Canadian Health Department Urgently Removes Brominated Vegetable Oil on August 30, Food Additive List Undergoes Overhaul, Who Will Protect Your Health?

On August 30, 2024, Health Canada issued an official document, M-FAA-24-08, updating the list of approved food additives. In this update, brominated vegetable oil was removed. This change takes effect immediately from the date of announcement.

On the same day, Health Canada published the Approved List of Food Additives (Other Approved Uses), which provides a detailed list of approved food additives that are widely used in the food industry to improve food safety and quality. The list contains a variety of food additives, such as gum Arabic, acetic acid and caffeine, which are permitted to be used in certain foods to improve taste, stability and shelf life.

The specific use of each food additive is clearly marked in the list, for example, gum Arabic is used as a clarifying agent for beer and wine, while caffeine is used to flavor beverages to enhance flavor. At the same time, the list also specifies the maximum amount of each additive and other conditions of use to ensure its safety in food.

All food additives must be used in strict compliance with Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP) to ensure food safety and quality. In addition, the Ministry of Health has issued transition guidance to help stakeholders better understand and apply this new list of approved food additives.

The update of the list of food additives not only provides clear guidance for the food industry, but also provides a more solid food safety guarantee for consumers. Canada will continue to improve food safety standards and is committed to protecting the health and safety of the public.