Safer foods: EU sets list of permitted flavorings
The European Commission has participated in the 1. In October 2012 adopted two pieces of legislation that will ensure that the use of flavorings in food will be even safer and more transparent in the future. Only flavorings listed as acceptable in the list may be used by the food industry.
Flavorings have long been used - without any problems - in many different foods such as soft drinks, confectionery, cereal foods, cakes and yoghurts to change their taste and / or smell and have now been assessed with validity across the EU.
“Thanks to the contribution of the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) and other scientific institutions, these flavoring regulations will ensure that consumers and industry are much better informed in the future. It will be easier to find out what flavors can be used in food, ”said Health and Consumers Commissioner John Dalli.
The two new pieces of legislation will regulate the use of flavorings in the internal market more clearly and uniformly:
- The first regulation [1] contains a new EU list of flavorings that can be used in food; it will apply from April 22, 2013, giving the food industry in the EU time to adapt to the new regulations. All flavoring substances not included in the list are banned after a transition period of 18 months.
- The second regulation [2] concerns transitional measures for other flavoring substances such as flavorings from non-food raw materials; it will apply from October 22, 2012.
The new list includes over 2100 permitted flavoring substances. Another 400 will remain on the market for the time being until EFSA has completed its assessment. These substances have been in use for a long time and have already been rated as safe by other scientific institutions.
More transparency
Above all, the new regulations ensure transparency and greater clarity. The permitted uses of flavorings are listed according to the food category in which they can be used. More transparency is ensured by the fact that consumers, food companies and food control authorities can consult the list in an online database and determine which flavorings are permitted in food.
Conditions for the authorization of flavoring substances
A food additive is only permitted if the following conditions are met for its use:
- It is harmless to the health of the consumer at the proposed dose, provided that the available scientific data allow an assessment to be made;
- its use does not mislead the consumer.
For the approval of flavorings, other relevant factors can also be taken into account, such as ethics, tradition or the environment.
Enforcement
The national enforcement authorities ensure that foods containing unauthorized flavorings are removed from the market. They should also inform the European Commission and the other Member States about the Rapid Alert System for Food and Feed (RASFF).
background objects
The positive list of permissible flavoring substances is an important step in the implementation of the framework ordinance issued in December 2008 [3] about flavorings. This stipulates that the use of flavorings must be safe and consumers must not be misled.
Further information:
http://ec.europa.eu/food/food/fAEF/index_en.htm
Database with the list:
https://webgate.ec.europa.eu/sanco_foods/?sector=FFL
1 : Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) No. 872/2012 establishing the list of flavoring substances in accordance with Regulation (EC) No. 2232/96 of the European Parliament and of the Council, including this list in Annex I of Regulation (EC) No. 1334/2008 of the European Parliament and of the Council as well as repealing Regulation (EC) No. 1565/2000 of the Commission and Decision 1999/217 / EC of the Commission.
2 : Regulation (EU) No. 873/2012 of the Commission on transitional measures with regard to the Union list of flavors and raw materials according to Annex I of Regulation (EC) No. 1334/2008.
3 : Regulation (EC) No. 1334/2008 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 16 December 2008 on flavorings and certain food ingredients with flavoring properties for use in and on foods.
Source: Brussels [EU]
