Classification
Product TypeIngredient
Product FormConcentrate (Apple juice, Brix > 20)
Industry PositionProcessed Fruit Ingredient (Beverage Base)
Market
Apple juice concentrate is used in Canada primarily as an industrial input for reconstitution, blending, and formulation of juice drinks and other beverage and food products. Import activity is material for this HS family (2009.79), and Canadian importer concentration is reported as high for certain HS10 concentrate lines. Market access is shaped by Canadian food safety controls for apple juice (notably the patulin maximum level) and by importer licensing and preventive control obligations under the Safe Food for Canadians Regulations (SFCR). Tariff treatment depends on the exact tariff item, with a duty-free line for concentrate imported for use in manufacturing specified fruit juice and snack products and a higher MFN duty rate on other concentrated apple juice lines.
Market RoleImport-dependent ingredient market with domestic juice processing and blending
Domestic RoleIndustrial beverage and food ingredient used for reconstitution and blending into juice and juice-drink products; also used as a fruit sweetening/flavour base in food manufacturing.
Risks
Food Safety HighPatulin non-compliance can block market access: Canada’s maximum level is 50 ppb for patulin in apple juice, and for concentrate the limit is applied after reconstitution to the original juice concentration; lots exceeding the ML can be considered non-compliant and trigger detention, refusal, or recall actions.Contractually require patulin controls and lot testing; use positive-release procedures and align supplier practices to the Codex patulin Code of Practice (sound fruit sourcing, process hygiene, and verification testing).
Regulatory Compliance HighImport clearance disruption risk if the importer lacks a valid Safe Food for Canadians (SFC) licence or fails to correctly declare it on the import declaration for applicable manufactured foods; CFIA/CBSA guidance indicates shipments may be denied entry and transactions rejected when licence verification fails.Verify the importer’s SFC licence status, scope (commodity/activity), and correct licence-number entry in the import declaration well before arrival; maintain an SFCR-aligned preventive control plan where required.
Logistics MediumBulk concentrate is freight- and handling-sensitive (weight, packaging integrity, and temperature abuse risks for frozen formats); freight-rate volatility and container/trucking constraints can materially affect landed cost and delivery schedules.Use validated bulk packaging (aseptic/frozen as appropriate), define temperature/handling clauses in contracts, and diversify lanes (North American vs. ocean) with forward freight planning.
Documentation Gap MediumTraceability documentation gaps (missing lot identification or incomplete one-step-forward/one-step-back records) can expand the scope and cost of recalls and increase enforcement exposure under SFCR traceability requirements.Implement lot-based traceability records and retention processes that meet SFCR documentation and accessibility expectations; test document retrieval time routinely.
FAQ
What is the maximum allowed level of patulin in apple juice in Canada, and how does it apply to concentrate?Health Canada sets a maximum level of 50 ppb (50 µg/kg) for patulin in apple juice. For apple juice concentrates, the limit is applied to the product after it is reconstituted back to its original (ready-to-serve) juice concentration.
Do Canadian importers need a Safe Food for Canadians licence to import apple juice concentrate?For applicable manufactured foods, CFIA requires commercial importers to hold a Safe Food for Canadians (SFC) licence and to declare a valid licence number on the import declaration; CFIA guidance indicates shipments can be denied entry if a valid licence is not in place or not declared correctly.
Are there duty-free tariff lines for apple juice concentrate imported into Canada?Yes. In CBSA’s Customs Tariff (Chapter 20), the concentrated apple juice line for use in the manufacture of fruit juices, juice beverages, or fruit snack products (2009.79.11) is shown as duty-free under the MFN (LTR) rate, while another concentrated-apple-juice line (2009.79.19) is shown with an MFN (LTR) duty rate of 8.5%; preferential rates may be available depending on origin qualification.