Notice of Modification to the List of 
Permitted Emulsifying, Gelling, Stabilizing 
or Thickening Agents  to Correct 
Conditions of Use for Food Additives in  
Sour Cream  
 
Notice of Modification  – Lists of Permitted Food 
Additives  
Reference Number: NO M/ADM-0198 
March  31, 202 3 
 Notice of Modification to the List of Permitted Emulsifying, Gelling, Stabilizing or Thickening Agents  to Correct Conditions of Use for 
Food Additives in Sour Cream | 2 
 Summary  
Food additives are regulated in Canada under Marketing Authorizations  (MAs) issued by th e Minister of 
Health and the Food and Drug Regulations  (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 and published on the Canada.ca website.  
In 2020, Health Canada extended the use of potassium phosphate , dibasic1 to the same foods  and at the 
same maximum levels of use as was permitted for sodium phosphate , dibasic . One of the new uses for 
potassium phosphate , dibasic was in sour cream as was set out for sodium phosphate , dibasic in the List of 
Permitted Emulsifying, Gelling, Stabilizing or Thickening Agents . 
This list also sets o ut permitted uses for certain other food additives in sour cream. For 14 of the food 
additives, the list sets out a condition of use in Column 3 that limits the total amount of the se food additives 
permitted in sour cream when used in combination . 
The condition of use is: “If used in combination with other food additives permitted by this list in sour cream 
except monoglycerides, mono - and diglycerides, and sodium phosphate , dibasic, the total amount not to 
exceed 0.5%”.  
This in-combina tion condition of use excludes monoglycerides, mono - and diglycerides, and sodium 
phosphate , dibasic. When the use of potassium phosphate , dibasic was extended to sour cream in 2020, the 
condition of use should have been modified to exclude potassium ph osphate , dibasic the same as sodium 
phosphate , dibasic . 
Health Canada has corre cted this error by modifying th e in-combination condition of use in each of the 14 
instance s where it is set out in the List of Permitted E mulsifyi ng, Gelling, Stabilizing or Thickening Agents . 
Potassium phosphate , dibasic is now excluded from the condition of use.  
Also, Column 3 of the French version of the  List of Permitted Emulsifying, Gelling, Stabilizing or Thickening 
Agents  correctly set outs that carob bean gum and gelatin can each be used singly  in sour cream at a 
maximum level of 0.5%. This maximum level of use  for these two additives, used singly,  was missing from the 
English version of the l ist and has now been added .  
Modification to the List of Permitted Emulsifying, Gelling, Stabilizing or Thickening 
Agents  
Health Canada has corrected the in -combination condition of use by adding “potassium phosphate , dibasic” 
to the condition of use in the 14 instances where it is set out in the List of Permitted Emulsifying, Gelling, 
Stabili zing or Thickening Agents . The entr y in the table below for algin is an example of this modification . The 
second entry in the table  shows this modification and the maximum level of 0.5% for carob bean gum , when 
used singly,  that was added to Column 3 . The maximum level of use was similarly added to the Column 3 
entry for gelatin  in subitem G.1(4).  
The other 12 instances where “potassium phosphate , dibasic” was added to the in -combination condition of 
use are for Ammonium Carrageenan (subitem A.8(10) ); Calcium Carrageenan  (subitem C.3(10) ); Carob Bean 
 
1 See Health Canada’s Notice of Modification to the Lists of Permitted Fo od Additives to Extend the Use of 
Potassium Phosphate, dibasic, to the Same Foods and Levels of Use as Currently Permitted for Sodium Phosphate, 
dibasic –Reference Number: NOM/ADM -0145 [2020 -04-08]  Notice of Modification to the List of Permitted Emulsifying, Gelling, Stabilizing or Thickening Agents  to Correct Conditions of Use for 
Food Additives in Sour Cream | 3 
 Gum (subitem C.14(7)); Carrageenan (subitem  C.15(10) ); Gelatin (subitem G.1(4)); Guar Gum (subitem 
G.3(7) ); Pectin (subitem  P.1(4) ); Potassium Carrageenan (subitem P.7(10) ); Propylene Glycol Alginate  
(subit em P.12(6) ); Sodium Carrageenan (subitem S.4(10) ); Tamarind Gum (subitem  T.2A(7) ); Tara Gum 
(subitem  T.2B(7) ); and Xanthan Gum (subitem  X.1(10) ). 
The same change to exclude potassium phosphate , dibasic from this in -combination condition of use has 
been mad e to the French version of the l ist (Liste  des agents émulsifiants, gélifiants, stabilisants ou 
épaississants autorisés ). 
 
Item 
No. Column 1  
Additive  Column 2  
Permitted in or Upon  Column 3  
Maximum Level of Use and Other Conditions  
A.5 Algin  (7) 
Sour cream  (7) 
If used singly, the amount not to exceed 5,000  ppm. If 
used in any combination with other emulsifying, 
gelling, stabilizing or thickening agents, the total 
combined amount not to exceed 5,000  ppm. This total 
combined amount does not include any o f 
monoglycerides, mono - and diglycerides, potassium 
phosphate, dibasic or sodium phosphate, dibasic that 
may be added up to their respective maximum levels 
of use set out in this list.  
… … … … 
C.14  Carob Bean 
Gum  (7) 
Sour Cream  (7) 
If used singly, the amount not to exceed 5,000  ppm. If 
used in any combination with other emulsifying, 
gelling, stabilizing or thickening agents, the total 
combined amount not to exceed 5,000  ppm. This total 
combined amount does not include any of 
monoglycerides, mono - and di glycerides, potassium 
phosphate, dibasic or sodium phosphate, dibasic that 
may be added up to their respective maximum levels 
of use set out in this list.  
… … … … 
Rationale  
The modifications to exclude potassium phosphate , dibasic from the 14 instances o f the in-combinatio n 
condition of use correct the l ist to be consistent with  the intent to enable the use of potassium phosphate , 
dibasic under the same conditions of use as had been permitted for sodium phosphate , dibasic.  
The modifications to add the maximum level of use for carob bean gum and gelatin, when each additive is 
used singly in sour cream, corrects the English version of the list to match what is permitted accordin g to the 
French version of the l ist. Notice of Modification to the List of Permitted Emulsifying, Gelling, Stabilizing or Thickening Agents  to Correct Conditions of Use for 
Food Additives in Sour Cream | 4 
 Other Relevant Information  
This is a Notice about corrective modifications related to already -permitted uses of certain food additives in 
sour cream.  
Implementation and Enforcement  
The above modification came into force March  31, 2023, the day it was published i n 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 commi tted to reviewing new scientific information on the safety in use of 
any permitted  food additive. Anyone wishing to submit an inquiry or new scientific informatio n on the use of 
a permitted food additive  may do so in writing, by regular mail or electronica lly. If you wish to contact the 
Food Directorate electr onically, please use the words “ corrective modification to List  4 (NOM -0198)” 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 0K9  
E-mail: bcs-bipc@hc -sc.gc.ca