Notice of Modification to the List of Permitted Sweeteners  to Enable the Use of  
Steviol Glyco sides as a Sweetener in Nutritional Supplement Bars   
Bureau of Chemical Safety, Food Directorate, Health Products and Food Branch     1 
  
Notice of Modification to the List of Permitted Sweeteners  
to Enable the Use of Steviol Glyco sides as a Sweetener in 
Nutritional Supplement Bars  
Notice of Modification –  Lists of Permitted Food Additives  
Reference Number: [NOM/ADM -0078] 
 
 
 August  23, 2016   
Notice of Modification to the List of Permitted Sweeteners  to Enable the Use of  
Steviol Glyco sides as a Sweetener in Nutritional Supplement Bars   
Bureau of Chemical Safety, Food Directorate, Health Products and Food Branch     2 Summary  
 
Food additives are regulated in Canada under Marketing Authorizations  (MAs) issued by the 
Minister of Health and the Food and Drug Regulations. Approved food additives and their permitted conditions of use are set out in the 
Lists of Permitted Food Additives  that are 
incorporated by reference in the MAs and published on Health Canada’s website.  A petitioner can request that Health Canada approve a new additive or a new condition of use for an already approved food additive by filing a food additive submission with the Department's Food Directorate.  Health Canada uses this premarket approval process to determine whether the scientific data support the safety of food additives when used under specified conditions in foods sold in Canada. 
 Health Canad a received a food additive submission seeking approval for the use of steviol 
glycosides as a sweetener in nutritional supplement bars at a maximum level of use of 0.02% (calculated as steviol equivalents).   Canada already permits steviol glycosides to be used as a sweetener in various foods, including meal replacement bars at a maximum level of 0.02% (calculated as steviol equivalents). Although meal replacement bars may be similar to nutritional supplement bars, they are regulated as different foods, bei ng subject to separate nutritional requirements set out in Part B, 
Division 24 of the Food and Drug Regulations  (FDR).  Consequently, a new entry in the 
List of 
Permitted Sweeteners  is required  to permit the use of steviol glycosides in nutritional supplement 
bars.    
 The use of steviol glycosides in nutritional supplement bars, at the same maximum level that is already permitted in meal replacement bars (0.02% calculated as steviol equivalents), is supported by the results of Health Canada’s evaluation of available scientific data.  Therefore, Health Canada has modified the List of Permitted Sweeteners  to extend the use of steviol  
glycosides by adding “Nutritional supplement bars” to column 2 of subitem S.1.2(8) as follows:  
 
Modifications to the  List of Permitted Sweeteners  
 
Item 
No. Column 1  
Additive  Column 2  
Permitted in or 
upon  Column 3  
Maximum Level of Use and 
Other Conditions  
S.1.2  Steviol glycosides 
(One or any 
combination of Stevioside, Rebaudioside A, Rebaudioside B,  Rebaudioside C, 
Rebaudioside D, (8) Meal 
replacement bars; 
Nutritional supplement bars   (8) 0.02% (calculated as steviol 
equivalents)   
Notice of Modification to the List of Permitted Sweeteners  to Enable the Use of  
Steviol Glyco sides as a Sweetener in Nutritional Supplement Bars   
Bureau of Chemical Safety, Food Directorate, Health Products and Food Branch     3 Rebaudioside F, 
Rebaudioside M, 
Dulcoside A, Rubusoside, and Steviolbioside, such that the total steviol glycosides content is  
not less than 95%)  
 
Justification  
 
Health Canada’s Food Directorate assessed the safety of steviol  glycosides for use as a sweetener 
in nutritional supplement bars. This use is similar to the already -permitted use in meal 
replacement bars  and the assessment did not identify any toxicological or nutritional food safety 
concerns with respect to extending  the permitted use of steviol glycosides to nutritional 
supplement bars.  
 
Since the results of the assessment support the safety of steviol glycosides when used under the 
conditions of use set out in the table above, the Department has enabled the use of s teviol 
glycosides as described in the table.  
 
Implementation and Enforcement  
 
The above modification came into force August 23, 2016, the day it was published in the List of 
Permitted Sweeteners . 
 The Canadian Food Inspection Agency is responsible for the enforcement of the Food and Drugs Act and its associated regulations with  respect to foods. 
 
Contact Information  
 
Health Canada's Food Directorate is committed to reviewing any new scientific information on 
the safety in use of any food additive, including steviol glycosides . 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. If you wish to contact the Food Directorate 
electronically, please use the words " Steviol Glycosides in nutritional supplement bars " in the 
subject line of your e -mail.  
 Bureau of Chemical Safety , Food Directorate
 
251 Sir Frederick Banting Driveway  
Tunney’s Pasture, PL: 2202C  
Ottawa, Ontario K1A 0L2  
E-mail: bcs -bipc@hc -sc.gc.ca