G/SPS/N/CAN/807  
 
3 April 2014  
(14-2045)  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): Calcium hypochlorite (ICS Code: 67.220) 
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 Proposal to Enable the Use of a New Food 
Additive, Calcium Hypochlorite, as a Starch-Modifying Agent   Language(s): English and 
French  Number of pages: 5 
http://members.wto.org/crnattachments/2014/sps/CAN/14_1705_00_e.pdf  
http://members.wto.org/crnattachments/2014/sps/CAN/14_1705_00_f.pdf  
6. Description of content: Health Canada's Food Directorate completed a detailed safety 
assessment of a food additive submission seeking approval for the use of calcium 
hypochlorite, as a starch-modifying agent. 
Calcium hypochlorite is not currently permitted for use as an additive in foods sold in 
Canada. 
As no safety concerns were raised through this assessment, it is the intention of Health 
Canada to enable the food additive use of ice calcium hypochlorite, as described in the 
information document. 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. 
Health Canada's Food Directorate is committed to reviewing any new scientific 
information on the safety in use of any food additive, including calcium hypochlorite. 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/807 
 
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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) The Codex Alimentarius Commission's (Codex) 
General Standard for Food Additives (GSFA) contains provisions for the use, as 
food additives, of modified starches as  opposed to the starch-modifying agents. 
Codex requires that food additives in the GSFA meet specifications established by 
the Joint Food and Agriculture Organization/World Health Organization Expert 
Committee on Food Additives (JECFA). As per the JECFA specification for modified 
starches, sodium hypochlorite may be used in the manufacture of modified starch, 
but the possible use of calcium hypochlorite is not reflected in the specifications. 
[ ] 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 28 March 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) : The proposed food additive use will be 
legally enabled once it is published in Health Canada's List of Permitted Starch-Modifying 
Agents  ( http://www.hc-sc.gc.ca/fn-an/securit/ addit/list/13-starch-modif-amidon-
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 Starch-Modifying 
Agents  ( http://www.hc-sc.gc.ca/fn-an/securit/ addit/list/13-starch-modif-amidon-
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) : 10 June 2014 
Agency or authority designated to hand le comments: [ ] National Notification 
Authority, [X] National Enquiry Point. Address, faxÈ 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 Proposal to Enable the Use of a New Food Additive, Calcium Hypochlorite, 
as a Starch-Modifying Agent  can be downloaded at:  
http://www.hc-sc.gc.ca/fn-an/consult/2014-nop-adp-calcium-hypochlorite/index-
eng.php  (English) 
http://www.hc-sc.gc.ca/fn-an/consult/2014-nop -adp-calcium-hypochlorite/index-fra.php  
(French) 
 
http://members.wto.org/crnattachments/2014/sps/CAN/14_1705_00_e.pdf  (English) 
http://members.wto.org/crnattachments/2014/sps/CAN/14_1705_00_f.pdf  (French)