Background
Health Canada's Food Directorate completed a detailed safety assessment of a food additive submission seeking approval for the use of lycopene extract from tomato as a food colouring agent.
Since this is a food additive that was not previously permitted for use in Canada, Health Canada published a Notice of Health Canada's Proposal to Enable the Use of a New Food Additive, Lycopene Extract from Tomato, as a Food Colouring Agent in Various Foods - Reference Number: NOP/AVP-0024 on March 24, 2017. The proposal was open to the public for comment for 75 days, during which no new scientific information in response to the proposal was submitted to the Department.
As no safety concerns were raised through Health Canada's assessment the Department has enabled the food additive use of lycopene extract from tomato described in the information document below by updating 
List of Permitted Colouring Agents .pdf effective August 4, 2017. The purpose of this communication is to publically announce the Department's decision in this regard and to provide the appropriate contact information for any inquiries or for those wishing to submit any new scientific information relevant to the safety of this food additive.
To obtain an electronic copy of the Notice of Modification to the List of Permitted Colouring Agents to Enable the Use of Lycopene Extract from Tomato in Various Standardized and Unstandardized Foods - Reference Number: NOM/ADM-0099, please contact our publications office or send an e-mail to publications@hc-sc.gc.ca with the subject heading "hpfb BCS nom-adm-0099-eng".
Contact InformationHealth Canada's Food Directorate is committed to reviewing any new scientific information on the safety in use of any food additive, including lycopene extract from tomato. Anyone wishing to submit new scientific information on the use of this additive or to submit any inquiries may do so in writing, by regular mail or electronically. If you wish to contact the Food Directorate electronically, please use the words "lycopene extract from tomato" in the subject line of your e-mail.
Bureau of Chemical Safety, Food Directorate
