Canada Modifies the Limits for Arsenic in Certain Fruit beverages and Rice-based foods Intended for Infants and Young Children

On August 17th, 2022, Health Canada’s Food Directorate, published regulations on “Notice of Modification to update the Maximum Level for Total Arsenic in Fruit Juice and Fruit Nectar to Part 2 of the List of Contaminants and Other Adulterating Substances in Foods” and “Notice of Modification to Add a Maximum Level for Inorganic Arsenic in Rice-based Foods Intended Specifically for Infants and Young Children”.

The documents propose the following modifications:

• Amendment to the list of Contaminants and Other Adulterating Substances in Foods;
• The entries Total Arsenic, and Inorganic Arsenic have been modified;
• The application name “Tomatoes” has been replaced with “Canned tomatoes”;
• New MLs set for inorganic arsenic in fruit juice and fruit nectar at 0.01 ppm, except grape juice and grape nectar, and 0.03 ppm inorganic arsenic in grape juice and grape nectar;
• Addition of an ML of 0.1 ppm for inorganic arsenic in rice-based foods intended specifically for infants and young children;
• Risk-based studies indicate short- and long-term exposures to the residues resulting from the contaminants are considerably low and do not pose a health risk to targeted consumers.

The regulation is effective August 17th, 2022.

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