Notice - Notification of WTO Members: Health Canada's Proposal to Add Cyanide in Apricot Kernels to the List of Contaminants and Other Adulterating Substances in Foods.


WTO code G/SPS/N/CAN/1231
Date notice 15/01/2019
Notice type Regular
Title Health Canada's Proposal to Add Cyanide in Apricot Kernels to the List of Contaminants and Other Adulterating Substances in Foods.
Summary

Food  contaminants  and  other  adulterating  substances  are chemicals  that  may  be  present  in  foods  at  levels  that  could  impact  the  overall  safety and/or quality of foods. These substances can either be inadvertently or naturally present in  foods  or  in  some  cases  intentionally  added  for  fraudulent  purposes.  Establishing  a prohibition or a maximum level (ML) are forms of risk management that may be employed to eliminate or reduce exposure to a particular chemical contaminant in foods. Canadian prohibitions and MLs for chemical contaminants in food are set out in Part 1 and Part 2, respectively,  of  the  List  of  Contaminants  and  Other  Adulterating  Substances  in  Foods,which is incorporated by reference into section B.15.001 of Division 15 of the Food and Drug  Regulations  (the  Regulations).  Maximum  levels  are  also  set  out  in  the  List  of Maximum  Levels  for  Various  Chemical  Contaminants  in  Foods,  which  is  maintained  on Health Canada's website. All prohibitions and MLs for contaminants in food are established by Health Canada's Food Directorate based on scientific evidence and in consultation with stakeholders and are enforceable by the Canadian Food Inspection Agency.
New information regarding how raw apricot kernels are being sold in Canada is available. There are also indications that consumers may not be aware of or follow Health Canada's existing  consumption  advisory  for  adults  to  consume  no  more  than  three  bitter  apricot kernels  a  day  and  that  they  should  not  be  consumed  by  children.  This  suggests  that further  risk  management  actions  are  required  to  address  any  potential  health  risks associated  with  acute  cyanide  poisoning  from  the  consumption  of  raw  apricot  kernels, which can lead to serious adverse health effects.
The  purpose  of  this  notice  is  to  seek  feedback  on  three  risk  management  options  to protect Canadians from the risk of cyanide exposure due to the consumption of apricot kernels.

Product Cyanide in apricot kernels (ICS Code: 67.080)
Country Canada

File attach:
NCAN1231.pdf

Orther Notice:


