Notice of Modification to the List of Permitted  Emulsifying, Gelling, Stabilizing or Thickening Agents to Enable  
 the Use of Tamarind Gum in Various Foods   
Bureau of Chemical Safety, Food Directorate, Health Products and Food Branch    1 
  
Notice of Modification to the List of Permitted  
Emulsifying, Gelling, Stabilizing or Thickening 
Agents to Enable the Use of Tamarind Gum in 
Various Foods  
 
Notice of Modification  – Lists of Permitted Food Additives  
Reference Number: NOM/ADM-0113 
May  8, 2018  
Notice of Modification to the List of Permitted  Emulsifying, Gelling, Stabilizing or Thickening Agents to Enable  
 the Use of Tamarind Gum in Various Foods   
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  (Regulations) .  Approved food additives 
and their permitted conditions of use are set out in the Lists of Pe rmitted Food Additives  that are 
incorporated by reference in the MAs and published on the Canada.ca  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 foo d 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 Canada received a food additive submission seeking approval for the use of ta marind  gum 
as an emulsifying, gelling, stabilizing or thickening agent.  The foods in which it is intended to 
be used are  the same foods, or foods that fall within the same  food categories, as those to which 
carob bean gum (locust bean gum) may be added  and at the same maximum levels of use, and 
(naming the fruit) jelly with pectin  at a level of use consistent with good manufacturing practice.  
 
Health Canada  determined that information related to the safety and efficacy of tamarind gum  
supports its use as set out in the table below.  Since this is a food additive that was not previously 
permitted for use in Canada, Health Canada published  a notice of the Department’s intent t o 
enable the use of tamarind gum, titled Health Canada's Proposal to Enable the Use of Tamarind 
Gum as an Emulsifying, Gelling, Stabilizing and Thickening Agent in Unstandardized Foods and 
Certain Standardized Foods  – Reference Number: NOP/ADP -0026 . 
 
The proposal, which was published on August 15, 2017 , was open for public comment for 110 
days. N o new scientific information was submitted to the Department as a result of this proposal .  
Since  the conclusion of the evaluation remain s as described in the proposal , Health Canada has 
modified the  List of Permitted Emulsifying, Gelling, Stabilizing or Thickening Agents  as 
indicated below.  
 
Modification to the List of Permitted  Emulsifying, Gelling, Stabilizing or Thickening Agents  
 
Item 
No. Column 1  
Additive  Column 2  
Permitted in or Upon  Column 3  
Maximum Level of Use and Other 
Conditions  
T.2A  Tamarind Gum  (1) 
Cream; French dressing; 
Mincemeat; Mustard pickles; 
(naming the flavour) Milk; 
(naming the flavour) Partly 
skimmed milk; (naming the 
flavour) Partly skimmed milk with 
added milk solids; (naming the (1) 
Good Manufacturing Practice   
Notice of Modification to the List of Permitted  Emulsifying, Gelling, Stabilizing or Thickening Agents to Enable  
 the Use of Tamarind Gum in Various Foods   
Bureau of Chemical Safety, Food Directorate, Health Products and Food Branch    3 Item 
No. Column 1  
Additive  Column 2  
Permitted in or Upon  Column 3  
Maximum Level of Use and Other 
Conditions  
flavour) Skim milk; (naming the 
flavour) Skim milk with ad ded 
milk solids; (naming the fruit) Jelly 
with pectin; Relishes; Salad 
dressing  
(2) 
Cottage cheese; Creamed cottage 
cheese  (2) 
0.5% in accordance with the 
requirements of sections B.08.051 
and B.08.052  
(3) 
Ice cream mix (3) 
0.5% in accordance with the 
requirements of section B.08.061  
(4) 
Ice milk mix  (4) 
0.5% in accordance with the 
requirements of section B.08.071  
(5) 
Calorie -reduced margarine  (5) 
0.5%. If used  in combination with 
other food additives permitted by 
this list in this food except gelatin, 
lecithin, monoglycerides, mono - and 
diglycerides, and sorbitan 
tristearate, the total amount not to 
exceed 0.5%  
(6) 
Sherbet  (6) 
0.75%. If used in  combination with 
other stabilizing agents, the total 
amount not to exceed 0.75%  
(7) 
Sour cream  (7) 
0.5%. If used in combination with 
other food additives permitted by 
this list in sour cream except 
monoglycerides , mono - and 
diglycerides, and sodium phosphate 
dibasic, the total amount not to 
exceed 0.5%  
(8) 
Unstandardized foods  (8) 
Good Manufacturing Practice   
Notice of Modification to the List of Permitted  Emulsifying, Gelling, Stabilizing or Thickening Agents to Enable  
 the Use of Tamarind Gum in Various Foods   
Bureau of Chemical Safety, Food Directorate, Health Products and Food Branch    4 Item 
No. Column 1  
Additive  Column 2  
Permitted in or Upon  Column 3  
Maximum Level of Use and Other 
Conditions  
(9) 
Cold -pack cheese food; Cold -pack 
cheese food with (naming the 
added ingredients); Cold -pack 
(naming the variety) cheese with 
(naming the added ingredients); 
Cream cheese; Cream cheese with 
(naming the added ingredients)  (9) 
0.5%. If used in combination with 
other food additives permitted by 
this list in these foods, the total 
amount not to exceed  0.5%  
(10) 
Cream cheese spread; Cream 
cheese spread with (naming the 
added ingredients)  (10) 
0.5%. If used in combination with 
other food additives permitted by 
this list in these foods except 
phosphate salts, citrate salts, tartrate 
salts, or sodium gluconate, the total 
amount not to exceed 0.5%  
(11) 
Processed cheese spread; 
Processed cheese spread with 
(naming the added ingredients)  (11) 
0.5%. If used in combination with 
other food additives permitted by 
this list in these foods except citrate 
salts, lecithin, monoglycerides, 
mono - and diglycerides, phosphate 
salts, sodium gluconate, or tartrate 
salts, the total amount not to exceed 
0.5%  
 
