G/SPS/N/CAN/858  
 
11 August 2014  
(14-4671)  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): Powdered cellulose (ICS Codes: 67.220, 67.060) 
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 Powdered Cellulose 
as a Bulking Agent in Dry Mixes for Sweet Baked Goods  Language(s): English and 
French  Number of pages: 4 
6. Description of content: Health Canada's Food Directorate completed a detailed safety 
assessment of the use of powdered cellulose as a bulking agent in dry mixes for sweet 
baked goods. 
Cellulose powdered is already permitted for us e in Canada as a bulking agent in various 
foods, including sweet baked goods. 
As no safety concerns were raised through this assessment, the Department has enabled 
the food additive use described in  the information document by the List of Permitted 
Food Additives with Other Generally Accepted Uses  (http://www.hc-sc.gc.ca/fn-
an/securit/addit/list/8-other-autre-eng.php ), effective 1 August 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 releva nt 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 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 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/858 
 
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  8. Is there a relevant international st andard? If so, identify the standard:  
[X] Codex Alimentarius Commission (e.g.  title or serial number of Codex 
standard or related text) Powdered cellulose (INS 460(ii)) is a food additive 
that is included in Table 3 of the Codex General Standard for Food Additives 
(GSFA), and as such may be used in various foods, including food category 7.0 Bakery wares, its subcategory 07.2 Fine bakery wares, and the further 
subcategories 07.2.1 Cakes, cookies and pies; 07.2.2 Other fine bakery products; 
and 07.2.3 Mixes for fine bakery wares. It may be used in these foods under the conditions of good manufacturing practices (GMP) as outlined in the Preamble of 
the GSFA. 
[ ] World Organization for Animal Health (OIE) (e.g. Terrestrial or Aquatic 
Animal Health Code, chapter number)    
[ ] International Plant Protection Convention (e.g. ISPM number)    
[ ] None 
Does this proposed regulation conform to the relevant international standard?   
[X] 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 1 August 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) : 1 August 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) : 1 August 2014 
[ ] Trade facilitating measure   
12. Final date for comments: [ ] Sixty days from the date of circulation of the 
notification and/or (dd/mm/yy) : 14 October 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 " Notice of Modification to the List of Permitted Food Additives with Other Generally 
Accepted Uses to Enable the Use of Powdered  Cellulose as a Bulking Agent in Dry Mixes 
for Sweet Baked Goods " can be downloaded at: 
http://www.hc-sc.gc.ca/fn-an/cons ult/nom-adm-0031/index-eng.php  (English)  
http://www.hc-sc.gc.ca/fn-an/cons ult/nom-adm-0031/index-fra.php  (French)