Japan Notified 2 New Food Additives to WTO

Recently, Japan Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare (MHLW) has notified to the WTO two newly-authorized food additives:

1. 3-Ethylpyridine [CAS No. 536-78-7]

2. Pyrimethanil [CAS NO. 53112-28-0]

Interested parties can submit comments to the WTO before 8 May 2013.

Besides, according to the report from United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), on 25 March 2013, the Government of Japan proposed the approval of another 2 new food additives:

1. calcium acetate [CAS No. 5743-26-0 (monohydrate) and CAS No.62-54-4 (anhydrous)]

2. calcium oxide [CAS No. 1305-78-8]

After domestic consultation, the MHLW will also notify to the WTO.

Functions of the above four substances:

• 3-Ethylpyridine is used for flavoring

• Pyrimethanil can be used on apple, apricot, cherry, citrus fruits (excluding unshū oranges), peach, pear, plum, and quince.

• Calcium Acetate is used abroad mainly as a preservative, pH regulator, or nutritional enhancer.

• Calcium Oxide is used abroad mainly as bread dough regulator, yeast food, or nutritional enhancer.

Under Article 10 of the Food Sanitation Law, food additives may not be used or marketed without the authorization by the MHLW. They must be used in line with corresponding standards or their compositional specifications.