G/SPS/N/CAN/1140  
 
4 October 2017  
(17-5341) 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; ICS numbers should be provided in addition, 
where applicable): Tara gum (ICS  Code:  67.220.20)  
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: Health Canada's Proposal to Enable the Use of Tara Gum 
as an Emulsifying, Gelling, Stabilizing and Thickening Agent in Unstandardized Foods and 
Certain Standardized Foods – Reference Number: NOP/ADP -0027. Language(s): English 
and French.  Number of pages: 6 and 7  
6. Description of content: The Federal Government completed a detailed safety 
assessment of the use of tara gum as an emulsifying, gelling, stabilizing and thickening 
agent. The results of Health Canada's evaluation of available scientific data sup port the 
safety and efficacy of tara gum for its requested uses. Therefore, Health Canada  
intends to modify the  List of Permitted Emulsifying, Gelling, Stabilizing or Thickening 
Agents  accord ingly.  
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 these food 
additives.  
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.  
8. Is there a relevant intern ational standard? If so, identify the standard:  
[ ] Codex Alimentarius Commission (e.g.  title or serial number of Codex 
standard or related text) :  
[ ] World Organization for Animal Health (OIE) (e.g.  Terrestrial or Aquatic 
Animal Health Code, chapter number) :  
[ ] International Plant Protection Convention (e.g.  ISPM number) :  
[X] None  
Does this proposed regulation conform to the relevant international standard?  
[ ] Yes   [  ] No G/SPS/N/CAN/1140  
 
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  If no, describe, whenever possible, how and why it deviates from the 
inter national 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 23 August 2017 (available in English and French):  
https://www.canada.ca/en/health -canada/services/food -nutrition/public -involvement -
partnerships.html  (English)  
https://www.canada.ca/fr/sante -canada/services/aliments -nutrition/participation -public -
partenariats.html  (French)   
10. Proposed date of adopti on (dd/mm/yy) : The proposed food additive de -listing(s) will 
be legally enabled once removed from Health Canada's Lists of Permitted Food Additives  
(https://www.canada.ca/en/health -canada/services/food -nutrition/food -safety/food -
additives/lists -permitted.html ). 
Proposed date of p ublication (dd/mm/yy) :  
11. Proposed date of entry into force: [  ] Six months from date of publication , and/or  
(dd/mm/yy) : The food additive modification(s) noted in this document come into force 
the day they are made to the Lists of Permitted Food Additives  
(https://www.canada.ca/en/health -canada/services/food -nutrition/food -safety/food -
additives/lists -permitted.html ). 
[ ] Trade facilitating measure  
12. Final date for comments: [  ] Sixty days from the date of circulation of the 
notification and/or (dd/mm/yy) : 5 November 2017  
Agency or authority designated to handle comments: [  ] National Notification 
Authority, [X]  National  Enquiry Point. Address, fax number and e -mail address (if 
available) of other body:  
13. Text(s) available from: [  ] National Notification Authority, [X]  National Enquiry 
Point. Address, fax number and e -mail address (if available) of other body:   
The "Health Canada's Proposal to Enable the Use of Tara Gum as an Emulsifying, Gelling, 
Stabilizing and Thickening Agent in Unstandardized Foods and Certain Standardized Foods 
– Reference Number: NOP/ADP -0027" is available through the following weblink:  
https://www.canada.ca/en/health -canada/ser vices/food -nutrition/public -involvement -
partnerships/proposal -tara-gum-emulsifying -gelling -stabilizing -thickening -
agent/information -document.html  (English)  
https://www.canada.ca/fr/sante -canada/services/aliments -nutrition/participation -public -
partenariats/proposition -gomme -de-tara-agent -emulsifiant -gelifiant -stabilisant -
epaississant/document -dinformation.html  (French)  
or requested from:  
Canada's SPS and TBT Notification Authority and Enquiry Point  
Technical Barriers and Regulations Division  
Global Affairs Canada  
111 Sussex Drive  
Ottawa, Ontario  
K1A 0G2  
Tel: +(343) 203 4273  
Fax: +(613) 943 0346  
E-mail: enquirypoint@international.gc.ca