G/SPS/N/JPN/1292/Add.1 - Specifications and Standards for Foods, Food Additives, Etc. under the Food Sanitation Act (Revision of agricultural chemical residue standards, final rule)
G/SPS/N/USA/3519 - Receipt of Pesticide Petitions Filed for Residues of Pesticide Chemicals in or on Various Commodities (February-May 2025).
G/SPS/N/VNM/167/Add.1 - Draft Decree amending Decree No 15/2018/NĐ-CP dated 2 February 2018, of Government
G/SPS/N/BRA/2407/Add.1 - Draft Resolution number 1329, 25 April 2025
G/SPS/N/MDA/30 - Order of the Minister of Agriculture and Food Industry No. 34/2025 on the approval of the list of active substances.
G/SPS/N/MDA/31 - Order of the Minister of Agriculture and Food Industry No. 56/2025 on the approval of the list of unacceptable co-formulants at the European Union level to be included in a plant protection product
G/SPS/N/ARE/297, G/SPS/N/BHR/251 G/SPS/N/KWT/176, G/SPS/N/OMN/146 G/SPS/N/QAT/150, G/SPS/N/SAU/568 G/SPS/N/YEM/91 - General Requirements for Genetically Modified Processed Food and Feed.
G/SPS/N/ARE/298, G/SPS/N/BHR/252, G/SPS/N/KWT/177, G/SPS/N/OMN/147 G/SPS/N/QAT/151, G/SPS/N/SAU/569, G/SPS/N/YEM/92 - General Requirements for Genetically Modified Unprocessed Food and Feed.
G/SPS/N/JPN/1353 - Proposed revision of Ministerial Ordinance on the Specifications and Standards of Feeds and Feed Additives
G/SPS/N/SAU/474/Add.2 - Final draft of Health Certificate for Exporting Feed Products to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia ("Animal origin or containing animal protein" and "Plant origin")
G/SPS/N/CAN/1576/Add.1 - Updated Proposal - Ministerial class exemption order for the exceptional importation and sale of certain foods for a special dietary purpose to mitigate a shortage or risk of a shortage
G/SPS/N/JPN/1277/Add.1 - Specifications and Standards for Foods, Food Additives, Etc. under the Food Sanitation Act (Revision of agricultural chemical residue standards, final rule)
G/SPS/N/JPN/1278/Add.1 - Specifications and Standards for Foods, Food Additives, Etc. under the Food Sanitation Act (Revision of agricultural chemical residue standards, final rule)
G/SPS/N/JPN/1279/Add.1 - Specifications and Standards for Foods, Food Additives, Etc. under the Food Sanitation Act (Revision of agricultural chemical residue standards, final rule)
G/SPS/N/JPN/1280/Add.1 - Specifications and Standards for Foods, Food Additives, Etc. under the Food Sanitation Act (Revision of agricultural chemical residue standards, final rule)
G/SPS/N/JPN/1281/Add.1 - Specifications and Standards for Foods, Food Additives, Etc. under the Food Sanitation Act (Revision of agricultural chemical residue standards, final rule)
G/SPS/N/JPN/1282/Add.1 - Specifications and Standards for Foods, Food Additives, Etc. under the Food Sanitation Act (Revision of agricultural chemical residue standards, final rule)
G/SPS/N/JPN/1283/Add.1 - Specifications and Standards for Foods, Food Additives, Etc. under the Food Sanitation Act (Revision of agricultural chemical residue standards, final rule)
G/SPS/N/JPN/1284/Add.1 - Specifications and Standards for Foods, Food Additives, Etc. under the Food Sanitation Act (Revision of agricultural chemical residue standards, final rule)
G/SPS/N/JPN/1285/Add.1 - Specifications and Standards for Foods, Food Additives, Etc. under the Food Sanitation Act (Revision of agricultural chemical residue standards, final rule)
G/SPS/N/JPN/1286/Add.1 - Specifications and Standards for Foods, Food Additives, Etc. under the Food Sanitation Act (Revision of agricultural chemical residue standards, final rule)
G/SPS/N/JPN/1287/Add.1 - Specifications and Standards for Foods, Food Additives, Etc. under the Food Sanitation Act (Revision of agricultural chemical residue standards, final rule)
G/SPS/N/JPN/1288/Add.1 - Specifications and Standards for Foods, Food Additives, Etc. under the Food Sanitation Act (Revision of agricultural chemical residue standards, final rule)
G/SPS/N/JPN/1289/Add.1 - Specifications and Standards for Foods, Food Additives, Etc. under the Food Sanitation Act (Revision of agricultural chemical residue standards, final rule)
G/SPS/N/JPN/1290/Add.1 - Specifications and Standards for Foods, Food Additives, Etc. under the Food Sanitation Act (Revision of agricultural chemical residue standards, final rule)
