Notifications for Canada (1150 notifications)

The proposal notified in G/SPS/N/CAN/950 (dated 1 September 2015) has been adopted with minor amendments and enter into force on 3 March 2016. Cut flowers originating from South Africa will now require a phytosanitary certificate. Please note that third countries wishing to re-export fresh cut flowers from South Africa will also be required to issue a Phytosanitary Certificate for this material. This is the only new regulatory requirement in D-14-03.

Health Canada's Food Directorate completed a detailed safety assessment of a food additive submission seeking approval for the use quillaia extract (Type 2) as an emulsifying agent for oil-based colouring formulations and unstandardized oil-based ingredients when used in certain foods. Quillaia extract (type unspecified) is already permitted for use in Canada. The List of Permitted Food Additives with Other Generally Accepted Uses includes a provision for its use as a foaming agent in beverage bases, beverage mixes and soft drinks at a level of use consistent with good manufacturing practice (GMP). There is also a separate provision for the use of saponins in these same foods for the same purpose and at the same level of use. The results of Health Canada's evaluation of available scientific data support the safety and efficacy of quillaia extract (Type 2) when used as requested by the petitioner. Therefore, Health Canada has modified the List of Permitted Emulsifying, Gelling, Stabilizing or Thickening Agents (http://hc-sc.gc.ca/fn-an/securit/addit/list/4-emulsif-eng.php), effective 4 March 2016. The purpose of this communication is to publically announce the Department's decision in this regard and to provide the appropriate contact information for any inquiries or for those wishing to submit any new scientific information relevant to the safety of this food additive.

Health Canada's Food Directorate completed a detailed safety assessment of a food additive submission seeking approval for the use of sodium hydrogen malate in an unstandardized flavouring preparation to be used in chewing gum, dry beverage mixes, unstandardized confectionery and gelatin dessert powders. As no safety concerns were raised through this assessment, it is the intention of Health Canada to enable this food additive, as described in the information document. The purpose of this communication is to publically announce the Department's intention in this regard and to provide the appropriate contact information for any inquiries or for those wishing to submit any new scientific information relevant to the safety of this food additive. Health Canada's Food Directorate is committed to reviewing any new scientific information on the safety in use of any food additive, including sodium hydrogen malate. Anyone wishing to submit new scientific information on the use of this food additive or to submit any inquiries may do so in writing, by regular mail or electronically. If you wish to contact the Food Directorate electronically, please use the words "sodium hydrogen malate" in the subject line of your e-mail. Health Canada is able to consider information received by 27 May 2016, 75 days from the date of this posting.

The proposed maximum residue limit (PMRL) document for S-metolachlor notified in G/SPS/N/CAN/986 (dated 14 December 2015) was adopted 8 March 2016. The proposed MRLs were established via entry into the Maximum Residue Limits Database and are provided directly below: MRL (ppm) Raw Agricultural Commodity (RAC) and/or Processed Commodity 0.5 Cucurbit vegetables (Crop Group 9)1 ppm = parts per million 1 The MRL of 0.5 ppm replaces the currently established MRLs of 0.13 ppm for cucumbers and 0.10 ppm for melons (CSG9A), pumpkins, and winter squash. MRLs are established for each commodity included in the listed crop groupings in accordance with the Residue Chemistry Crop Groups webpage (http://www.hc-sc.gc.ca/cps-spc/pest/part/protect-proteger/food-nourriture/rccg-gcpcr-eng.php) in the Pesticides and Pest Management section of Health Canada's website. MRLs established in Canada may be found using Health Canada's Maximum Residue Limit Database (http://pr-rp.hc-sc.gc.ca/mrl-lrm/index-eng.php) on the Maximum Residue Limits for Pesticides webpage (http://www.hc-sc.gc.ca/cps-spc/pest/part/protect-proteger/food-nourriture/mrl-lmr-eng.php). The database allows users to search for pesticides(s) or for food commodity(ies).

