List of Contaminants and Other Adulterating Substances in Foods

The List of Contaminants and Other Adulterating Substances in Foods is a two-part list setting out the conditions under which certain foods are adulterated. Part 1 of the List sets out prohibitions for certain substances listed in column 1, which stipulate that no amount is considered acceptable in the corresponding food(s) listed in column 2. Part 2 of the List comprises Maximum Levels (MLs) for various substances in certain foods. A food listed in column 2 of Part 2 is adulterated if the corresponding substance identified in column 1 is present in or on the food in an amount that exceeds the ML set out in column 3. The MLs in column 3 of Part 2 of the List apply only to the food(s) as described in column 2 of Part 2. If any food described in column 2, Part 2 of the List is also sold in a dried, concentrated or diluted form, but MLs have not been established for these alternative forms of the food listed in column 2, then any findings of elevated contaminant concentrations in these alternative forms will be assessed on a case-by-case basis.

This List is incorporated by reference into Division 15 of the Food and Drug Regulations. Additional MLs for other contaminants in foods are available in the List of Maximum Levels for Various Chemical Contaminants in Foods.

To help ensure that Canadians are not exposed to levels of chemical contaminants in their diet that may pose a health concern, as new scientific information becomes available, Part 1 and/or Part 2 of the List shown below may be modified by Health Canada's Bureau of Chemical Safety, Food and Nutrition Directorate. Changes to the List are made following consultation with other federal government partners, as applicable, such as the Canadian Food Inspection Agency, and with relevant stakeholders and the public. Notification of any proposed changes to the List will be provided via a Notice of Proposal (NOP) and parallel World Trade Organization (WTO) notification. Changes to the List are announced via a Notice of Modification accompanied by a WTO notification.

