WORLD TRADE  
ORGANIZATION   
G/SPS/N/CAN/573 
13 December 2011  
 (11-6468) 
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 numbe r(s) as specified in national schedules 
deposited with the WTO;  ICS numbers should be provided in addition, where 
applicable):  Acacia gum (gum arabic) modified with Octenyl Succinic Anhydride (OSA) 
(ICS Codes:  67.040, 67.100, 67.160, 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:  Information Document on Health Canada's Proposal to 
Amend the Food and Drug Regulations  to permit the use of Acacia gum (gum arabic) 
modified with Octenyl Succinic Anhydride (OSA) as an emulsifier  Language(s):  English 
and French  Number of pages:  8 and 9 
6. Description of content:  This document provides informati on on Health Canada's proposal 
to amend the Food and Drug Regulations  ("Regulations") to permit the use of Acacia gum 
(gum arabic) modified with Octenyl Succi nic Anhydride (OSA) as an emulsifier in 
unstandardized beverages (e.g . fruit-flavoured drinks, carbonated beverages), salad 
dressings, sauces, and icing a nd flavouring preparations. 
Health Canada has received a submission requ esting that the Regulations be amended to 
permit the addition of OSA-modified acacia gum as an emulsifier in selected fruit-flavoured drinks at levels of 600 mg/kg (ppm ); selected beverages (e .g. carbonated juice) at 
780 mg/kg (ppm); fruit juices at 1,000 mg/kg (ppm); and in salad dressing, sauces and icing at levels of 10,000 mg/kg (ppm).  Also, the submission indicated that OSA-modified acacia 
gum will be marketed for use as an emulsifier in  flavour systems.  It has been stated that 
acacia gum modified with OSA can stabilize emulsions that unmodified acacia gum cannot. 
Food additives, including those used as emulsi fiers, must undergo pre-market approval in 
Canada.  Permitted food additives are listed in the food additive tables in Division 16 of the 
Regulations.  Table IV lists those food additiv es that may be used as emulsifying, gelling, 
stabilizing and thickening agents.  Table IV do es not currently provide for the use of acacia 
gum modified with OSA although it does permit the use of acacia gum, also called gum 
arabic, in a variety of foods including salad dressing, cream, beer, and unstandardized foods 
at a maximum level of use consistent with Good Manufacturing Practice (GMP).  G/SPS/N/CAN/573 
Page 2  
 
  Health Canada's Food Directorate has completed a safety assessment of acacia gum 
modified with OSA when used as described in this submission and determined that there 
are no health or safety concerns with the use of this additive as an emulsifier in the 
requested food products. 
With respect to technical efficacy, OSA modification makes acacia gum an effective 
emulsifier due to the addition of dual f unctional hydrophilic an d hydrophobic groups. 
However, the possible use of acacia gum modi fied with OSA in mayonnaise (considered 
within the scope of salad dressings) and fruit jui ces in particular was not further considered. 
The use of emulsifiers is not considered accepta ble in either of these foods, both of which 
have standards of identity and composition under the Regulations .  This conclusion is based 
on the results of consultations undertaken dur ing the assessment with the Canadian Food 
Inspection Agency. 
Therefore, based on the outcome of its evalua tion, Health Canada is proposing amendments 
to the Regulations to allow the use of acacia gum modified with OSA as an emulsifier in 
unstandardized beverages, French dressing, salad dressing, dressings, sauces, icings, and 
unstandardized flavouring and flavouring prepar ations, each at a prescribed maximum level 
of use. 
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:  
[X] Codex Alimentarius Commission (e.g.  title or serial number of Codex standard 
or related text) Acacia gum modified with OSA was evaluated by JECFA at its 71st 
meeting (2009).  JECFA elaborated specifications and allocated a temporary ADI "not specified" for OSA modified gum arabic  used in the applications specified and 
in accordance with Good Manufacturing Pr actice.  The ADI was issued pending 
submission of data by the end of 2011 s howing hydrolysis of OSA modified gum 
arabic to confirm the validity of using gum  arabic data in the evaluation of OSA 
modified gum arabic. 
Weblink:  
http://www.fao.org/ag/agn/agns//jecfa/JECFA71_Summary_report_final.pdf   
[ ] World Organization for Animal Health (OIE) (e.g. Terrestrial or Aquatic 
Animal Health Code, chapter number)    
[ ] International Plant Protection Convention (e.g. ISPM number)    
[ ] None Does this proposed regulation conform to the relevant international standard?   
 [X] 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:  Health 
Canada's Food and Nutrition - 'Public Invol vement and Partnershi ps' Website, posted on 
3 November 2011 (available in English and French):  http://www.hc-sc.gc.ca/fn-a n/consult/index-eng.php  (English) 
http://www.hc-sc.gc.ca/fn-an/consult/index-fra.php  (French)    G/SPS/N/CAN/573 
 Page 3 
 
 
  10. Proposed date of adoption (dd/mm/yy) :  Normally within four to five months from the 
posting of the Information Document  on the Health Canada website. 
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) :  The Regulations come into force on the day on which they are adopted in the 
Canada Gazette , Part II. 
[ ] Trade facilitating measure   
12. Final date for comments:  [ ] Sixty days from the date of circulation of the notification 
and/or (dd/mm/yy) :  16 January 2012 
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 "Information Document on Health Canada's Proposal to Amend 
the Food and Drug Regulations  to permit the use of Acacia gum (gum arabic) modified 
with Octenyl Succinic Anhydride (OSA) as an emulsifier" can be downloaded at:  
"http://www.hc-sc.gc.ca/fn-an/consult/acacia-gum-gomme/consult-acacia-gum-gomme-
eng.php "  (English)  
"http://www.hc-sc.gc.ca/fn-an/consult/acacia-gum-gomme/consult-acacia-gum-gomme-
fra.php "  (French)