The proposed maximum residue limit (PMRL) document for quizalofop-ethyl notified in G/SPS/N/CAN/985 (dated 14 December 2015) was adopted 8 March 2016. The proposed MRLs were established via entry into the Maximum Residue Limits Database and are provided directly below: MRL (ppm) Raw Agricultural Commodity (RAC) and/or Processed Commodity 0.02 Field corn 0.06 Cucurbit Vegetables (Crop Group 9) ppm = parts per million MRLs are established for each commodity included in the listed crop groupings in accordance with the Residue Chemistry Crop Groups webpage (http://www.hc-sc.gc.ca/cps-spc/pest/part/protect-proteger/food-nourriture/rccg-gcpcr-eng.php) in the Pesticides and Pest Management section of Health Canada's website. MRLs established in Canada may be found using Health Canada's Maximum Residue Limit Database (http://pr-rp.hc-sc.gc.ca/mrl-lrm/index-eng.php) on the Maximum Residue Limits for Pesticides webpage (http://www.hc-sc.gc.ca/cps-spc/pest/part/protect-proteger/food-nourriture/mrl-lmr-eng.php). The database allows users to search for pesticides(s) or for food commodity(ies).

The proposed maximum residue limit (PMRL) document for prohexadione calcium notified in G/SPS/N/CAN/987 (dated 14 December 2015) was adopted 6 March 2016. The proposed MRLs were established via entry into the Maximum Residue Limits Database and are provided directly below: MRL (ppm) Raw Agricultural Commodity (RAC) and/or Processed Commodity 0.4 Crop Subgroup 12-09A (Cherries) ppm = parts per million MRLs are established for each commodity included in the listed crop groupings in accordance with the Residue Chemistry Crop Groups webpage (http://www.hc-sc.gc.ca/cps-spc/pest/part/protect-proteger/food-nourriture/rccg-gcpcr-eng.php) in the Pesticides and Pest Management section of Health Canada's website. MRLs established in Canada may be found using Health Canada's Maximum Residue Limit Database (http://pr-rp.hc-sc.gc.ca/mrl-lrm/index-eng.php) on the Maximum Residue Limits for Pesticides webpage (http://www.hc-sc.gc.ca/cps-spc/pest/part/protect-proteger/food-nourriture/mrl-lmr-eng.php). The database allows users to search for pesticides(s) or for food commodity(ies).

The objective of the notified document PMRL2016-04 is to consult on the listed domestic maximum residue limits (MRLs) for Buprofezin that have been proposed by the Health Canada's Pest Management Regulatory Agency (PMRA). MRL (ppm) Raw Agricultural Commodity (RAC) and/or Processed Commodity 80 Citrus oil 60 Leafy Brassica greens subgroup (Crop Subgroup 5B) 35 Leafy Vegetables except Brassica vegetables (Crop Group 4) 30 Tea (dried leaves) 12 Head and Stem Brassica vegetables subgroup (Crop Subgroup 5A) 9.0 Peach subgroup (Crop Subgroup 12-09B) 6.0 Pears, Asian pears 5.0 Olives 4.0 Orange subgroup (Crop Subgroup 10A) 3.0 Low growing berry subgroup (Crop Subgroup 13-07G), apples, crabapples, loquats, mayhaws, quinces 2.0 Fruiting Vegetables (Crop Group 8-09), Cherry subgroup (Crop Subgroup 12-09A), Plum subgroup (Crop Subgroup 12-09C), raisins 1.0 Grapes 0.9 Papayas, star apples, black sapotes, mangos, sapodillas, canistels, mamey sapotes 0.7 Cucurbit Vegetables (Crop Group 9) 0.35 Green coffee beans, undelinted cotton seeds 0.3 Lychees, avocados, bananas, sugar apples, cherimoyas, atemoyas, custard apples, ilamas, soursops, biribas, longans, Spanish limes, rambutans, pulasans, guavas, feijoas, jaboticabas, wax jambus, starfruits, passionfruits, acerolas 0.05 Tree Nuts (Crop Group 14-11) 0.02 Edible-podded snap beans ppm = parts per million MRLs are proposed for each commodity included in the listed crop groupings in accordance with the Residue Chemistry Crop Groups webpage (http://www.hc-sc.gc.ca/cps-spc/pest/part/protect-proteger/food-nourriture/rccg-gcpcr-eng.php) in the Pesticides and Pest Management section of Health Canada's website.

Health Canada's Food Directorate completed a detailed safety assessment of a food additive submission seeking approval for the use of protease from Bacillus licheniformis S10-34zEK4 in the manufacture of hydrolyzed animal, milk and vegetable protein. Protease from B. licheniformis (Cx) is already permitted for use in the manufacture of hydrolyzed animal, milk and vegetable protein. However, B. licheniformis S10-34zEK4, which is a strain of B. licheniformis that was developed to be a high yielding protease production strain, has not yet been approved as a permitted source of any food enzyme. The results of Health Canada's evaluation of available scientific data support the safety and efficacy of protease obtained from B. licheniformis S10-34zEK4 when used as requested by the petitioner. Therefore, Health Canada has modified the List of Permitted Food Enzymes (http://www.hc-sc.gc.ca/fn-an/securit/addit/list/9-sweetener-edulcorant-eng.php), effective 26 February 2016. The purpose of this communication is to publically announce the Department's decision in this regard and to provide the appropriate contact information for any inquiries or for those wishing to submit any new scientific information relevant to the safety of this food additive. Health Canada's Food Directorate is committed to reviewing any new scientific information on the safety in use of any food additive, including protease. Anyone wishing to submit new scientific information on the use of this food additive or to submit any inquiries may do so in writing, by regular mail or electronically.

Health Canada's Food Directorate completed a detailed safety assessment of a food additive submission seeking approval for the use of erythritol as a sweetener in non-alcoholic carbonated water-based fruit-flavoured sweetened beverages other than cola type beverages. Erythritol is already permitted for use in Canada as a table-top sweetener and as a sweetener in a number of other foods including dietetic beverages, fruit-based smoothie beverages, unstandardized dairy-based beverages, and unstandardized alcoholic beverages. As no safety concerns were raised through Health Canada' assessment the Department has enabled the food additive use of erythritol as a sweetener in non-alcoholic carbonated water-based fruit-flavoured sweetened beverages other than cola type beverages, as described in the information document below by updating the List of Permitted Sweeteners (http://www.hc-sc.gc.ca/fn-an/securit/addit/list/9-sweetener-edulcorant-eng.php), effective 25 February 2016. The purpose of this communication is to publically announce the Department's decision in this regard and to provide the appropriate contact information for any inquiries or for those wishing to submit any new scientific information relevant to the safety of this food additive. Health Canada's Food Directorate is committed to reviewing any new scientific information on the safety in use of any food additive, including erythritol. Anyone wishing to submit new scientific information on the use of this additive or to submit any inquiries may do so in writing, by regular mail or electronically.

The proposed maximum residue limit (PMRL) document for phorate notified in G/SPS/N/CAN/972 (dated 3 November 2015) was adopted 1 March 2016. The proposed MRLs were established via entry into the Maximum Residue Limits Database and are provided directly below: MRL (ppm) Raw Agricultural Commodity (RAC) and/or Processed Commodity 0.6 Potato flakes, potato granules 0.2 Potatoes 0.024 All food crops (other than those listed in this item) ppm = parts per million MRLs established in Canada may be found using Health Canada's Maximum Residue Limit Database (http://pr-rp.hc-sc.gc.ca/mrl-lrm/index-eng.php) on the Maximum Residue Limits for Pesticides webpage (http://www.hc-sc.gc.ca/cps-spc/pest/part/protect-proteger/food-nourriture/mrl-lmr-eng.php). The database allows users to search for pesticides(s) or for food commodity(ies).