Freeze-dried Tetraselmis chui strain 8/6 as a novel food

In 2016, Health Canada received a submission to allow the sale of freeze-dried Tetraselmis chui strain 8/6 as a food ingredient in Canada. The proposed use of this freeze-dried alga is as a condiment to give flavour to different foods.

In order to determine whether Tetraselmis chui can be sold in Canada as food, the scientists at Health Canada conducted a scientific assessment to ensure that this alga is safe for consumption. The assessment considered: the safety of the organism, the manufacturing process, the nutritional composition of the final food product and what the potential is for this product to present a toxic or allergenic concern.

Health Canada’s assessment of Tetraselmis chui was conducted according to the Guidelines for the Safety Assessment of Novel Foods. Scientists with expertise in molecular biology, microbiology, toxicology, chemistry, and nutrition conducted a thorough analysis of the data and the protocols provided by the applicant to ensure the validity of the results.

Following this assessment, it was determined that the proposed use of freeze-dried Tetraselmis chui strain 8/6 does not pose a risk to consumers. Therefore, Health Canada has no objection to the sale of this product for human food use in Canada.

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• Technical summary