The wording in Column 3 for sub -items (3), (4), (5) and (9) shown above differs from what was 
presented in the Notice of Proposal (NOP) and the foods that were grouped together under sub -
item (9) in the NOP have been separated into three sub -items, shown above as sub -items (9), 
(10), and (11). The provisions however function in the same manner as proposed in the NOP.  
 
For sub -items (3) and (4), for ice cream mix and ice milk mix respectively, it was proposed that 
the in -combination rule that already exist s within the standards for each of these foods be 
expressed within the List itself, without reference to the respective standards. However, the 
wording in Column 3 for these foods has been changed in order to maintain consistency with the 
existing wording of the conditions of use for other stabilizing agents permitted in these two 
foods. The conditions of use for tamarind gum in ice cream mix and ice milk mix therefore refer 
back to their respective standards ( B.08.061  and B.08.071 ), wherein are found the in -
combinatio n rules for stabilizing agents.  
  
Notice of Modification to the List of Permitted  Emulsifying, Gelling, Stabilizing or Thickening Agents to Enable  
 the Use of Tamarind Gum in Various Foods   
Bureau of Chemical Safety, Food Directorate, Health Products and Food Branch    5 For calorie -reduced margarine (sub -item 5), there is also an in -combination rule that appears 
within its standard. In order for this rule to also apply to tamarind gum, the in -combination rule 
must be slightly reworded and placed in the List itself, as was  proposed.  However, the proposed 
wording did not fully reproduce the existing in -combination rule. Although it excluded gelatin 
and lecithin from this rule, monoglycerides, mono - and diglycerides, and sorbitan tristearate 
must also be excluded. These thre e additives are permitted in calorie -reduced margarine (by 
virtue of being permitted in standardized margarine) but are not subject to this in -combination 
rule. This omission has been addressed in the listing shown in the table above.  
 
With respect to the  various types of standardized cheeses, as for other similar provisions in the 
List, the proposed in -combination rule under sub -item (9) for tamarind gum referred back to 
specific standards of Division 8 of the Regulations. The in -combination rules that cu rrently 
appear in these cheese standards refer to each of the individual additives subject to the in -
combination rule; however the standard will not be updated to refer to tama gum. Therefore, 
Health Canada’s Food Directorate has reworded the in -combinatio n rule to remove any 
ambiguity with respect to how the existing in -combination rule applies when tamarind gum is 
used. The existing in -combination rules have therefore been duplicated in the List such that 
reference back to the standards is not required. T his was facilitated by grouping the various types 
of cheese into three sub -items (9), (10), and (11), as shown above.  
  
