G/SPS/N/CAN/788  
 
17 January 2014  
(14-0242)  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): Tannic acid (ICS Codes: 67.220, 67.160.10) 
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 Food 
Additives with Other Generally Accepted Uses to Enable the Use of Tannic Acid as a 
Fining Agent in Ale, Beer, Malt Liquor, Porter and Stout  Language(s): English and 
French  Number of pages: 3 and 4 
http://members.wto.org/crnattachments/2014/sps/CAN/14_0215_00_e.pdf  
http://members.wto.org/crnattachments/2014/sps/CAN/14_0215_00_f.pdf  
6. Description of content: Health Canada's Food Directorate completed a detailed safety 
assessment of a food additive submission seek ing approval for the use of tannic acid as 
a fining agent in beer, ale, malt liquor, porter and stout. 
Tannic acid is already permitted for use in Canada as a fining agent in cider, honey wine 
and wine. 
As no safety concerns were raised through this assessment, the Department has enabled 
the food additive use described in the information document by updating the List of 
Permitted Food Additives with Other Generally Accepted Uses , effective 9 January 2014. 
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 tannic 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 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/788 
 
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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 - "Public Involvement and Partnerships" Website, 
posted 9 January 2014 (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) : 9 January 2014 
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) : 9 January 2014 
[ ] Trade facilitating measure   
12. Final date for comments: [ ] Sixty days from the date of circulation of the 
notification and/or (dd/mm/yy) : 24 March 2014 
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 Food Additives 
with Other Generally Accepted Uses to Enable the Use of Tannic Acid as a Fining Agent in 
Ale, Beer, Malt Liquor, Porter and Stout" is available through the following weblink:  
http://www.hc-sc.gc.ca/fn-an/cons ult/nom-adm-0021/index-eng.php  (English) 
http://www.hc-sc.gc.ca/fn-an/cons ult/nom-adm-0021/index-fra.php  (French)