Health Canada expands list of permitted food enzymes

Health Canada authorizes the use of maltogenic alpha-amylase (α-amylase) enzyme from a new source. It also modifies the List of permitted food enzymes with the new source.

This follows a petition to authorize the use of α-amylase from Saccharomyces cerevisiae LALL-MA+ in bread, flour, whole wheat flour, and unstandardized bakery products. While α-amylase from other sources was permitted in the requested food types, the new source organism, S. cerevisiae LALL-MA+, was not a permitted source for any food enzyme in Canada at that time.

Pursuant to the petition, Health Canada’s Food and Nutrition Directorate completed a premarket safety assessment of maltogenic α-amylase from S. cerevisiae LALL-MA+ for use as a food enzyme in bread, flour, whole wheat flour, and unstandardized bakery products.

According to a statement from Health Canada, “The Directorate considered allergenicity, chemistry, microbiology, molecular biology, nutrition, technical information, and toxicology in the assessment. The results of the assessment support the safety and efficacy of maltogenic α-amylase from S. cerevisiae LALL-MA+ for its requested use” at the maximum level of use of “Good Manufacturing Practice” (GMP) for this food enzyme.