Consequential Modifications  
 
As a result of enabling the use of tamarind gum in calorie -reduced margarine, sour cream and 
various chees e products, consequential modifications were made to the  List of Permitted 
Emulsifying, Gelling, Stabilizing or Thickening Agents  for consistency. A consequential change 
was also required for the in -combination conditions of use for xanthan gum in ice cream mix and 
ice milk mix. These changes do not alter how the in -combination r ule operates.  Specifically, the 
following consequential modifications were made:  
 
 the wording of the conditions of use (under Column 3 of the List) for the following 
additives in calorie -reduced margarine was modified for consistency with the wording 
used for tamarind gum under sub -item T.2A(5), shown in the table above:  acacia gum 
(A.1), agar (A.4), algin (A.5), ammonium carrageenan (A.8), calcium carrageenan (C.3), 
carob bean gum (C.14), carrageenan (C.15), furcelleran (F.1), guar gum (G.3), karaya 
gum (K .1), polyglycerol esters of fatty acids (P.1A), potassium carrageenan (P.7), 
propylene glycol alginate (P.12), sodium carrageenan (S.4), tragacanth gum (T.3), and 
xanthan gum (X.1).   The wording is therefore: “ 0.5%. If used in combination with other 
food a dditives permitted by this list in this food except gelatin, lecithin, monoglycerides, 
mono - and diglycerides, and sorbitan tristearate, the total amount not to exceed 0.5% ”.  
This condition of use operates in the same manner as previously; it is only the wording 
that has changed.  
 
 The wording of the conditions of use (under Column 3 of the List) for gellan gum (G.2) 
in calorie -reduced margarine was modified for consistency with the wording used for  
Notice of Modification to the List of Permitted  Emulsifying, Gelling, Stabilizing or Thickening Agents to Enable  
 the Use of Tamarind Gum in Various Foods   
Bureau of Chemical Safety, Food Directorate, Health Products and Food Branch    6 tamarind gum under sub -item T.2A(5), shown in the table ab ove. The wording is 
therefore “ 0.25%. If used in combination with other food additives permitted by  this list 
in this food except gelatin, lecithin, monoglycerides, mono - and diglycerides, and 
sorbitan tristearate, the total amount not to exceed 0.5% ”. 
 
 the wording of the conditions of use (under Column 3 of the List) for the following 
additives in sour cream was modified for consistency with the wording used for tamarind 
gum under sub -item T.2A( 7) (as shown in the table above): algin (A.5), ammonium 
carrageenan (A.8), calcium carrageenan (C.3), carob bean gum (C.14) , carrageenan  
(C.15), gelatin (G.1), guar gum (G.3), pectin (P.1), potassium carrageenan (P.7), 
propylene glycol alginate (P.12), sodium carrageenan (S.4), and x anthan gum (X.1).  The 
wordi ng is therefore: “0.5%. If used in combination with other food additives permitted 
by this list in sour cream  except monoglycerides, mono - and diglycerides, and sodium 
phosphate dibasic, the total amount not to exceed 0.5%.  T his condition of use operates in 
the same manner as previously;  it is only the wording that has changed.  
 
 the various standardized cheeses have been reorganized into three groups (under Colum n 
2 of the List) and the wording of the conditions of use (under Column 3 of the List) for 
the following additives in various types of standardized cheese was modified for 
consistency with how the provision for tamarind gum has been structured under sub -
items T.2A(9), (10), and (11) (as shown in the table above): ammonium carrageenan 
(A.8), calcium carrageenan (C.3), carob bean gum (C.14), carrageenan (C.15), gelatin 
(G.1), guar gum (G.3), potassium carrageenan (P .7), propylene glycol alginate (P.12), 
sodium carrageenan (S.4), and xanthan gum (X.1). The standardized cheeses and their 
wording are as shown below. The actual sub -item number for each food additive can be 
viewed in the List. These conditions of use function in the same manner as previously; it 
is only the wording that has changed  for consistency throughout the List .  
 
Column 2  
Permitted in  or Upon  Column 3  
Maximum Level of Use and Other 
Conditions  
(x) 
Cold -pack cheese food; Cold -pack cheese 
food with (naming the added ingredients); 
Cold -pack (naming the variety) cheese with 
(naming the added ingredients; Cream cheese; 
Cream cheese with (naming the added 
ingredients)  (x) 
0.5%. If used in combination with other food 
additives from this list permitted in these 
foods, the total amount not to exceed 0.5%  
(y) 
Cream cheese spread; Cream cheese spread 
with (naming the added ingredients)  (y) 
0.5%. If used in combination with other food 
additives from this list permitted in these 
foods except phosphate salts, citrate salts, 
tartrate salts, or sodium gluconate, the total 
amount not to exceed 0.5%   
Notice of Modification to the List of Permitted  Emulsifying, Gelling, Stabilizing or Thickening Agents to Enable  
 the Use of Tamarind Gum in Various Foods   
Bureau of Chemical Safety, Food Directorate, Health Products and Food Branch    7 Column 2  
Permitted in  or Upon  Column 3  
Maximum Level of Use and Other 
Conditions  
 
