G/SPS/N/CAN/1098  
 
14 March 2017  
(17-1453) 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; ICS numbers should be provided in 
addition, where applicable): Lead in fruit juice, fruit nectar and water in sealed 
containers (ICS Code: 67.160.20)  
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: Health Canada's Proposal to Update the Maximum 
Levels for Lead in Fruit Juice, Fruit Nectar and Water in Sealed Containers in the List of 
Contaminants and Other Adulterating Substances in Foods  - Reference Number: 
NOP/AVP -C-2017-2. Language(s): English and French . Number of pages: 5 and 6  
6. Description of content: Health Canada has conducted a scientific assessment which 
supports proposing to lower the existing maximum level (ML) for lead in fruit juice and 
fruit nectar to 0.05 p.p.m. and also lower the ML for lead in water in sealed containers to 
0.01 p.p.m. The proposed ML for fruit juice and fruit nectar would also apply to fruit 
juice and nectar when used as an ingredient in other foods and to juice concentrate 
when reconstituted to its ready -to-serve form. Furthermore, Health Canada is proposing 
to extend the ML for lead in water in sealed containers such that it applies to all types of 
bottled water, includi ng mineral and spring water.  
As a result of this assessment, it is the intention of Health Canada to modify Part 2 of 
the List of Contaminants and Other Adulterating Substances in Foods  as described in the 
information document. The purpose of this communic ation is to publically announce the 
Department's intention 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 
Health Canada's scientific assessment.  
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 standard? If so, identi fy the standard:  
[X] Codex Alimentarius Commission (e.g.  title or serial number of Codex 
standard or related text) : CODEX STAN 193 -1995 and CODEX STAN 108 -
1981 
[ ] World Organization for Animal Health (OIE) (e.g.  Terrestrial or Aquatic 
Animal Health Code, chapter number) :   G/SPS/N/CAN/1098  
 
- 2 - 
 
  [ ] International Plant Protection Convention (e.g.  ISPM number) :   
[ ] None  
Does this proposed regulation conform to the relevant international standard?   
[ ] Yes   [ X] No 
If no, describe, whenever possible, how and why it deviates fro m the 
international standard: In 2015 the Codex Alimentarius Commission (Codex; CODEX 
STAN 193 -1995) lowered its ML for lead in fruit juices and nectars when ready -to-drink, 
except those from berries and other small fruits, from 0.05 p.p.m. to 0.03 p.p.m.  
Health  Canada's proposed lower ML for lead in fruit juice and fruit nectar aligns with the 
previous Codex ML. Once the Codex Committee on Contaminants in Food finalizes its 
review of an updated ML for fruit juice from berries and other small fruits, Health  
Canada will consider aligning Canadian MLs for lead in all fruit juice and fruit nectar with 
established Codex ML(s).  
9. Other relevant documents and language(s) in which these are available: 
Health  Canada's Food and Nutrition - "Public Involvement and P artnerships" Website, 
posted 1 March 2017 (available in English and French):  
http://www.hc -sc.gc.ca/fn -an/consult/index -eng.php  
http://www.hc -sc.gc.ca/fn -an/consult/index -fra.php  
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 Contaminants and Other 
Adulterating Substances in F oods (http://hc -sc.gc.ca/fn -an/securit/chem -
chim/adulterating -substances -adulterantes -eng.php ). 
Proposed date of publication (dd/mm/yy) :   
11. Propose d 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 modifications are made to the List of Contaminants and Other 
Adulterating Substances in Foods  (http://hc -sc.gc.ca/fn -an/securit/chem -
chim/adulterating -substances -adulterantes -eng.php ). 
[ ] Trade facilitating measure   
12. Final date fo r comments: [ ]  Sixty days from the date of circulation of the 
notification and/or (dd/mm/yy) : 14 May 2017  
Agency or authority designated to handle comments: [ ]  National Notification 
Authority, [X]  National Enquiry Point. Address, fax number and e -mail ad dress 
(if available) of other body:   
13. Text(s)  available from: [ ]  National Notification Authority, [X]  National Enquiry 
Point. Address, fax number and e -mail address (if available) of other body:   
"Health Canada's Proposal to Update the Maximum Levels  for Lead in Fruit Juice, Fruit 
Nectar and Water in Sealed Containers in the List of Contaminants and Other 
Adulterating Substances in Foods - Reference Number: NOP/AVP -C-2017-2" is available 
through the following weblink:  
http://hc -sc.gc.ca/fn -an/consult/nop -avp-c-2017-2/nop -avp-c-2017-2-eng.php  (English)  
http://hc -sc.gc.ca/f n-an/consult/nop -avp-c-2017-2/nop -avp-c-2017-2-fra.php  (French)