G/SPS/N/CAN/1304  
 
8 April 2020  
(20-2779) 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):  Aspergillus fijiensis  as a Source Organism for Invertase 
(ICS Codes:  67.200.20)  
4. Regions or countries likely to be affected, to the extent relevant or practicable : 
[X] All trading partn ers  
[ ] Specific regions or countries:   
5. Title of the notified document:  Notice of Modification to the List of Permitted Food 
Enzymes  to Enable the Use of Aspergillus fijiensis  as a Source Organism for 
Invertase -NOM/ADM -0144. Language(s):  English and French . Number of pages:  3 
https://members.wto.org/crnattachments/2020/SPS/CAN/20_2495_00_e.pdf  
https://members.wto.org/crnattachments/2020/SPS/CAN/20_2495_00_f.pdf  
6. Description of content:  Health Canada's Food Directorate completed an evaluation of 
available scientific and taxonomic data supporting th e re-identification of the source 
organism name for invertase " Aspergillus japonicus " to " Aspergillus fijiensis " in the 
List of Permitted Food Enzymes . 
Invertase sourced from A. japonicus  is permitted in Canada as a food enzyme for use in 
sucrose used in the production of fructooligosaccharides. Health Canada's Food 
Directorate received a request that the source organism n ame for this invertase 
(Aspergillus japonicus ) be updated to " Aspergillus fijiensis ", to reflect a re -identification 
of the original source organism.  
Following a review of scientific and taxonomic data, Health Canada's Food Directorate 
determined that an update to the source organism name, based on re -identification of 
the source organism, did not require a pre -market safety assessment. Furthermore, the re 
was no need to re -evaluate the safety of the already -permitted source organism A. 
japonicus . Therefore, Health Canada has enabled the use of invertase from A. fijiensis , 
by adding the source organism name A. fijiensis , alongside A. japonicus , in the per mitted 
source field in the Listing for Invertase as described in the information document below 
by modifying the List o f Permitted Food Enzymes , effective 30 March 2020.  
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.  
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/1304  
 
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  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) :  
[ ] 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' Web site, 
posted 30 March 202 0 (available in English and French):  
https://www.canada.ca/en/health -canada/services/food -nutrition/public -involvement -
partnerships.html  (English)  
https://www.canada.ca/fr/sante -canada/services/aliments -nutrition/participation -public -
partenariats.html  (French)   
10. Proposed date of adoption (dd/mm/yy) : 30 March 2020 30 March 2020  
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) : 30 March 2020  
[ ] Trade facilitating measure   
12. Final date for comments: [  ] Sixty days from the date of circulation of the 
notification and/or (dd/mm/yy) : 13 June 2020  
Agency or authority designated to handle comments: [  ] National Notification 
Authority, [X]  National Enquiry Point. Address, fax nu mber 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 Food Enzymes to Enable the Use of 
Aspergillus fijiensis as a Source Organism for Invertase - NOM/ADM -0144" is available 
through the following weblink:  
https://www.canada.ca/en/health -canada/services/food -nutrition/public -involvement -
partnerships/modification -permitted -food-enzymes -aspergillus -fijiensis.html  (English)  
https://www.canada.ca/fr/sante -canada/services/aliments -nutrition/participation -public -
partenariats/modification -enzymes -alimentaires -autorisees -aspergillus -fijiensis.html  
(French)  
Canada's 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