Permitted Food Additives - Amends to the EU Organic Regulation

In our December newsletter [pdf] we reminded you of the changes to the Annex VI regulation on permitted food additives, this contained an extract on additives for cured meat products and stated that the inclusion of sodium nitrite and potassium nitrate would be re-examined before 31/12/07 (see below).

Cured Meat Products

Sodium nitrite (E250) and Potassium nitrate (E252) are now allowed for use in organic meat products throughout the EU. (Previously each EU country was allowed to derogate the use of these preservatives as it saw fit.)

Indicative ingoing amount of either substance is 80 mg/kg; maximum residual amount is 50mg/kg (expressed as NaNO2 for nitrite and KNO3 for nitrate).

However the new regulation includes the statement that the inclusion of these substances shall be re-examined before 31/12/07 with a view to limiting or withdrawing their use. This is in line with the European Food Safety Authority's drive to reduce the use of nitrites and nitrates generally, but without compromising food safety.

The commission have now re-examined this regulation and a new draft regulation has been published. A panel of experts has concluded that potassium nitrate and sodium nitrite should be withdrawn from the regulation within a specified time period. The time period they have given means that these processing aids can still be used as listed in the December newsletter for the period up to the 31st December 2010. This will allow for an assessment of the impact of withdrawing these products from the regulation.

Those processors using these products that are concerned by their proposed withdrawal are asked to send any relevant information they have on their use to Steve Clarkson at OF&G. Steve will forward this to DEFRA in order that they can compile any evidence for keeping these and present them to the commission expert panel at the relevant time.

An amendment has also been made in Annex VI re the inclusion of Annatto for cheddar production. The original amended version of Annex VI stated that Annatto could be used as indicated below.

Colours for cheeses

Vegetable carbon (E153) will be allowed in Ashy Goat Cheese and Morbier Cheese

Annatto, (alternatively Bixin or Norbixin) (E160b) will be allowed in the following cheeses:- Red Leicester, Double Gloucester, Scottish Cheddar and Mimolette

Due to a mistake this has now been amended to state that Annatto can be used for the production of Cheddar Cheese and not just Scottish Cheddar.

If you require any further information this can be obtained from the OF&G Offices.