G/SPS/N/CAN/1166  
 
27 April 2018  
(18-2649) 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): Propionic acid and sodium propionate  (ICS Codes: 67.220.20, 
67.120.10, 67.120.20)  
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: Notice of Modification to the List of Permitted 
Preservatives to Enable the  Use of Propionic Acid and Sodium Propionate as Preservatives 
in Ready -to-Eat Meat Products and Ready -to-Eat Poultry Meat Products - Reference 
Number: NOM/ADM -0112. Language(s): English and French.  Number of pages: 4 
https://members.wto.org/crnattachments/2018/SPS/CAN/18_2270_00_e.pdf  
https://members.wto.org/crnattachments/2018/SPS/CAN/18_2270_00_f.pdf  
6. Description of content: Health Canada's Food Directorate received a food additive 
submission seeking approval for the use of propionic acid and sodium propionate as 
preservatives in r eady-to-eat meat products and ready -to-eat poultry meat products to 
control the growth of the pathogen Listeria monocytogenes in these foods.  
Both additives were already permitted for use as preservatives in certain other foods. The 
Food Directorate did no t identify any safety concerns with permitting their use as Class II 
preservatives in ready -to-eat meat products and ready -to-eat poultry meat products. 
Therefore, as explained in the Notice of Modification (see "Information Document" below), 
Health Canada  has enabled the use of propionic acid and sodium propionate in these foods 
by modifying Part 2 of the List of Permitted Preservatives , effective 4 April 2018.  
The purpose of this communication is to publically announce the Department's decision in 
this re gard and to provide contact information for inquiries or for those wishing to submit 
new scientific information relevant to the safety of these food additives.  
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, identify the standard:  
[ ] Codex Alimentarius Commission (e.g.  title or serial number of Codex 
standard or related text) :  G/SPS/N/CAN/1166  
 
- 2 - 
 
  [ ] 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 av ailable: 
Health  Canada's Food and Nutrition – "Public Involvement and Partnerships" Website, 
posted 4 April 2018 (available in English and French):  
https://www.canada.ca/en/health -canada/services/food -nutrition/public -involvement -
partnerships.html  
https://www.canada.ca/fr/sante -canada/services/aliments -nutrition/participation -public -
partenariats.html   
10. Proposed date of adoption (dd/mm/yy) : 4 April 2018  
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) : 4 April 2018  
[ ] Trade facilitating measure  
12. Final date for comments: [  ] Sixty days from the date of circulation of the 
notification and/or (dd/mm/yy) : 17 June 2018  
Agency or authority designated to  handle comments: [  ] National Notification 
Authority, [X]  National Enquiry Point. Address, fax number and e -mail address (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:   
The " Notice of Modification to the List of Permitted Preservatives to Enable the Use of 
Propionic Acid and Sodium Propionate as Preservatives in Ready -to-Eat Meat Products and 
Ready -to-Eat Poultry Meat Products - Reference Number: NOM/ADM -0112" is available 
through the following weblink:  
https://www.canada.ca/en/health -canada/services/food -nutrition/public -involvement -
partnerships/modification -permitted -preservatives -propionic -acid-sodium -propionate -
meat-poultry.html  (English)  
https://www.canada.ca/fr/sante -canada/services/aliments -nutrition/participation -public -
partenariats/modification -autorises -acide-propionique -propionate -sodium -viande -
volaille.html  (French)  
 
Canada's SPS and TBT Notification Authority and Enquiry Point  
Technical Barriers and Regulations Division  
Global Affairs Canada  
111 Sussex Drive  
Ottawa, Ontario  
K1A 0G2  
Tel: +(343)  203 4273 
Fax: +(613)  943 0346 
E-mail: enquirypoint@international.gc.ca