interim marketing authorization regarding the use of sodium diacetate as a preservative in standardized and unstandardized preparations of meat meat by-products poultry meat poultry meat by-products prepared and preserved fish products health canada has received submissions to permit the use of sodium diacetate as a preservative in standardized and unstandardized preparations of meat meat by-products poultry meat poultry meat by-products prepared and preserved fish products including fresh and frozen prepared meals salads spreads and soups containing meat poultry or fish flakes of meat sausages including fresh uncooked sausage preserved or cured sausage salami wiener frankfurter blood sausage black pudding blood pudding blood and tongue sausage potted meat meat pate liver paste liver spread pate de foie meat loaf meat lunch luncheon meat corned beef ham bacon meat roll meat pie brawn and headcheese all at a maximum level of use of 0.25 of final product weight. evaluation of available data supports the safety and effectiveness of sodium diacetate as a preservative in the production of these food products. therefore it is the intention of health canada to recommend that the food and drug regulations be amended to permit the use of sodium diacetate as a preservative in standardized and unstandardized preparations of meat meat by-products poultry meat poultry meat by-products prepared and preserved fish products at a maximum level of use of 0.25 of final product weight. as a means to improve the responsiveness of the regulatory system an interim marketing authorization ima is being issued to permit the immediate use of sodium diacetate in the production of standardized flakes of meat sausages including fresh uncooked sausage preserved or cured sausage salami wiener frankfurter blood sausage black pudding blood pudding blood and tongue sausage potted meat meat pate liver paste liver spread pate de foie meat loaf meat lunch luncheon meat corned beef ham bacon meat roll meat pie brawn headcheese and meat spread and unstandardized cooked and uncooked foods containing meat poultry and fish all at a maximum level of use of 0.25 of final product weight while the regulatory process is undertaken to amend the regulations. the proposed regulatory amendments would be enabling measures to allow the sale of additional foods containing sodium diacetate as a preservative. the amendments are supported by the safety assessment and would have low impact on the economy and the environment. consequently the regulatory amendments may proceed directly to final approval and publication in the canada gazette part ii