Canada

This communication serves to inform Members that the date of entry into force for G/SPS/N/CAN/1613 will be 16 February 2026.

Health Canada's Food and Nutrition Directorate completed a premarket safety assessment of a food additive submission seeking authorization for the use of silicon dioxide in sugar at a maximum level of use of 2,000 ppm. The purpose of using the silicon dioxide is to increase the dissolution rate of the sugar.The results of the premarket assessment support the safety of silicon dioxide for its requested use. Consequently, Health Canada has authorized the use of silicon dioxide as described in the notified information document by modifying the List of Permitted Food Additives with Other Purposes of Use https://www.canada.ca/en/health-canada/services/food-nutrition/food-safety/food-additives/lists-permitted/8-other-accepted-uses.html), effective 4 February 2026. The purpose of the information is to publicly announce the Department's decision in this regard and to provide the appropriate contact information for those wishing to submit an inquiry or new scientific information relevant to the safety of this food additive.

The Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) has implemented new import requirements for select feed ingredients imported from countries identified as posing a potential concern with respect to African Swine Fever (ASF). The identified products will require an import permit prior to importation from the specified countries and the conditions in the implementing order and the import permit will need to be met. These conditions may include certification of origin, heat treatment and/or hold times (depending on the product in question) designed to mitigate the risk of contamination of these products with the African Swine Fever virus.Canada has amended the list of regions or countries likely to be affected by this measure to add Angola. The updated list is noted below:Regions or countries likely to be affected, to the extent relevant or practicable:[ ]     All trading partners[X]    Specific regions or countries: Albania; Angola; Bangladesh; Benin; Bosnia and Herzegovina; Bulgaria*; Burkina Faso; Burundi; Cabo Verde; Cambodia; Cameroon; Central African Republic; Chad; China; Congo; Côte d'Ivoire; Croatia; Czech Republic*; Dominican Republic; Estonia*; The Gambia; Germany*; Ghana; Greece*; Guinea-Bissau; Haiti; Hong Kong, China; Hungary*; India; Indonesia; Italy*; Kenya; Lao People's Democratic Republic; Latvia*; Lithuania*; Madagascar; Malawi; Malaysia; Mali; Republic of Moldova; Mongolia; Montenegro; Mozambique; Myanmar; Namibia; Nepal; Nigeria; Papua New Guinea; Philippines; Poland*; Republic of Korea; Republic of North Macedonia; Romania*; Russian Federation; Rwanda; Senegal; Serbia; Sierra Leone; Singapore; Slovak Republic*; South Africa; Spain*; Sri Lanka; Sweden*; Chinese Taipei; Tanzania; Thailand; Togo; Ukraine; Viet Nam; Zambia; Zimbabwe* denotes recognition of regionalization.

The objective of the notified document PMRL2026-03 is to consult on the listed maximum residue limits (MRLs) for isocycloseramthat have been proposed by Health Canada’s Pest Management Regulatory Agency (PMRA).MRL (ppm)1 Raw Agricultural Commodity (RAC) and/or Processed Commodity10               Leafy vegetables (crop group 4-13), except head lettuce 4.0              Brassica head and stem vegetable group (crop group 5-13) 2.0              Dried tomatoes 1.5              Dried prune plums 1.0              Stone fruits (crop group 12-09) 0.6              Fruiting vegetables (crop group 8-09) 0.5              Almond oil0.4              Pome fruits (crop group 11-09) 0.2              Tree nuts (crop group 14-11) 0.15            Cucurbit vegetables (crop group 9); dry soybeans 0.01          Tuberous and corm vegetables (crop subgroup 1C); dry lentils, head lettuce, peanuts  1 ppm = parts per millionThe commodities included in the listed crop groups/subgroups can be found on the Residue Chemistry Crop Groups webpage (https://www.canada.ca/en/health-canada/services/consumer-product-safety/pesticides-pest-management/public/protecting-your-health-environment/pesticides-food/residue-chemistry-crop-groups.html) in the Pesticides section of the Canada.ca website.

The objective of the notified document PMRL2026-02 is to consult on the listed maximum residue limits (MRLs) for 1-methylcyclopropene that have been proposed by Health Canada’s Pest Management Regulatory Agency (PMRA).MRL (ppm)1 Raw Agricultural Commodity (RAC) and/or Processed Commodity0.01           Avocados, bell peppers, broccoli, cantaloupes, cucumbers, peaches 1 ppm = parts per million