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 consumption(1), and in particular Article 3(3)(a) thereof,
After consulting the Scientific Committee on Food and the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA),
Whereas:
(1) Directive 94/35/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 30 June 1994 on sweeteners for use in foodstuffs(2), lists those substances which may be used as sweeteners in foodstuffs.
(2) Commission Directive 95/31/EC of 5 July 1995 laying down specific criteria of purity concerning sweeteners for use in foodstuffs(3), sets out the purity criteria for the sweeteners listed in Directive 94/35/EC.
(3) It is necessary to adopt specific criteria for E 968 erythritol, a new food additive authorised by Directive 2006/52/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 5 July 2006 amending Directive 95/2/EC on food additives other than colours and sweeteners and Directive 94/35/EC on sweeteners for use in foodstuffs.
(4) A number of language versions of Directive 95/31/EC contain some errors regarding the following substances: E 954 saccharin and its Na, K and Ca salts, E 955 sucralose, E 962 salt of aspartame-acesulfame, E 965 (i) maltitol, E 966 lactitol. Those errors need to be corrected. In addition 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). In particular where appropriate, the specific purity criteria have been adapted to reflect the limits for individual heavy metals of interest. For reasons of clarity the whole text concerning those substances should be replaced.
(5) EFSA in its scientific opinion of 19 April 2006 concluded that the composition of maltitol syrup based on a new production method will be similar to that of the existing product and will be in accordance with the existing specification. It is therefore necessary to amend the definition of E 965 (ii) maltitol syrup set out in Directive 95/31/EC for E 965 by including that new production method.
(6) Directive 95/31/EC should therefore be amended and corrected accordingly.
(7) 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:
OJ 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).
OJ L 237, 10.9.1994, p. 3. Directive as last amended by Directive 2006/52/EC (OJ L 204, 26.7.2006, p. 10).
OJ L 178, 28.7.1995, p. 1. Directive as last amended by Directive 2004/46/EC (OJ L 114, 21.4.2004, p. 15).