Modification to the List of Permitted Food Enzymes (exo-inulinase)
Notice of Modification – Lists of Permitted Food Additives
Reference number: MFAA-2614
November 10, 2026
Summary
The purpose of this notice is to announce that Health Canada modified the List of Permitted Food Enzymes to authorize the use of exo-inulinase from Trichoderma reesei strain AR-577 as a food enzyme in bread, white flour, whole wheat flour, and unstandardized bakery products at a maximum level of use of "Good Manufacturing Practice" (GMP) Footnote 1, as shown in Table 1.
This modification comes into force on November 10, 2026.
Background
The food additives authorized for use in Canada are set out in the Lists of Permitted Food Additives. These lists are incorporated by reference into Division 16 of the Food and Drug Regulations.
A person, company or organization (referred to as the petitioner) may ask Health Canada to authorize a new food additive use by filing a food additive submission.
Issue
Health Canada received a food additive submission requesting that exo-inulinase from T. reesei AR-577 be authorized for use as a food enzyme at a maximum level of use of GMP in bread, white flour, whole wheat flour, and unstandardized bakery products. These food categories capture the foods of interest to the petitioner (unstandardized flours and the types of unstandardized batters and mixes of interest to the petitioner are types of unstandardized bakery products).
At the time the request was filed, exo-inulinase from T. reesei AR-577 was not authorized for use in any food sold in Canada.
Rationale
Health Canada completed a premarket assessment of exo-inulinase from T. reesei AR-577 for its requested use. The assessment considered potential dietary exposure to exo-inulinase from T. reesei AR-577 and other food safety aspects (allergenicity, chemistry, microbiology, molecular biology, nutrition, and toxicology), as well as technical information pertaining to efficacy.
The outcome of Health Canada's assessment supports authorizing the use of exo-inulinase from T. reesei AR-577, as set out in Table 1.
Consultation
Health Canada published the Proposal to modify the List of Permitted Food Enzymes to authorize the use of exo-inulinase (reference number: P-FAA-25-01) on November 20, 2025, to signify its intent to authorize the use of exo-inulinase from T. reesei AR-577 as a food enzyme in bread, white flour, whole wheat flour, and unstandardized bakery products at a maximum level of GMP. The proposal was subject to a 75-day consultation period.
Health Canada received two comments in response to the proposal, one of which was deemed out of scope. The other comment expressed support for the proposed modifications. Since no new scientific information was submitted during the consultation period, Health Canada's conclusions regarding the evaluation of exo-inulinase from T. reesei AR-577, when used as a food enzyme in the foods and under the conditions specified in this notice, remain unchanged.
Modification to the list
Health Canada has authorized the requested use of exo-inulinase from T. reesei AR-577 by adding the new item E.1 and its corresponding paragraphs (a) and (b) to the List of Permitted Food Enzymes, as shown in Table 1.
| Item | Column 1: Food additive |
Column 2: Source |
Column 3: Food |
Column 4: Purpose of use |
Column 5: Maximum level of use, maximum level of residue and other conditions |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
E.1 |
Exo-inulinase |
Trichoderma reesei AR-577 |
(a) Bread; White flour; Whole wheat flour |
(a) Food Enzyme |
(a) Good Manufacturing Practice |
(b) Unstandardized bakery products |
(b) Food enzyme |
(b) Good Manufacturing Practice |
Other relevant information
Food additive specifications
Food additives authorized for use in Canada must meet the specifications set out in the Table of Food Additive Specifications, if they exist.
Food additives which do not have specifications in this table must meet the specifications, if any, set out in the latest edition of one of the following documents:
Implementation and enforcement
The modification shown in Table 1 comes into force on November 10, 2026, the day of its publication in the List of Permitted Food Enzymes.
You can consult the Notices of Proposal and Notices of Modification web page to stay informed of these modifications. You can also register for Health Canada's Consultation and Stakeholder Information Management System to be automatically notified when these notices are issued.
The Canadian Food Inspection Agency is responsible for the enforcement of the Food and Drugs Act and its associated regulations with respect to foods.
Contact information
If you wish to submit an inquiry or new scientific information about a food additive authorized for use in Canada, please contact Health Canada's Bureau of Chemical Safety.
If your communication is specific to this notice, please write "exo-inulinase (MFAA-2614)" in the subject line of your message.
Bureau of Chemical Safety
Food and Nutrition Directorate
251 Sir Frederick Banting Driveway
Postal locator 2202C
Tunney's Pasture
Ottawa ON K1A 0K9
Email: bcs-bipc@hc-sc.gc.ca
Useful links
Health Canada:
Canadian Food Inspection Agency:
Notes
- Footnote 1
-
When the words "Good Manufacturing Practice" appear in column 5 of the Lists of Permitted Food Additives, it means that the amount of the food additive in, on or added to the food does not exceed the amount required to accomplish the purpose for which it is added.
- Footnote 2
-
The Food Chemicals Codex is published by the United States Pharmacopeial Convention.
- Footnote 3
-
The Combined Compendium of Food Additive Specifications and its associated General Specifications and Considerations for Enzymes Used in Food Processing are prepared by the Joint FAO/WHO Expert Committee on Food Additives (JECFA) and published by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations.