Modification to the List of Permitted Food Enzymes (glucoamylase)

Notice of Modification – Lists of Permitted Food Additives
Reference number: MFAA-2615
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 glucoamylase from Aspergillus niger strain C6061-188-20 as a food enzyme in various foods 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 glucoamylase from A. niger C6061-188-20 be authorized for use as a food enzyme at a maximum level of use of GMP in the following foods:

• bread, flour, whole wheat flour, unstandardized bakery products,
• breakfast cereals, pre-cooked (instant) breakfast cereal, infant cereal products,
• plant-based products including plant-based beverages, plant-based "ice cream", plant-based "yogurt" and carbohydrate-containing bases,
• starch used in the production of dextrin, dextrose, glucose (syrup), glucose solids or maltose and maltose syrup.

At the time the request was filed, glucoamylase from other sources (including A. niger and certain strains of A. niger) was already permitted for use in some of the foods requested by the petitioner. Plant-based products were the only requested food category not permitted to be made with glucoamylase. Also, the strain C6061-188-20 of A. niger was not an authorized source for any food enzyme in Canada.

Rationale

Health Canada completed a premarket assessment of glucoamylase from A. niger C6061-188-20 for its requested use. The assessment considered potential dietary exposure to glucoamylase from A. niger C6061-188-20 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 glucoamylase from A. niger C6061-188-20, as set out in Table 1.

Modification to the list

Health Canada has authorized the requested use of glucoamylase from A. niger C6061-188-20 by adding the new subitem G.3(8) and its corresponding paragraphs (a) to (i) to the List of Permitted Food Enzymes, as shown in Table 1.

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:

• Food Chemicals Codex ^{Footnote 2}
• Combined Compendium of Food Additive Specifications ^{Footnote 3}

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 "glucoamylase (MFAA-2615)" 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:

• Food Additives: Overview

Canadian Food Inspection Agency:

• Permitted synonyms for food additives