Background

Health Canada's Food Directorate completed a detailed safety assessment of a food additive submission seeking approval for the use of potassium phosphate, dibasic in the manufacture of infant cereal products and sodium potassium hexametaphosphate in liquid whey destined for the manufacture of concentrated or dried whey products to be used in infant formula.

Potassium phosphate, dibasic is already permitted for use in Canada as a sequestering agent in some meat products. Sodium potassium hexametaphosphate is already permitted for use in Canada as a sequestering agent in liquid whey destined in the manufacture of concentrated or dried whey products. However, the use of both potassium phosphate, dibasic, in infant cereal products and sodium potassium hexametaphosphate in liquid whey destined for the manufacture of concentrated or dried whey products to be used in infant formula could not be enabled until an amendment of the Marketing Authorization for Food Additives That May Be Used as Sequestering Agents (Marketing Authorization), was made to exempt these food additives from the application of section B.25.062 of the Food and Drug Regulations.

As no safety concerns were raised through Health Canada's assessment of potassium phosphate, dibasic, and sodium potassium hexametaphosphate, the Department has enabled the use of these food additives described in the information document below by updating the List of Permitted Sequestering Agents, effective August, 07, 2019.

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.

Information document

To obtain an electronic copy of Health Canada's Notice of Modification to the List of Permitted Sequestering Agents to Enable the Use of Potassium Phosphate, dibasic in Infant Cereal Products and the Use of Sodium Potassium Hexametaphosphate in Whey Products for Use in Infant Formula - Reference Number: NOM/ADM-0137, please contact our publications office or send an e-mail to hc.publications-publications.sc@canada.ca with the subject heading "hpfb BCS nom-adm-0137-eng".

Contact Information

Health Canada's Food Directorate is committed to reviewing any new scientific information on the safety in use of any food additive, including potassium phosphate, dibasic, and sodium potassium hexametaphosphate. 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. If you wish to contact the Food Directorate electronically, please use the words "Potassium phosphate, dibasic, and Sodium potassium hexametaphosphate (NOM-0137)" 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 0L2
E-mail: hc.bcs-bipc.sc@canada.ca

Supporting Information