Commission amends specifications on food additives

With the implementation of Regulation (EU) 2025/666 of 4 April 2025, the Commission amending Annex II and Annex III to Regulation (EC) No 1333/2008 of the European Parliament and of the Council as regards the use of sodium carboxy methyl cellulose, cellulose gum (E 466) and the Annex to Commission Regulation (EU) No 231/2012 as regards specifications for cellulose (E 460), methyl cellulose (E 461), ethyl cellulose (E 462), hydroxypropyl cellulose (E 463), hydroxypropyl methyl cellulose (E 464), ethyl methyl cellulose (E 465), sodium carboxy methyl cellulose, cellulose gum (E 466), cross-linked sodium carboxy methyl cellulose, cross linked cellulose gum (E 468) and enzymatically hydrolysed carboxy methyl cellulose (E 469).

The Union lists of food additives may be updated in accordance with the common procedure referred to in Article 3(1) of Regulation (EC) No 1331/2008, either on the initiative of the Commission or following an application.

The food additives cellulose (E 460), methyl cellulose (E 461), ethyl cellulose (E 462), hydroxypropyl cellulose (E 463), hydroxypropyl methyl cellulose (E 464), ethyl methyl cellulose (E 465), sodium carboxy methyl cellulose, cellulose gum (E 466), cross-linked sodium carboxy methyl cellulose, cross linked cellulose gum (E 468) and enzymatically hydrolysed carboxy methyl cellulose (E 469) that have been lawfully placed on the market before 27 October 2025 may be added to food in accordance with Annexes II and III to Regulation (EC) No 1333/2008 until the exhaustion of stocks.

Foods, containing cellulose (E 460), methyl cellulose (E 461), ethyl cellulose (E 462), hydroxypropyl cellulose (E 463), hydroxypropyl methyl cellulose (E 464), ethyl methyl cellulose (E 465), sodium carboxy methyl cellulose, cellulose gum (E 466), cross-linked sodium carboxy methyl cellulose, cross linked cellulose gum (E 468) or enzymatically hydrolysed carboxy methyl cellulose (E 469) that have been lawfully placed on the market before 27 October 2025, may be placed on the market until their date of minimum durability or ‘use-by date’.

Foods belonging to food categories 13.1.5.1 ‘Dietary foods for infants for special medical purposes and special formulae for infants’ and 13.1.5.2 ‘Dietary foods for babies and young children for special medical purposes as defined in Directive 1999/21/EC’ and containing sodium carboxy methyl cellulose, cellulose gum (E 466) in accordance with Annexes II and III to Regulation (EC) No 1333/2008, that have been lawfully placed on the market before 27 April 2027 may continue to be marketed until their date of minimum durability or ‘use-by date’.

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