G/SPS/N/CAN/1037  
 
8 July 2016  
(16-3674)  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): Transglutaminase (ICS Codes: 67.220, 67.120.10) 
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: Health Canada's Proposal to Remove "Solid cut meat 
with or without added phosphate salts" from  the List of Foods that are Permitted to 
Contain Transglutaminase in the List of Permitted Food Enzymes  - Reference Number: 
NOP/AVP-0020  Language(s): English and French  Number of pages: 4 
6. Description of content: Following the approval of the enzyme transglutaminase for use 
as a binding agent in certain prepackaged poultry products and meat products, including 
solid cut meat, Health Canada's Food Directorate received a number of inquiries related 
to the possibility of microbial contamination in the interior of meat products that are formed from smaller pieces of meat using transglutaminase. Health Canada 
subsequently revisited the safety assessment by considering the manner in which 
consumers might reasonably be expected to prepare meat and poultry products made using transglutaminase and did identi fy a potential food safety risk. 
Consequently, it is the intention of Health Canada to modify the List of Permitted Food 
Enzymes  (http://hc-sc.gc.ca/fn-an/securit/addit/list/5-enzymes-eng.php ) by removing 
the food category "Solid cut meat with or without added phosphate salts" from column 3 
in the entry for sub-item T.01(8). 
The purpose of this communication 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 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.   
8. Is there a relevant international st andard? If so, identify the standard:  
[ ] Codex Alimentarius Commission (e.g. title or serial  n u m b e r  o f  C o d e x  
standard or related text)   
[ ] World Organization for Animal Health (OIE) (e.g. Terrestrial or Aquatic 
Animal Health Code, chapter number)    G/SPS/N/CAN/1037 
 
- 2 - 
 
  [ ] 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 5 July 2016 (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) : The proposed food additive use will be 
legally enabled once it is published in Health Canada's List of Permitted Food Enzymes  
(http://hc-sc.gc.ca/fn-an/securit/addit/list/5-enzymes-eng.php ). 
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) : The food additive use noted in this document comes into force 
the day on which the modifications are made to the List of Permitted Food Enzymes  
(http://hc-sc.gc.ca/fn-an/securit/addit/list/5-enzymes-eng.php ). 
[ ] Trade facilitating measure   
12. Final date for comments: [ ] Sixty days from the date of circulation of the 
notification and/or (dd/mm/yy) : 17 September 2016 
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. Text(s) available from: [ ] National Notifi cation Authority, [X] National Enquiry 
Point. Address, fax number and e-mail address (if available) of other body:   
The "Health Canada's Proposal to Remove "Solid cut meat with or without added 
phosphate salts" From the List of Foods that  are Permitted to Contain Transglutaminase 
in the List of Permitted Food Enzymes  - Reference Number: NOP/AVP-0020" is available 
through the following weblink:  
http://hc-sc.gc.ca/fn-an/consult/meat-salts-v iande-sels/document-consultation-eng.php  
(English) 
http://hc-sc.gc.ca/fn-an/consult/meat-salts-v iande-sels/document-consultation-fra.php  
(French)