G/SPS/N/CAN/724  
 
26 August 2013  
(13-4534)  Page: 1/2  
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  number(s) as specified in national 
schedules deposited with the WTO; IC S numbers should be provided in 
addition, where applicable): Xanthan gum (ICS Codes: 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: Notice of Modification to the List of Permitted 
Emulsifying, Gelling, Stabilizing or Thickening Agents to Enable the Use of Xanthan Gum 
as a Stabilizing Agent in Fish Roe (Caviar) - Document Reference number: NOM/ADM-0015  Language(s): English and French  Number of pages: 3 and 4 
http://members.wto.org/crnattachments/2013/sps/CAN/13_3388_00_e.pdf  
http://members.wto.org/crnattachments/2013/sps/CAN/13_3388_00_f.pdf  
6. Description of content: Health Canada's Food Directorate completed a detailed safety 
assessment of a food additive seeking a pproval for the use of xanthan gum as a 
stabilizing agent in fish roe (caviar). 
Xanthan gum is already permitted for use in Canada as an emulsifying, gelling, 
stabilizing or thickening agent in a variety of foods, including French dressing, salad dressing, mustard pickles, relishes, a numbe r of dairy products, and in unstandardized 
foods. 
As no safety concerns were raised through this assessment, and since this food additive 
is already approved for use in other foods in Canada, the Department has enabling its use as described in the information document below by updating the List of Permitted 
Emulsifying, Gelling, Stabilizing or Thickening Agents , effective 19 August 2013. The 
purpose of this communication is to publically announce the Department's decision in this regard and to provide the appropriate contact information for any inquiries or for 
those wishing to submit any new scientific information relevant to the safety of this food 
additive. 
Health Canada's Food Directorate is committed to reviewing any new scientific 
information on the safety in use of any food additive, including xanthan gum. Anyone 
wishing to submit new scientific information on the use of this additive or to submit any inquiries may do so in writing, by regular mail or electronically. 
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.   G/SPS/N/CAN/724 
 
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  8. Is there a relevant international st andard? If so, identify the standard:  
[ ] Codex Alimentarius Commission (e.g.  title or serial number of Codex 
standard or related text)   
[ ] World Organization for Animal Health (OIE) (e.g. Terrestrial or Aquatic 
Animal Health Code, chapter number)    
[ ] International Plant Protection Convention (e.g. ISPM number)    
[X] None 
Does this proposed regulation conform to the relevant international standard?   
[ ] 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 - "Pub lic Involvement and Partnerships" Website, 
posted 19 August 2013 (available in English and French):  http://www.hc-sc.gc.ca/fn-an/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 Emulsifying, 
Gelling, Stabilizing or Thickening Agents  (" http://www.hc-sc.gc.ca/fn-
an/securit/addit/list/4-emulsif-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 use noted in this document comes into force 
the day on which the modification is made to the List of Permitted Emulsifying, Gelling, 
Stabilizing or Thickening Agents  ("http://www.hc-sc.gc.ca/fn-an/securit/addit/list/4-
emulsif-eng.php "). 
[ ] Trade facilitating measure   
12. Final date for comments: [ ] Sixty days from the date of circulation of the 
notification and/or (dd/mm/yy) : 2 November 2013 
Agency or authority designated to hand le 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 Notifi cation 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 Emulsifying, 
Gelling, Stabilizing or Thickening Agents to Enable the Use of Xanthan Gum as a 
Stabilizing Agent in Fish Roe (Caviar) - Document Reference number: NOM/ADM-0015" 
can be downloaded at:  
http://hc-sc.gc.ca/fn-an/consult/nom-adm-0014/index-eng.php  (English) 
http://hc-sc.gc.ca/fn-an/consult/nom-adm-0014/index-fra.php  (French) 
http://members.wto.org/crnattachments/2013/sps/CAN/13_3388_00_e.pdf  
http://members.wto.org/crnattachments/2013/sps/CAN/13_3388_00_f.pdf