(z) 
Processed cheese spread; Processed cheese 
spread with (naming the added ingredients)  (z) 
0.5%. If used in combination with other food 
additives from this list permitted in these 
foods except citrate salts, lecithin, 
monoglycerides, mono - and diglycerides, 
phosphate salts, sodium gluconate, or tart rate 
salts, the total amount not to exceed 0.5%  
 
 the wording of the conditions of use (under Column 3 of the List) for xanthan gum in ice 
cream mix and ice milk mix was modified in order for each of their in -combination rules, 
which appear in the List as well as in their standards (B.08.061 and B.08.071, 
respectively), to also apply to tamarind gum and to be clear that the maximum level of 
use is intended to apply on the basis of the product made from the mix. The wording is as 
shown in the table below. This condition of use operates i n the same manner as 
previously;  it is only the wording that has changed  such that the in -combination rule also 
applies to tamarind gum.  
 
Column 2  
Permitted in or Upon  Column 3  
Maximum Level of Use and Other 
Conditions  
(6) 
Ice cream mix  (6) 
0.1% in the ice cream made from the mix. If 
used in combination with microcrystalline 
cellulose or other stabilizing agents or both, 
the total amount not to exceed  0.5% in the ice 
cream made from the mix  
(7) 
Ice milk mix  (7) 
0.1% in the ice milk made from the mix. If 
used in combination with other stabilizing 
agents, the total amount not to exceed 0.5% in 
the ice milk made from the mix  
 
 
Other Modification s 
 
The various food items for Irish Moss Gelose (Item No. I.1) have been removed and replaced 
with a reference to the food listing for carrageenan (Item No. C.15). Irish Moss Gelose is a type 
of carrageenan and is thus permitted in or upon the same foods as c arrageenan. The removal of 
the food items of Irish Moss Gelose from this List is not substantive in that it does not change the 
food additive provisions themselves and it is the exact wording that was used for the Irish Moss 
Gelose provision in Table IV of  Division 16, Part B, of the Regulations. It is the provisions of  
Notice of Modification to the List of Permitted  Emulsifying, Gelling, Stabilizing or Thickening Agents to Enable  
 the Use of Tamarind Gum in Various Foods   
Bureau of Chemical Safety, Food Directorate, Health Products and Food Branch    8 Table IV that were originally used to create the List of Permitted Emulsifying, Gelling, 
Stabilizing or Thickening Agents . The provision in the List for Irish Moss Gelose now appears as 
follows:  
 
Item 
No. Column 1  
Additive  Column 2  
Permitted in or Upon  Column 3  
Maxim um Level of Use and Other 
Conditions  
I.1 Irish Moss Gelose  Same foods as listed for 
Carrageenan  Same levels as prescribed for 
Carrageenan  
 
In the English version of the List of Permitted Emulsifying, Gelling, Stabilizing or Thickening 
Agents , there were two maximum levels of use, mistakenly shown as “0.75% 0.5%”, listed for 
the in -combination rule for Polysorbate 65 (Item No. P.4) in ice cream mix, ice cream, ice milk 
mix, and ice milk when the additive is used in combination with other stabilizing a gents. As per 
the standards for ice cream mix and ice milk mix (sections B.08.061 and B.08.071 of the 
Regulations), the maximum level of use for stabilizing agents used in combination shall not 
exceed 0.5% in the ice cream or ice milk made from their respe ctive mixes. The provisions in 
this List for Polysorbate 65 in ice cream mix, ice cream, ice milk mix and ice milk have been 
corrected (i.e., the 0.75% figure has been removed):  
 
Item 
No. Column 1  
Additive  Column 2  
Permitted in or Upon  Column 3  
Maximum Level of Use and Other 
Conditions  
P.4 Polyoxyethylene 
(20) Sorbitan 
Tristearate 
(Polysorbate 65)  (9) 
Ice cream mix; Ice cream  (9) 
0.1%. If Polyoxyethylene (20) 
sorbitan monooleate  is also used, the 
total must not exceed 0.1%. If used 
in combination with other stabilizing 
agents, the total amount of 
combined stabilizing agents shall 
not exceed 0.5%  
(10) 
Ice milk mix; Ice milk  (10) 
0.1%. If Polyoxyethylene (20) 
sorbitan monooleate  is also used, the 
total must not exceed 0.1%. If used 
in combination with other stabilizing 
agents, the total amount of 
combined stabilizing agents shall 
not exceed 0.5%  
 
