Notice of Modification to the List of Permitted Preservatives  to Enable the Use of Sodium Metabisulphite in Standardized Olives   
Bureau of Chemical Safety, Food Directorate, Health Products and Food Branch     1 
  
Notice of Modification to the List of Permitted 
Preservatives  to Enable the Use of Sodium 
Metabisulphite in Standardized Olives  
 
Notice of Modification – Lists of Permitted Food Additives  
Reference Number: [NOM/ADM -0039] 
 
 
 October  23, 2014   
Notice of Modification to the List of Permitted Preservatives  to Enable the Use of Sodium Metabisulphite in Standardized Olives   
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 Ad ditives  that are 
incorporated by reference in the MA’s 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 submissi on 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 receiv ed a food additive submission seeking approval for the use of sodium 
metabisulphite as a preservative in olives, to prevent browning, at a maximum level of use of 100 
p.p.m. calculated as sulphur dioxide.  This is considered an antioxidant function of this  additive.   
 
Sodium metabisulphite is already permitted for use in Canada as a preservative in various food 
categories.  It is not currently permitted for use as an antioxidant in olives, a food for which there 
is a standard set out in section B.11.050 of  the Food and Drug Regulations . 
 
In Canada, food additives that function as antioxidants are regulated as preservatives.  Additives 
that may be used for this purpose are listed in Part 4 of the List of Permitted Preservatives . The 
results of Health Canada’ s evaluation of available scientific data support the safety of sodium 
metabisulphite when used as an antioxidant in olives.  Therefore, Health Canada has modified 
Part 4 of the List of Permitted Preservatives  by adding the entry shown below to the list.   
 
Modification to the List of Permitted Preservatives:  
 
Part 4:  
 
Item 
No. Column 1  
Additive  Column 2  
Permitted in or 
upon  Column 3  
Maximum Level of Use and Other 
Conditions  
S.1 Sodium 
metabisulphite  Olives  
 100 p.p.m. calculated as sulphur 
dioxide  
 
Rationale  
 
Health Canada’s Food Directorate completed a pre -market safety assessment of  the use of  
sodium metabisulphite  as an antioxidant in olives.  The assessment considered microbiological, 
toxicological, nutritional, chemical and technical aspects of sodium metabisulphite when used as 
requested in the food additive submission.     
  
Notice of Modification to the List of Permitted Preservatives  to Enable the Use of Sodium Metabisulphite in Standardized Olives   
Bureau of Chemical Safety, Food Directorate, Health Products and Food Branch     3 Based on the results of the safety as sessment, Health Canada’s Food Directorate considers that 
the data support the safety of sodium metabisulphite when used under the conditions of use set 
out in the table above.  The Department has therefore enabled the use of sodium metabisulphite 
as descr ibed in the above table.  
 
Other Relevant Information  
 
Sodium metabisulphite used in foods sold in Canada must meet the food -grade specifications for 
this additive set out in the most recent edition of the Food Chemicals Codex . The FCC is a 
compendium of standards for purity and identity of food ingredients, including food additives, 
which is published by the United States Pharmacopeial Convention  
 
Implementation and Enforcement  
 
The above modification came into force October  23, 2014 , the day it was published in the  List of 
Permitted Preservatives . 
 
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 permitted food additive, including  sodium metabisulphite in olives . 
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 “ sodium metabisulphite in olives " 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