Notice of Modification to the List of Permitted Food Additives with Other Generally Accepted Uses  to 
 Enable the Use of Sodium Carboxymethyl  Cellulose to Inhibit Crystal Formation in  
Canned Mandarin Oranges and Wine   
Bureau of Chemical Safety, Food Directorate, Health Products and Food Branch     1 
  
Notice of Modification to the List of Permitted Food 
Additives with Other Generally Accepted Uses  to 
Enable the Use of Sodium Carboxymethyl Cellulose 
to Inhibit Crystal Formation in Canned Mandarin 
Oranges and Wine  
 
Notice of Modification – Lists of Permitted Food Additives  
Reference Number: [NOM/ADM -0017] 
 
 
 September  11, 2013  Notice of Modification to the List of Permitted Food Additives with Other Generally Accepted Uses  to 
 Enable the Use of Sodium Carboxymethyl  Cellulose to Inhibit Crystal Formation in  
Canned Mandarin Oranges and Wine   
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 th eir 
permitted conditions of use are set out in the Lists of Permitted Food Additives  that are 
incorporated by reference in the MAs.  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 submission 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 three separate food additive submission s seeking approval for the use of 
sodium carboxymethyl cellulose to inhibit crystal formation in a variety of  foods. One 
submission was for the use of sodium carboxymethyl cellulose in canned mandarin oranges and 
the other two food additive submissions wer e for its use in wine. Canned mandarin oranges are a 
food that is subject to a standard set out in section B.11.101 of the Food and Drug Regulations . 
There is also a standard for wine in section B.02.100 of the Regulations.  
 
This food additive is currentl y permitted in canned mandarin oranges and wine by two separate 
Interim Marketing Authorizations (IMAs). These IMAs were published in Part I of the Canada 
Gazette  on January 14, 2012, and August 6, 2011, respectively. The following modifications to 
the List of Permitted Food Additives with Other Generally Accepted Uses  will replace these  
IMAs.  
 
Health Canada has modified the List of Permitted Food Additives with Other Generall y Accepted 
Uses to extend the use of sodium carboxymethyl cellulose by adding the entries shown below to 
the list to reflect their currently permitted uses set out in the IMAs.  
 
Modification to the List of Permitted Food Additives with Other Generally Accepted Uses   
 
Item 
No. Column 1  
Additive  Column 2  
Permitted in 
or upon  Column 3  
Purpose of Use  Column 4  
Maximum Level of Use 
and Other Conditions  
S.3B  Sodium 
Carboxymethyl  
Cellulose  (2)  Wine  
 (2)  To inhibit 
crystal formation  
 (2)  0.01%  
 
(3) Canned 
mandarin 
oranges  (3) To inhibit 
crystal formation  (3) Good Manufacturing 
Practice  
 
 
 Notice of Modification to the List of Permitted Food Additives with Other Generally Accepted Uses  to 
 Enable the Use of Sodium Carboxymethyl  Cellulose to Inhibit Crystal Formation in  
Canned Mandarin Oranges and Wine   
Bureau of Chemical Safety, Food Directorate, Health Products and Food Branch     3  
Rationale  
 
Health Canada’s Food Directorate had previously completed a separate pre -market safety 
assessment of sodium carboxymethyl cellulose for each of the above foods. Since no safety 
concerns were identified, the Department issued two separate IMAs, as noted above.  
 
Sodium carboxymethyl cellulose used in foods sold in Canada must meet the food -grade 
specifications set out in the most recent edition of the Food Chemicals Codex (FCC).  FCC is  a 
compendium of standards for the purity and identity of food ingredients, including food 
additives, which is published by the United States Pharmacopeial Convention.  
 
Implementation and Enforcement  
 
The above modification came into force on September  11, 2013, the  day it was published in the 
List of Permitted Food Additives with Other Generally Accepted Uses . 
 
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 food additive, including sodium carboxymethyl cellulose. 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 electronica lly. If you wish to contact the Food 
Directorate electronically, please use the words " sodium carboxymethyl cellulose in canned 
mandarin oranges and/or wine " in the subject line of your e -mail.  
 
   Bureau of Chemical Safet y, Food Directorate