. /.   WORLD TRADE  
ORGANIZATION  G/SPS/N/CAN/483 
1 November 2010  
 (10-5781) 
Committee on Sanitary a nd 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 numbe r(s) as specified in national schedules 
deposited with the WTO;  ICS numbers should be provided in addition, where 
applicable):  Unstandardized bakery products, f illings, icings and unstandardized 
confectionery  (ICS Codes:  67.060, 67.100, 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:  Interim Marketing Authorization regarding the use of 
sodium stearate, as an emulsifying agent, in the production of various unstandardized 
bakery products, fillings, icings and unstandardized confectionery  Language:  English and 
French  Number of pages:  2   
6. Description of content:  Health Canada has received a submission to permit the use of 
sodium stearate, as an emulsifying agent, in the production of various unstandardized 
bakery products, fillings, icings and unstandard ized confectionery.  Evaluation of available 
data supports the safety and effectiveness of sodi um stearate, as an emulsifying agent, in 
the production of these food products at a maxi mum level of use consistent with good 
manufacturing practice. 
Therefore, it is the intention of Health Canada to recommend that the Food and Drug 
Regulations be amended to permit the use of s odium stearate, as an emulsifying agent, in 
the production of unstandardized bakery pr oducts, fillings, icings , and unstandardized 
confectionery at a maximum level of use c onsistent with good manufacturing practice. 
As a means to improve the responsiveness of th e regulatory system, an Interim Marketing 
Authorization (IMA) is being issued to permit the immediate use of sodium stearate, as indicated above, while the regulatory process is undertaken to amend the Regulations.  
The proposed regulatory amendments would be enabling measures to allow the sale of 
additional foods containing sodi um stearate as an emulsifying agent.  The amendments are 
supported by the safety assessment and would ha ve low impact on the economy and on the 
environment. Consequently, the regulatory am endments may proceed directly to final 
approval and publication in Canada Gazette , Part II.  G/SPS/N/CAN/483 
Page 2  
 
  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 international stan dard?  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 
 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:  Canada 
Gazette , Part I, 16 October 2010, Pages 2664-266 5 (available in English and French) 
10. Proposed date of adoption (dd/mm/yy) :  Immediate for this IMA.  For the final regulation, 
normally within 12-18 months of publication of the Notice of Interim Marketing Authorization in the Canada Gazette , Part I, 16 October 2010. 
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) :  Immediate for this IMA.  For the fi nal regulation, normally within 12-18 
months of publication of the Notice of Interim Marketing Authorization in the Canada 
Gazette , Part I, 16 October 2010. 
[ ] Trade facilitating measure   
12. Final date for comments:  [ ] Sixty days from the date of circulation of the notification 
and/or (dd/mm/yy) :  30 December 2010 
Agency or authority designated to handl e comments:  [ ] National Notification 
Authority, [X] National Enquiry Point.  Address, fax number and e-mail address (if 
available) of other body:    
13. Texts available from:  [ ] National Notification  Authority, [X] National Enquiry Point.  
Address, fax number and e-mail address (if available) of other body:    
The electronic version of the regulatory text can be downloaded at:   
http://www.gazette.gc.ca/rp-pr/ p1/2010/2010-10-16/p df/g1-14442.pdf  (Canada Gazette ) 
or http://www.gazette.gc.ca/rp-pr/p1/2010/ 2010-10-16/html/notice-avis-eng.html#d103
 
(English) 
http://canadagazette.gc.ca/ rp-pr/p1/2010/2010-10-16/html/notice-avis-fra.html#d103  
(French)