In 2020, Health Canada extended the use of potassium phosphate, dibasic to the same foods and at the same maximum levels of use as was permitted for sodium phosphate, dibasic. One of the new uses for potassium phosphate, dibasic was in sour cream as was set out for sodium phosphate, dibasic in the List of Permitted Emulsifying, Gelling, Stabilizing or Thickening Agents.

This list also sets out permitted uses for certain other food additives in sour cream. For 14 of the food additives, the list sets out a condition of use in Column 3 that limits the total amount of the food additives permitted in sour cream when they are used in combination. Sodium phosphate, dibasic is excluded from this in-combination condition of use. Potassium phosphate, dibasic should similarly have been excluded when it was authorized for use in sour cream in 2020.

Also, Column 3 of the French version of the List of Permitted Emulsifying, Gelling, Stabilizing or Thickening Agents correctly set outs that carob bean gum and gelatin can each be used singly in sour cream at a maximum level of use of 0.5%. This maximum level of use for these two additives, used singly, was missing from the English version of the list.

This Notice describes the action Health Canada has taken to correct these errors by modifying the List of Permitted Emulsifying, Gelling, Stabilizing or Thickening Agents, effective March 31, 2023.