The European Commission adopted today two new regulations (No 872/2012 and No 873/2012) concerning the use of flavouring substances in the EU. Various flavouring substances are added to food to improve or alter the taste, odour and other attributes of food. The new regulations aim at increasing the transparency of information about the use of these substances as well as increasing consumers' safety. Only these flavouring substances that are mentioned in the Regulation (over 2100 authorised substances) will be allowed to be used in food the end of 2014 (with an 18 months period of phasing out the use of prohibited substances). The use of flavouring substances is, in general, allowed if it does not endanger consumers' health at the level of the proposed use and if it does not mislead consumers (ethical, environmental etc. factors can also contribute to the assessment). Consumers and industry will be able to easily control whether the used substances are among the authorised ones since an online database will be created. The authorised uses of flavouring substances will be listed according to the category of food to which they may be added. (Enhancing Food Safety: EU adopts list of approved flavouring substances) More on flavourings here.
