CAN/1447
WTO/SPS
CA Canada
  • 67 - Technologie alimentaire
2022-10-03
2022-08-08

Green tea extract (EGCG/catechins) as a supplemental ingredient

Health Canada's proposal to enable the use of green tea extract (EGCG/catechins) as a supplemental ingredient in foods. Language(s): English and French. Number of pages: 4 and 5

Health Canada's Food Directorate has assessed green tea extract for use as a supplemental ingredient. This is one of the ingredients the Food Directorate previously identified for further assessment since it was an ingredient that was present in product(s) that were previously eligible to transition to the food regulatory framework under Temporary Marketing Authorizations.

Green Tea extract has a history of safe use as a flavouring in food. The continued use of green tea extract as a food flavouring ingredient is the responsibility of the food seller to ensure that the sale of a food containing green tea extract does not contravene section 4 of the Food and Drugs Act.

For food sellers who choose to use green tea extract as a supplemental ingredient, the Food Directorate concluded that information related to the safety of standardized green tea extract supports its safe use in supplemented foods provided levels of use do not exceed intakes equivalent to 300 mg epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG) and 600 mg total catechins per day, do not exceed 100 mg EGCG and 200 mg total catechins per serving, and that certain other compositional and labelling requirements are met; as set out in the table below. Therefore, Health Canada proposes to enable the use of green tea extract (EGCG/catechins) by adding the entry to the List of Permitted Supplemental Ingredients.