry 
meat by-product; 
Pumping pickle, cover 
pickle and dry cure 
employed in the curing 
of preserved meat or 
preserved meat by -
product; Stout; Wine  (1) Good Manufacturing 
Practice  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
  
 
 
 
 
  (2) Unstandardized foods  
 (2) Good Manufacturing 
Practice   
Notice of Modification to the List of Permitted Preservatives  to Extend the Use of Ascorbic Acid as a Preservative in Canned (naming the 
fruit) and Canned (naming the vegetable) at a Maximum Level of Use Consistent with Good Manufacturing Practice   
Bureau of Chemical Safety, Food Directorate, Health Pro ducts and Food Branch     4  
  (3) Canned (naming the 
fruit); Canned (naming 
the vegetable)  
 (3) Good Manufacturing 
Practice  
 
In order to enable the use of ascorbic acid in canned applesauce at a maximum level consistent 
with good manufacturing practice, a consequential modification to item E.1 which removed 
reference to ascorbic acid, was also required.  
 
Item 
No. Column 1  
Additive  Column 2  
Permitted in or upon  Column 3  
Maximum Level of Use and 
Other Conditions  
E.1 Erythorbic 
acid (1) Canned applesauce  
 (1) 150 p.p.m.  
 
 
Rationale  
 
Health Canada’s Food Directorate completed a pre -market safety assessment of ascorbic acid in 
Canned (naming the fruit) and Canned (naming the vegetable).  Ascorbic acid is already 
permitted for use in some of these foods through specific provisions for us e in canned peaches, 
canned mandarin oranges, canned apples, canned pears, canned pineapple, canned potatoes, and 
canned salsifies.  The assessment considered microbiological, toxic ological, nutritional, chemical  
and technical aspects of ascorbic acid when  used as described above.     
 
Based on the results of the safety assessment, Health Canada’s Food Directorate considers that 
the data support extending the use of ascorbic acid from the specific canned foods mentioned 
above to all standardized canned  fruits and canned  vegetables .  The Department has therefore 
enabled the use of ascorbic acid as described in the above table.  
 
Other Relevant Information  
 
Canada’s new provisions for the use of ascorbic acid in canned (naming the fruit) and canned 
(naming the vegetable ) are the same as provisions for the use of this additive in these foods in 
Australia and New Zealand, the European Union, as well as provisions in the international Codex 
General Standard for Food Additives (GSFA).  
 
In the Unit ed States, ascorbic acid is a chemical preservative that is Generally Recognized As 
Safe (GRAS) when used in accordance with good manufacturing practice.2  Ascorbic acid is 
                                              
2 21 CFR 182.3013   
Notice of Modification to the List of Permitted Preservatives  to Extend the Use of Ascorbic Acid as a Preservative in Canned (naming the 
fruit) and Canned (naming the vegetable) at a Maximum Level of Use Consistent with Good Manufacturing Practice   
Bureau of Chemical Safety, Food Directorate, Health Pro ducts and Food Branch     5 permitted in unstandardized canned fruits and vegetables and some standardized cann ed fruits 
and vegetables.  
 
 
Implementation and Enforcement  
 
The above modification came into force February  19, 2015 , 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 ascorbic acid . Anyone wishing to 
submit new scientific information on the use of this additive or to submit any inquiries may do so 
in writing, by regula r mail or electronically.  If you wish to contact the Food Directorate 
electronically, please use the words “ Ascorbic Acid " 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