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True facts about new requirements for the so-called ‘E-numbers’

07/20/2010
 
From this day on a new provision of the European regulation on labelling of certain food colours, namely E 102 (Tartrazine), E 104 (Quinoline yellow), E 110 (Sunset yellow FCF), E 122 (Azorubine), E 124 (Ponceau 4R or also Cochineal Red A), E 129 (Allura Red AC) enters into force. The above mentioned colours have not been banned as it is sometimes erroneously interpreted by the media. The innovation lies only in the fact that if now a producer uses them when producing a foodstuff, he has to place a warning on the packaging that these colours ,can adversely affect activities and attention of children‘.
Legislation allows 42 colours for food production, thus the new provision concerns only a minor part of them. The enumerated six colours are used particularly when producing various sweets: drops, jelly, chewing-gums, furthermore in production of various snacks or flakes. They can be found in confectionary products, instant drinks, non-alcoholic beverages and also alcoholic liqueurs are coloured with them. However, the new labelling obligation does not concern drinks with more than 1.2 % vol. of alcohol. The warning about adverse effects on children also do not have to be stated when the above mentioned colours were used to decorate or stamp eggshells.
However, for a certain period of time consumers can still come across foodstuffs where the above mentioned colours were used, but do not bear the cited warning. This is due to the fact that in accord with the European regulation the foodstuffs produced before 20 July 2010 can be sold out. Such foodstuffs can naturally be sold only up to the date of minimum durability or the ‘use-by date‘.
At controls Czech Agriculture and Food Inspection Authority pays great attention to additives which are known under common name ‘E numbers’ and which also include colours. CAFIA laboratories control whether disallowed colours do not occur in foodstuffs, whether the highest permissible amounts were not exceeded and whether all additives used are mentioned in the composition. Possibly they verify if producers do not deceive consumers when they state claims like ‘preservative-free’, ‘additive-free’, ‘without artificial sweeteners and colours’, etc. 2190 food samples were taken to carry out similar analyses in 2009 and this year as many as 1317 samples were taken.

CAFIA will also check fulfilling the new obligation of labelling six chosen colours. Controls will be itensified towards the end of this year when gradual selling out of foodstuffs produced before entering into force of the new provision can be expected.


Author: Mgr. Martina Šmídtová - CAFIA spokesperson, phone : +420-542426633