. /.   WORLD TRADE  
ORGANIZATION  G/SPS/N/CAN/394 
20 July 2009  
 (09-3542) 
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 number(s) as specified in national schedules 
deposited with the WTO; ICS numbers should be provided in addition, where applicable):  Frozen fish fillets and frozen prepared  fish fillets (ICS Codes 67.120, 67.220) 
4. Regions or countries likely to be affected, to the extent relevant or practicable: 
[ X ] All trading partners, or [   ] Specific regions or countries:    
5. Title of the notified document:  Interim Marketing Authorization regarding the use of 
carrageenan as an emulsifying and stabilizing agent and tocopherols as an antioxidant in 
frozen fish fillets and frozen prepared fish fillets  Language:  English and French  
Number of pages:  2 
6. Description of content:  Health Canada has received a submission to permit the use of 
carrageenan as an emulsifying and stabilizi ng agent in frozen fish fillets and frozen 
prepared fish fillets, at a maximum level of use of 0.01%.  This submission also requested 
the use of tocopherols as an antioxidant in frozen  fish fillets and frozen prepared fish fillets, 
at a maximum level of use of 300 mg/kg.  Ev aluation of the available data supports the 
safety and effectiveness of carrageenan as an emulsifying and stabilizing agent and 
tocopherols as an antioxidant in frozen fish  fillets and frozen prepared fish fillets. 
Therefore, it is the intention of Health Ca nada to recommend that the Regulations be 
amended to permit the use of carrageenan as an emulsifying and stabilizing agent in frozen fish fillets and frozen prepared fish fillets, both at a maximum level of use of 0.01%.  It is 
also the intention of Health Canada to recommend that the Food and Drug Regulations  be 
amended to permit the use of tocopherols as an  antioxidant in frozen fish fillets and frozen 
prepared fish fillets, both at a maximum level of use of 300 mg/kg. 
As a means to improve the responsiveness of the regulatory system, an Interim Marketing 
Authorization is being issued to permit the immediate use of carrageenan and tocopherols, 
as indicated above, while the regulatory pro cess is undertaken to amend the Regulations. 
The proposed regulatory amendments would be  enabling measures to allow the sale of 
additional foods containing carrageenan as an emulsifying and stabilizing agent and 
tocopherols as an antioxidant.  The amendmen ts are supported by the safety assessment and 
would have a low impact on the economy and on the environment.  Consequently, the 
regulatory amendments may proceed directly to final approval and publication in the 
Canada Gazette , Part II. G/SPS/N/CAN/394 
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 N°)     
[ 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, 11 July 2009, Pages 2031-2032 (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, 11 July 2009.  
Propose 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, 11 July 2009. 
[   ] Trade facilitating measure  
12. Final date for comments: [   ] Sixty days from the date of circulation of the 
notification and/or ( dd/mm/yy ):  24 September 2009 
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. 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/ p1/2009/2009-07-11/p df/g1-14328.pdf  (Canada Gazette ) 
or http://www.gazette.gc.ca/rp-pr/p1/2009/2 009-07-11/html/notice-avis-eng.html#d111   
(English) http://www.gazette.gc.ca/rp-pr/p1/2009/ 2009-07-11/html/notice-avis-fra.html#d111
 
(French)