News & Insights

On August 23, Health Canada published Notice of Modification to the List of Permitted Sweeteners to Enable the Use of Steviol Glycosides as a Sweetener in Nutritional Supplement Bars.

The International Food Additive Database, which includes Canada's food additive regulations, has already been updated to reflect these changes. If you are interested in subscribing, please contact BCI.

On January 21, Health Canada published "Notice of Modification to the List of Permitted Sweeteners to Enable the Use of Saccharin and its Calcium, Potassium and Sodium Salts as Sweeteners in Preoperative Beverages".  The full amendment may be requested from Health Canada's publications office.

Canada's food additive regulations are included in the International Food Additive Database.  If you are interested in subscribing, please contact BCI for more information.

On June 29, Food Standards Australia New Zealand (FSANZ) published a call for submissions on whether to permit rebaudioside M (Reb M), a steviol glycoside, as a new intense sweetener.

Comments are due August 10, 2015.  FSANZ food additive regulations are included in the International Food Additive Database.

On December 9, 2014, Kuwait notified the WTO of a draft GCC Standardization Organization (GSO) technical regulation for “Sweeteners Permitted for Use in Food Products.”  The final date for comments is February 7, 2015.

Kuwait and other GCC nations are currently not included in the International Food Additive Database, but they are being considered for future inclusion.

The U.S. FDA has rejected two citizen petitions pushing for a ban on the use of aspartame as a food additive.  The FDA concluded that neither offered credible scientific data to bring about a change in policy over this artificial sweetener.    FDA letters responding to these citizen petitions are found here and here.   More information may be found in this news article by Food Navigator.

The United States is not currently included in the International Food Additive Database. 

On October 27, 2014, the European Union notified the WTO of its recent food additive amendment regarding the use of various sweeteners in fruit or vegetable spreads.

This amendment will take effect on November 6.  Relevant regulatory changes will be entered into the International Food Additive Database  at that time.

On October 17, 2014, the European Commission published Commission Regulation (EU) No. 1092/2014, which amends Annex II to Regulation (EC) 1333/2008 regarding the use of sweeteners in certain fruit or vegetable spreads.

This amendment will enter into effect on November 6, 2014, and regulatory changes will be entered into the International Food Additive Database at that time. 

On September 26, 2014, Food Standards Australia New Zealand (FSANZ) published Notification Circular 19-14, which includes a new application to raise the maximum use level for acesulfame potassium in chewing gum.

Relevant regulatory changes will be entered into the International Food Additive Database when the amendment is established and in effect.

Three recent E.U. food additive amendments have entered into force.  Commission Regulation (EC) No. 497/2014, authorizing advantame for use as a sweetener, took effect on June 4.  Commission Regulation (EC) No. 505/2014, on the use of caramel colors in beer and malt beverages, and Commission Regulation (EC) No. 506/2014, authorizing ethyl lauroyl arginate as a preservative in certain meat products, took effect on June 5. 

Regulatory changes from these amendments have been entered into the International Food Additive Database.

On June 4, 2014, the U.S. FDA notified the WTO of its recent food additive amendment authorizing advantame for use as a non-nutritive sweetener and flavor enhancer in various foods.  This notice was published in the Federal Register on May 21, 2014.

The United States is not currently included in the International Food Additive Database.