This List is the most current version and was published on December 18, 2024

List of Contaminants and Other Adulterating Substances in Foods

Part 1
Item Column 1
Substance
Column 2
Food
Notes
C.1 Chlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins, except 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin All foods n/a
C.2 Cinnamyl anthranilate All foods n/a
C.3 Coumarin, an extract of tonka beans, the seed of Dipteryx odorata Willd. or Dipteryx oppositifolia Willd. All foods n/a
D.1 Dihydrosafrole All foods n/a
E.1 Ethylene thiourea All foods, except those foods set out in column 2 of item E.1 of Part 2 of this list. n/a
F.1 Fatty acids and their salts containing chick-edema factor or other toxic factors All foods n/a
I.1 Isosafrole All foods n/a
M.1 Mineral oil All foods, except those foods set out in column 2 of item M.1 of Part 2 of this list. n/a
O.1 Oil of American sassafras from Sassafras albidum (Nutt). Nees All foods n/a
O.2 Oil of Brazilian sassafras from Ocotea cymbarum H.B.K. All foods n/a
O.3 Oil of camphor sassafrassy from Cinnamomum camphorum Sieb. All foods n/a
O.4 Oil of micranthum from Cinnamomum micranthum Hayata All foods n/a
O.5 Oil, extract or root of calamus from Acorus calamus L. All foods n/a
P.1 Paraffin wax All foods, except chewing gum with a paraffin wax base n/a
P.2 Partially hydrogenated oils (PHOs), a fat or oil that is hydrogenated and has an iodine value of greater than 4 All foods NOM/ADM-C-2022-1
NOM/ADM-C-2017-3
P.3 Petrolatum All foods n/a
S.1 Safrole All foods n/a
T.1 2,3,7,8-Tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin All foods, except those foods set out in column 2 of item T.1 of Part 2 of this list. n/a
Part 2
Item Column 1
Substance
Column 2
FoodFootnote 1
Column 3
Maximum levelFootnote 2
Notes
A.1 Aflatoxin Nut; Nut products 15 ppb of the nut meat portion n/a
A.2 Arsenic, inorganic (sum of arsenite (As III) and arsenate (As V)) (a)
Fruit juice, except grape juice; Fruit nectar, except grape nectar
(a)
0.01 ppm in the food as consumed
NOM/ADM C-2022-3
(b)
Grape juice; Grape nectar
(b)
0.03 ppm in the food as consumed
NOM/ADM C-2022-3
(c)
Husked (brown) rice
(c)
0.35 ppm
NOM/ADM C-2020-1
(d)
Polished (white) rice
(d)
0.2 ppm
NOM/ADM C-2020-1
(e)
Rice-based foods intended specifically for infants and young children
(e)
0.1 ppm
NOM/ADM C-2022-2
A.3 Arsenic, total (a)
Beverages, except fruit juice, fruit nectar, grape juice and grape nectar
(a)
0.1 ppm in the food as consumed
NOM/ADM C-2022-3
NOM/ADM C-2020-2
(b)
Edible bone meal
(b)
1 ppm
n/a
(c)
Fish protein (as defined in section 18.1.5 of Volume 18 of the Food Compositional Standards Document)
(c)
3.5 ppm
n/a
(d)
Water in sealed containers
(d)
0.01 ppm
NOM/ADM-C-2017-1
C.1 C22 Monoenoic fatty acids (a)
Cooking oils; Dressings; Foods that resemble margarine or shortening; Margarine; Salad oils; Simulated dairy products; Shortening
(a)
5% of the total amount of fatty acids in the food
n/a
(b)
Infant formula
(b)
1 kilocalorie from C22 monoenoic fatty acids per 100 available kilocalories in the food as consumed
n/a
C.2 Cyanide, total extractable Apricot kernels sold for human consumption 20 ppm NOM/ADM C-2019-1
E.1 Ethylene thiourea Cereals; Fruits; Vegetables 0.05 ppm n/a
F.1 Fluoride (a)
Edible bone meal
(a)
650 ppm
n/a
(b)
Fish protein (as defined in section 18.1.5 of Volume 18 of the Food Compositional Standards Document)
(b)
150 ppm
n/a
G.1 Glycoalkaloids, total (sum of alpha-solanine and alpha-chaconine) Potato tubers 200 ppm NOM/ADM C-2018-2
G.2 Gossypol, free Cottonseed flour 450 ppm n/a
L.1 Lead (a)
Beverages, except fruit juice and fruit nectar
(a)
0.2 ppm in the food as consumed
NOM/ADM C-2020-2
(b)
Condensed milk; Evaporated milk
(b)
0.15 ppm
n/a
(c)
Edible bone meal
(c)
10 ppm
n/a
(d)
Fish protein (as defined in section 18.1.5 of Volume 18 of the Food Compositional Standards Document)
(d)
0.5 ppm
n/a
(e)
Fruit juice; Fruit nectar
(e)
0.05 ppm in the food as consumed
NOM/ADM C-2020-2
NOM/ADM-C-2017-2
(f)
Infant formula
(f)
0.01 ppm in the food as consumed
NOM/ADM C-2020-2
(g)
Tomato paste; Tomato sauce
(g)
1.5 ppm
n/a
(h)
Water in sealed containers
(h)
0.01 ppm
NOM/ADM-C-2017-2
(i)
Whole tomatoes
(i)
0.5 ppm
n/a
M.1 Mineral oil Foods requiring the use of mineral oil as part of good manufacturing practices 3,000 ppm n/a
P.1 Patulin Apple juice; Unfermented apple cider 50 ppb in the food as consumed NOM/ADM C-2020-2
NOM/ADM C-2018-1
T.1 2,3,7,8-Tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin Fish 20 ppt n/a
T.2 Tin Canned foods 250 ppm n/a
1

Maximum levels also apply to the food when it is used as an ingredient in other foods.

Return to footnote 1 referrer

2

"Parts per million" or "ppm" has the same meaning as in subsection B.01.001(1) of the Food and Drug Regulations.
"Parts per billion" or "ppb" means parts per billion by weight unless otherwise stated.
"Parts per trillion" or "ppt" means parts per trillion by weight unless otherwise stated.

Return to footnote 2 referrer

Archived Lists of contaminants and other adulterating substances in foods

Page details

Date modified: