Commission Directive 2004/45/EC of 16 April 2004 amending Directive 96/77/EC laying down specific purity criteria on food additives other than colours and sweeteners (Text with EEA relevance)
Commission Directive 2004/45/ECof 16 April 2004amending Directive 96/77/EC laying down specific purity criteria on food additives other than colours and sweeteners(Text with EEA relevance) THE COMMISSION OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES,Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European Community,Having regard to Council Directive 89/107/EEC of 21 December 1988 on the approximation of the laws of the Member States concerning food additives authorised for use in foodstuffs intended for human consumptionOJ L 40, 11.2.1989, p. 27. Directive as last amended by Regulation (EC) No 1882/2003 of the European Parliament and of the Council (OJ L 284, 31.10.2003, p. 1)., and in particular Article 3(3)(a) thereof,After consulting the Scientific Committee on Food,Whereas:(1)Commission Directive 96/77/ECOJ L 339, 30.12.1996, p. 1. Directive as last amended by Directive 2003/95/EC (OJ L 283, 31.10.2003, p. 71). of 2 December 1996 laying down specific purity criteria on food additives other than colours and sweeteners sets out the purity criteria for the additives mentioned in Directive 95/2/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 20 February 1995 on food additives other than colours and sweetenersOJ L 61, 18.3.1995, p. 1. Directive as last amended by Directive 2003/114/EC (OJ L 24, 29.1.2003, p. 58)..(2)The Scientific Committee on Food concluded in its opinion of 5 March 2003 that the presence of low molecular weight carrageenan should be kept to a minimum. Consequently, the relevant criterion of the existing purity criteria for E 407 Carrageenan and E 407a (Processed Eucheuma Seaweed) set out in Directive 96/77/EC needs to be adapted.(3)It is necessary to adopt specifications for the new additives authorised through Directive 2003/114/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 22 December 2003 amending Directive 95/2/EC on food additives other than colours and sweeteners: E 907 Hydrogenated poly-1-decene, E 1517 Glyceryl diacetate and E 1519 Benzyl alcohol.(4)It is necessary to take into account the specifications and analytical techniques for additives as set out in the Codex Alimentarius as drafted by the Joint FAO/WHO Expert Committee on Food Additives (JECFA).(5)Directive 96/77/EC should therefore be amended accordingly.(6)The measures provided for in this Directive are in accordance with the opinion of the Standing Committee on the Food Chain and Animal Health,HAS ADOPTED THIS DIRECTIVE:
Article 1The Annex to Directive 96/77/EC is amended in accordance with the Annex to this Directive.
Article 21.Member States shall bring into force the laws, regulations and administrative provisions necessary to comply with this Directive by 1 April 2005 at the latest. They shall forthwith communicate to the Commission the text of those provisions and a correlation table between those provisions and this Directive.When Member States adopt those provisions, they shall contain a reference to this Directive or shall be accompanied by such reference on the occasion of their official publication. Member States shall determine how such reference is to be made.2.Member States shall communicate to the Commission the text of the main provisions of national law which they adopt in the field covered by this Directive.
Article 3Products put on the market or labelled before 1 April 2005 which do not comply with this Directive may be marketed until stocks are exhausted.
Article 4This Directive shall enter into force on the 20th day following that of its publication in the Official Journal of the European Union.
Article 5This Directive is addressed to the Member States.
Done at Brussels, 16 April 2004.For the CommissionDavid ByrneMember of the CommissionANNEXThe Annex to Directive 96/77/EC is amended as follows:1.The texts concerning E 407 Carrageenan and E 407a Processed Eucheuma Seaweed are replaced by the following:"E 407CARRAGEENAN
IdentificationPurity
SynonymsProducts of commerce are sold under different names such as:Irish moss geloseEucheuman (from Eucheuma spp.)Iridophycan (from Iridaea spp.)Hypnean (from Hypnea spp.)Furcellaran or Danish agar (from Furcellaria fastigiata)Carrageenan (from Chondrus and Gigartina spp.)
DefinitionCarrageenan is obtained by aqueous extraction of natural strains of seaweeds of Gigartinaceae, Solieriaceae, Hypneaeceae and Furcellariaceae, families of the class Rhodophyceae (red seaweeds). No organic precipitant shall be used other than methanol, ethanol and propane-2-ol. Carrageenan consists chiefly of the potassium, sodium, magnesium and calcium salts of polysaccharide sulphate esters which, on hydrolysis, yield galactose and 3,6-anhydrogalactose. Carrageenan shall not be hydrolysed or otherwise chemically degraded
EINECS232-524-2
DescriptionYellowish to colourless, coarse to fine powder which is practically odourless
A.Positive tests for galactose, for anhydrogalactose and for sulphate
Methanol, ethanol, propane-2-ol contentNot more than 0,1 % singly or in combination
Viscosity of a 1,5 % solution at 75 oCNot less than 5 mPa.s
Loss on dryingNot more than 12 % (105 oC, four hours)
SulphateNot less than 15 % and not more than 40 % on the dried basis (as SO4)
AshNot less than 15 % and not more than 40 % determined on the dried basis at 550 oC
Acid-insoluble ashNot more than 1 % on the dried basis (insoluble in 10 % hydrochloric acid)
Acid-insoluble matterNot more than 2 % on the dried basis (insoluble in 1 % v/v sulphuric acid)
Low molecular weight carrageenan (Molecular weight fraction below 50 kDa)Not more than 5 %
ArsenicNot more than 3 mg/kg
LeadNot more than 5 mg/kg
MercuryNot more than 1 mg/kg
CadmiumNot more than 1 mg/kg
Total plate countNot more than 5000 colonies per gram
Yeast and mouldsNot more than 300 colonies per gram
E. coliNegative in 5 g
Salmonella spp.Negative in 10 g
E 407aPROCESSED EUCHEUMA SEAWEED
IdentificationPurity
SynonymsPES (acronym for processed eucheuma seaweed)
DefinitionProcessed eucheuma seaweed is obtained by aqueous alkaline (KOH) treatment of the natural strains of seaweeds Eucheuma cottonii and Eucheuma spinosum, of the class Rhodophyceae (red seaweeds) to remove impurities and by fresh water washing and drying to obtain the product. Further purification may be achieved by washing with methanol, ethanol or propane-2-ol and drying. The product consist chiefly of the potassium salt of polysaccharide sulphate esters which, on hydrolysis, yield galactose and 3,6-anhydrogalactose. Sodium, calcium and magnesium salts of the polysaccharide sulphate esters are present in lesser amounts. Up to 15 % algal cellulose is also present in the product. The carrageenan in processed eucheuma seaweed shall not be hydrolysed or otherwise chemically degraded
DescriptionTan to yellowish, coarse to fine powder which is practically odourless
A.Positive tests for galactose, for anhydrogalactose and for sulphate
B.SolubilityForms cloudy viscous suspensions in water. Insoluble in ethanol
Methanol, ethanol, propane-2-ol contentNot more than 0,1 % singly or in combination
Viscosity of a 1,5 % solution at 75 oCNot less than 5 mPa.s
Loss on dryingNot more than 12 % (105 oC, four hours)
SulphateNot less than 15 % and not more than 40 % on the dried basis (as SO4)
AshNot less than 15 % and not more than 40 % determined on the dried basis at 550 oC
Acid-insoluble ashNot more than 1 % on the dried basis (insoluble in 10 % hydrochloric acid)
Acid-insoluble matterNot less than 8 % and not more than 15 % on the dried basis (insoluble in 1 % v/v sulphuric acid)
Low molecular weight carrageenan (Molecular weight fraction below 50 kDa)Not more than 5 %
ArsenicNot more than 3 mg/kg
LeadNot more than 5 mg/kg
MercuryNot more than 1 mg/kg
CadmiumNot more than 1 mg/kg
Total plate countNot more than 5000 colonies per gram
Yeast and mouldsNot more than 300 colonies per gram
E. coliNegative in 5 g
Salmonella spp.Negative in 10 g"
2.The following text concerning E 907 Hydrogenated poly-1-decene is inserted after E 905 Microcrystalline wax:"E 907HYDROGENATED POLY-1-DECENE
DefinitionIdentificationPurity
SynonymsHydrogenated polydec-1-eneHydrogenated poly-alpha-olefin
Chemical formulaC10nH20n+2 where n = 3 — 6
Molecular weight560 (average)
AssayNot less than 98,5 % of hydrogenated poly-1-decene, having the following oligomer distribution:C30: 13 — 37 %C40: 35 — 70 %C50: 9 — 25 %C60: 1 — 7 %
DescriptionColourless, odourless, viscous liquid
A.SolubilityInsoluble in water; slightly soluble in ethanol; soluble in toluene
B.BurningBurns with a bright flame and a paraffin-like characteristic smell
ViscosityBetween 5,7 × 10-6 and 6,1 × 10-6 m2s-1 at 100 °C
Compounds with carbon number less than 30Not more than 1,5 %
Readily carbonisable substancesAfter 10 minutes shaking in a boiling water bath, a tube of sulfuric acid with a 5 g sample of hydrogenated poly-1-decene is not darker than a very slight straw colour
NickelNot more than 1 mg/kg
LeadNot more than 1 mg/kg"
3.The following text concerning E 1517 Glyceryl diacetate and E 1519 Benzyl alcohol is added:"E 1517GLYCERYL DIACETATE
IdentificationPurity
SynonymsDiacetin
DefinitionGlyceryl diacetate consists predominantly of a mixture of the 1,2- and 1,3-diacetates of glycerol, with minor amounts of the mono- and tri-esters
Chemical namesGlyceryl diacetate1,2,3-propanetriol diacetate
Chemical formulaC7H12O5
Molecular weight176,17
AssayNot less than 94,0 %
DescriptionClear, colourless, hygroscopic, somewhat oily liquid with a slight, fatty odour
A.SolubilitySoluble in water. Miscible with ethanol
B.Positive tests for glycerol and acetate
C.Specific gravityd2020: 1,1751,195
D.Boiling rangeBetween 259 and 261 °C
Total ashNot more than 0,02 %
AcidityNot more than 0,4 % (as acetic acid)
ArsenicNot more than 3 mg/kg
LeadNot more than 5 mg/kg
E 1519BENZYL ALCOHOL
DefinitionIdentificationPurity
SynonymsPhenylcarbinolPhenylmethyl alcoholBenzenemethanolAlpha-hydroxytoluene
Chemical namesBenzyl alcoholPhenylmethanol
Chemical formulaC7H8O
Molecular weight108,14
AssayNot less than 98,0 %
DescriptionColourless, clear liquid with a faint, aromatic odour
A.SolubilitySoluble in water, ethanol and ether
B.Refractive index[n]D20:1,5381,541
C.Specific gravityd2525: 1,0421,047
D.Positive test for peroxides
Distillation rangeNot less than 95 % v/v distils between 202 and 208 °C
Acid valueNot more than 0,5
AldehydesNot more than 0,2 % v/v (as benzaldehyde)
LeadNot more than 5 mg/kg"