New EU approved additives list comes in to force tomorrow

The new EU list aims to increase transparency by clearly logging food additives that have been scientifically validated as safe for use in specific food and beverage applications by the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA).

Food additives are used for many purposes, including: preservation; colouring and sweetening of food and drink products. However, from the 1st June only food additives that appear on the EU approved list will be allowed in products

The regulation involves the development of two new lists, set up under the implementation of Regulation (EC) No 1333/2008 on food additives adopted in December 2008.

The first of these lists concerns additives in foodstuffs and will come into force tomorrow, June 1st 2013.

The regulation is said to be major improvement compared to the old lists that were dispersed over several annexes in three different directives.

The new list makes it obvious, for instance, that in some food categories the authorised additives are very limited or even not allowed at all.