Notice of Modification to the List of Permitted Emulsifying, Gelling, Stabilizing or Thickening Agents  to Enable  
the Use of Xanthan Gum as a Stabilizing Agent in Fish Roe (Caviar)   
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 Xanthan Gum as a Stabili zing 
Agent in Fish Roe (Caviar)  
 
 
Notice of Modification – Lists of Permitted Food Additives  
Reference Number: [NOM/ADM -0015] 
 
 
 August  19, 2013   
Notice of Modification to the List of Permitted Emulsifying, Gelling, Stabilizing or Thickening Agents  to Enable  
the Use of Xanthan Gum as a Stabilizing Agent in Fish Roe (Caviar)   
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.  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 Canada received a food additive submission seeking approval for the use of xanthan gum 
as a stabilizing agent in fish roe  (caviar) . 
 
Xanthan gum is already permitted for use in Canada as an emulsifying, gelling, stabilizing or 
thickening agent in a variety of foods, including French dressing, salad dressin g, mustard 
pickles, relishes, a number of dairy products, and in unstandardized foods.   
 
The results of Health Canada’s evaluation of available scientific data support the safety and 
efficacy of xanthan gum when used as set out in the table below.  Theref ore, Health Canada has 
modified the List of Permitted Emulsifying, Gelling, Stabilizing or Thickening Agents  to extend 
the use of xanthan gum by adding the entry shown below to the list.  
 
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  
X.1 Xanthan 
Gum  (11) Fish roe (caviar)  
 (11) Good Manufacturing Practice  
 
 
Rationale  
 
Health Canada’s Food Directorate completed a pre -market safety and efficacy assessment of 
xanthan gum.  The assessment considered microbiological, toxicological, nutritional and 
technical aspects of xanthan gum when used as requested in the food additive s ubmission.     
 
Xanthan gum is already permitted for use in a variety of foods, as outlined above.  Based on the 
information provided in the food additive submission, the use of xanthan gum in fish roe (caviar) 
is not expected to appreciably increase the intake of xanthan gum in the total diet of Canadians.    
In addition, the use of xanthan gum as a stabilizing agent in fish roe (caviar) is not expected to 
impact the microbiological safety of the fish roe (caviar).  
  
Notice of Modification to the List of Permitted Emulsifying, Gelling, Stabilizing or Thickening Agents  to Enable  
the Use of Xanthan Gum as a Stabilizing Agent in Fish Roe (Caviar)   
Bureau of Chemical Safety, Food Directorate, Health Products and Food Branch     3 Based on the results of the safety asse ssment, Health Canada’s Food Directorate considers that 
the data support the safety of xanthan gum when used under the conditions set out in the table 
above.  The Department has therefore enabled the use of xanthan gum as described in the table.  
 
Other Re levant Information  
 
Xanthan gum used in fish roe (caviar) must meet the specifications set out in the most recent 
edition of the Food Chemicals Codex , a compendium of standards for the purity and identity of 
food ingredients, including food additives, whic h is published by the United States 
Pharmacopeial Convention.  
 
As fish roe (caviar) falls under the standard of composition in section B.21.006 of the Food and 
Drug Regulations , Health Canada consulted with the Canadian Food Inspection Agency and with 
the appropriate industry association about the proposed use of xanthan gum as a stabilizing agent 
in fish roe (caviar).  No objection to the use of xanthan gum in fish roe (caviar)  were raised . 
  
Implementation and Enforcement  
 
The above modification came into force on August  19, 2013 , the day it was published in the List 
of Permitted Emulsifying, Gelling, Stabilizing 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 xanthan gum. Anyone wishing to submit new 
scientific information on the use of this additive or to submit any inquiries may do so in writing, 
by regu lar mail or electronically. If you wish to contact the Food Directorate electronically, 
please use the words " xanthan gum " in the subject line of your e -mail.  
 
   Bureau of Chemical Safety  
   251 Sir Frederick Banting Driveway  
   Tunney’s Pasture, PL: 2202 C 
   Ottawa, Ontario K1A 0 K9 
   E-mail:  bcs-bipc@hc -sc.gc.ca