G/SPS/N/JPN/1291/Add.1 - Specifications and Standards for Foods, Food Additives, Etc. under the Food Sanitation Act (Revision of agricultural chemical residue standards, final rule)
G/SPS/N/JPN/1293/Add.1 - Specifications and Standards for Foods, Food Additives, Etc. under the Food Sanitation Act (Revision of agricultural chemical residue standards, final rule)
G/SPS/N/JPN/1297/Add.1 - Specifications and Standards for Foods, Food Additives, Etc. under the Food Sanitation Act (Revision of agricultural chemical residue standards, final rule)
G/SPS/N/JPN/1298/Add.1 - Specifications and Standards for Foods, Food Additives, Etc. under the Food Sanitation Act (Revision of agricultural chemical residue standards, final rule)
G/SPS/N/JPN/1299/Add.1 - Specifications and Standards for Foods, Food Additives, Etc. under the Food Sanitation Act (Revision of agricultural chemical residue standards, final rule)
G/SPS/N/JPN/1300/Add.1 - Specifications and Standards for Foods, Food Additives, Etc. under the Food Sanitation Act (Revision of agricultural chemical residue standards, final rule)
G/SPS/N/JPN/1301/Add.1 - Specifications and Standards for Foods, Food Additives, Etc. under the Food Sanitation Act (Revision of agricultural chemical residue standards, final rule)
G/SPS/N/JPN/1302/Add.1 - Specifications and Standards for Foods, Food Additives, Etc. under the Food Sanitation Act (Revision of agricultural chemical residue standards, final rule)
G/SPS/N/JPN/1304/Add.1 - Specifications and Standards for Foods, Food Additives, Etc. under the Food Sanitation Act (Revision of agricultural chemical residue standards, final rule)
G/SPS/N/JPN/1315/Add.1 - Specifications and Standards for Foods, Food Additives, Etc. under the Food Sanitation Act (Revision of agricultural chemical residue standards, final rule)
G/SPS/N/KGZ/37 - Draft Decision of the Council of the Eurasian Economic Commission on Amendments to the Common List of Goods Subject to Veterinary Control (Surveillance).
G/SPS/N/BRA/2418 - Draft Resolution 1337, 18 June 2025. Language(s): Portuguese.
G/SPS/N/PHL/532 - Department of Agriculture Memorandum Circular No._, Series of 2025, Updated Import Terms and Conditions (ITC) for the Entry of Dogs and Cats to the Philippines.
G/SPS/N/JPN/1348 - Paraquat: Amendments to the Enforcement Ordinance of the Standards of Feed and Feed Additives (Amendment of an agricultural chemical residue standard).
G/SPS/N/JPN/1349 - Cyfluthrin: Amendments to the Enforcement Ordinance of the Standards of Feed and Feed Additives (Amendment of an agricultural chemical residue standard).
G/SPS/N/JPN/1350 - Deltamethrin and Tralomethrin: Amendments to the Enforcement Ordinance of the Standards of Feed and Feed Additives (Amendment of an agricultural chemical residue standard).
G/SPS/N/JPN/1351 - Fenitrothion: Amendments to the Enforcement Ordinance of the Standards of Feed and Feed Additives (Amendment of an agricultural chemical residue standard).
G/SPS/N/JPN/1352 - Chlorobenzilate: Amendment to the Enforcement Ordinance of the Standards of Feed and Feed Additives (Amendment of an agricultural chemical residue standard).
G/SPS/N/RUS/323 - Draft Decision of the Collegium of the Eurasian Economic Commission on Amendments to the Regulation on Common veterinary (sanitary and veterinary) requirements for goods subject to veterinary control (surveillance); and Draft Decision of the Collegium of the Eurasian Economic Commission on Amendments to the Forms of the Common Veterinary Certificates for the Importation of Controlled Goods from Third Countries into the Customs Territory of the Eurasian Economic Union.
G/SPS/N/RUS/324 - Draft Decision of the Council of the Eurasian Economic Commission on Amendments to the Common List of Goods Subject to Veterinary Control (Surveillance).
G/SPS/N/CAN/1590/Add.1 - Established Maximum Residue Limit: Pendimethalin
G/SPS/N/CAN/1589/Add.1 - Established Maximum Residue Limit: Ethalfluralin
G/SPS/N/CHN/1282/Add.1 - Measures for the Quarantine Administration of Imported Plant Propagation Materials
G/SPS/N/IDN/156 - Decree of the Head of the Indonesian Quarantine Authority Concerning Kinds of Quarantine Pests and Diseases of Fish, Causative Organisms, Categories, and Carriers.
G/SPS/N/UKR/246 - Draft Order of the Ministry of Health of Ukraine "On Approval of Amendments to Certain Regulatory Acts of the Ministry of Health of Ukraine".