Modification to the List of Permitted Food Enzymes to authorize the use of phospholipase A1 from a new source
Notice of Modification – Lists of Permitted Food Additives
Reference number: M-FAA-25-09
December 22, 2025
Summary
The purpose of this notice is to announce that Health Canada modified the List of Permitted Food Enzymes to authorize the use of phospholipase A1 from Trichoderma reesei strain GICC03613 in bread, white flour, whole wheat flour, and unstandardized bakery products at a maximum level of use of “Good Manufacturing Practice”Footnote 1, as shown in Table 1.
This modification comes into force on December 22, 2025.
Background
The food additives authorized 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 (FDR).
A person, company or organization (referred to as the petitioner) can 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 phospholipase A1 enzyme from Trichoderma reesei strain GICC03613 be permitted for use at a maximum level of “Good Manufacturing Practice” in the following foods:
- bread
- white flour
- whole wheat flour
- unstandardized bakery products, such as bagels, brownies, croissants, Danishes, English muffins, flatbreads, flours that are not from wheat (for example: flours from barley, chickpea, oat, potato, rice), pastries, pizza crust, and tortillas
According to the petitioner, phospholipase A1, a type of phospholipase, hydrolyzes flour phospholipids into lysophospholipids, which exhibit emulsifying properties that enhance dough handling and stability during baking, and this enzymatic activity contributes to increased loaf volume and improved crumb structure, particularly in bakery products subjected to industrial dough processing.
At the time the request was filed, phospholipase from four sources was already permitted for use in Canada. One of these, phospholipase from Aspergillus oryzae AT969, is a phospholipase A1 that was already permitted for use in the foods of interest to the petitioner. However, T. reesei GICC03613 was not a permitted source for any food enzyme in Canada.
Rationale
Health Canada completed a premarket safety assessment of phospholipase A1 from T. reesei GICC03613 for its requested use. The assessment considered potential dietary exposure to the enzyme and other food safety aspects (allergenicity, chemistry, microbiology, molecular biology, nutrition, and toxicology).
The outcome of Health Canada’s evaluation supports authorizing phospholipase A1 from T. reesei GICC03613, as set out in Table 1.Modification to the List
Health Canada has authorized the use of phospholipase A1 from T. reesei GICC03613 as requested by the petitioner by adding the new item P.9.1 for “Phospholipase A1” and its corresponding entries to the List of Permitted Food Enzymes , as shown in Table 1.
| Item | Column 1 Food additive |
Column 2 Source |
Column 3 Food |
Column 4 Purpose of use |
Column 5 Maximum level of use, maximum level of residue and other conditions |
Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| P.9.1 | Phospholipase A1 |
Trichoderma reesei GICC03613 |
(a) Bread; White flour; Whole wheat flour |
(a) Food enzyme |
(a) Good Manufacturing Practice |
M-FAA-25-09 |
(b) Unstandardized bakery products |
(b) Food enzyme |
(b) Good Manufacturing Practice |
M-FAA-25-09 |
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:
Implementation and enforcement
The modification shown in Table 1 comes into force on December 22, 2025, the day of its publication in the List of Permitted Food Enzymes.
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 "Phospholipase (M-FAA-25-09)" 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