In the French version of the List of Permitted Emulsifying, Gelling, Stabilizing or  Thickening 
Agents , the maximum level of use for Polysorbate 65 (Item No. P.4) in ice cream mix and ice 
cream was mistakenly listed twice (shown as “0,1%. 0,1%”) when the additive is used in 
combination with Polyoxyethylene (20) sorbitan monooleate . The pr ovision in the French  
Notice of Modification to the List of Permitted  Emulsifying, Gelling, Stabilizing or Thickening Agents to Enable  
 the Use of Tamarind Gum in Various Foods   
Bureau of Chemical Safety, Food Directorate, Health Products and Food Branch    9 version of this List for Polysorbate 65 in ice cream mix and ice cream now appears as follows 
(the additional 0,1% figure has been removed):  
 
Article  Colonne 1  
Additif  Colonne 2  
Permis dans ou sur  Colonne 3  
Limites de tolérance et aut res 
conditions  
P.4 Polyoxyéthylène 
(20) Tristéarate de 
sorbitan 
(Polysorbate 65)  (9) 
Crème glacée; mélange pour 
crème glacée  (9) 
0,1 %. Si l'on emploie aussi le 
monooléate polyoxyéthylénique (20) 
de sorbitan, le total ne doit pas 
dépasser 0,1 %. Si l'on emploie aussi 
d'autres agents stabilisants en 
association, la quantité totale des 
agents stabilisants ne doit pas 
dépasser 0,5 %  
 
Rationale  
 
Health Canada’s F ood Directorate completed a pre market safety assessment of the requested 
uses of  tamarind gum .  The assessment did not identify any chemical, microbiological,  
nutritional, or t oxicological  safety concerns .  Therefore, the Department has enabled the 
requested uses of tamarind gum by modifying the List of Permitted Emulsifying, Gelling, 
Stabilizing or Thickening Agents  as shown in the  first table  above . 
 
Other Relevant Information  
 
The Food and Drug Regulations  require that food additives such as tamarind gum that do not 
have food -grade specifications set out in Part B of the Regulations meet the most recent food -
grade specifi cations set out in the Food Chemicals Codex  or the Combined Compendium of Food 
Additive Specifications .  The Food Chemicals Codex  is a compendium of standards for purity 
and identity for food ingredients, including food additives, published by the United S tates 
Pharmacopeial Convention.  The Combined Compendium of Food Additive Specifications , which 
contains specifications prepared by the Joint FAO/WHO Expert Committee on Food Additives 
(JECFA) , is published by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations.   
 
Notification – Summary of Comments   
 
In response to  the notice Health Canada's Proposal to Enable the Use of Tamarind Gum as an 
Emulsifying, Gelling, Stabilizing and Thickening Agent in Unstandardized Foods and Certain 
Standar dized Foods  – Reference Number: NOP/ADP -0026 , Health  Canada received one 
comment  from the food industry supporting the proposal to allow tamarind gum in 
unstandardized foods at levels of use consistent with good manufacturing practice, and one  
enquiry fro m another national government concerning the availability of specifications for this 
food additive.  At the time that Health Canada replied to the enquiry, it was indicated that  
Notice of Modification to the List of Permitted  Emulsifying, Gelling, Stabilizing or Thickening Agents to Enable  
 the Use of Tamarind Gum in Various Foods   
Bureau of Chemical Safety, Food Directorate, Health Products and Food Branch    10 specifications for tamarind gum were expected to soon be added to the Combined  Compendium 
of Food Additive Specifications . The specifications for tamarind gum have since been published 
in the Compendium of Food Additive Specifications  (FAO JECFA Monographs 20, 2017 ).    
 
Implementation and Enforcement  
 
The above modification came into force May  8, 2018 , the day it was published in  the List of 
Permitted Emulsifying, Gelling, Stabilizin g or Thickening Agents . 
 
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 tamarind gum .  Anyone wishing to submit new 
scientific information on the use of this additive or to submit any i nquiries may do so in writing, 
by regular mail or electronically.   If you wish to contact the Food Directorate electronically, 
please use the words " tamarind gum ( NOM -0113) " 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