European Parliament and Council Directive No 95/2/EC (repealed)Show full title

Article 1 U.K.

[F1 1. This Directive is a specific Directive forming a part of the comprehensive Directive, within the meaning of Article 3 of Directive 89/107/EEC, and applies to additives other than colours and sweeteners. It does not apply to enzymes other than those mentioned in the Annexes,]

2. Only additives which satisfy the requirements laid down by the Scientific Committee for Food may be used in foodstuffs.

3. For the purpose of this Directive:

(a) ‘preservatives’ are substances which prolong the shelf-life of foodstuffs by protecting them against deterioration caused by micro-organisms;

(b) ‘antioxidants’ are substances which prolong the shelf-life of foodstuffs by protecting them against deterioration caused by oxidation, such as fat rancidity and colour changes;

[F2 (c) ‘ carriers ’ , including carrier solvents, are substances used to dissolve, dilute, disperse or otherwise physically modify a food additive or flavouring without altering its function (and without exerting any technological effect themselves) in order to facilitate its handling, application or use;]

(d) ‘acids’ are substances which increase the acidity of a foodstuff and/or impart a sour taste to it;

(e) ‘acidity regulators’ are substances which alter or control the acidity or alkalinity of a foodstuff;

(f) ‘anti-caking agents’ are substances which reduce the tendency of individual particles of a foodstuff to adhere to one another;

(g) ‘anti-foaming agents’ are substances which prevent or reduce foaming;

(h) ‘bulking agents’ are substances which contribute to the volume of a foodstuff without contributing significantly to its available energy value;

(i) ‘emulsifiers’ are substances which make it possible to form or maintain a homogenous mixture of two or more immiscible phases such as oil and water in a foodstuff;

(j) ‘emulsifying salts’ are substances which convert proteins contained in cheese into a dispersed form and thereby bring about homogenous distribution of fat and other components;

(k) ‘firming agents’ are substances which make or keep tissues of fruit or vegetables firm or crisp, or interact with gelling agents to produce or strengthen a gel;

(l) ‘flavour enhancers’ are substances which enhance the existing taste and/or odour of a foodstuff;

(m) ‘foaming agents’ are substances which make it possible to form a homogenous dispersion of a gaseous phase in a liquid or solid foodstuff;

(n) ‘gelling agents’ are substances which give a foodstuff texture through formation of a gel;

(o) ‘glazing agents’ (including lubricants) are substances which, when applied to the external surface of a foodstuff, impart a shiny appearance or provide a protective coating;

(p) ‘humectants’ are substances which prevent foodstuffs from drying out by counteracting the effect of an atmosphere having a low degree of humidity, or promote the dissolution of a powder in an aqueous medium;

(q) ‘modified starches’ are substances obtained by one or more chemical treatments of edible starches, which may have undergone a physical or enzymatic treatment, and may be acid or alkali thinned or bleached;

(r) ‘packaging gases’ are gases other than air, introduced into a container before, during or after the placing of a foodstuff in that container;

(s) ‘propellants’ are gases other than air which expel a foodstuff from a container;

(t) ‘raising agents’ are substances or combinations of substances which liberate gas and thereby increase the volume of a dough or a batter;

(u) ‘sequestrants’ are substances which form chemical complexes with metallic ions;

[F3 (v) ‘ stabilisers ’ are substances which make it possible to maintain the physico-chemical state of a foodstuff; stabilisers include substances which enable the maintenance of a homogenous dispersion of two or more immiscible substances in a foodstuff, substances which stabilise, retain or intensify an existing colour of a foodstuff and substances which increase the binding capacity of the food, including the formation of cross-links between proteins enabling the binding of food pieces into re-constituted food;]

(w) ‘thickeners’ are substances which increase the viscosity of a foodstuff.

4. Flour treatment agents other than emulsifiers are substances which are added to flour or dough to improve its baking quality.

5. For the purposes of this Directive the following are not considered as food additives:

(a) substances used for treatment of drinking water as provided for in Directive 80/778/EEC(1);

(b) products containing pectin and derived from dried apple pomace or peel of citrus fruits, or from a mixture of both, by the action of dilute acid followed by partial neutralization with sodium or potassium salts (‘liquid pectin’);

(c) chewing gum bases;

(d) white or yellow dextrin, roasted or dextrinated starch, starch modified by acid or alkali treatment, bleached starch, physically modified starch and starch treated by amylolitic enzymes;

(e) ammonium chloride;

(f) blood plasma, edible gelatin, protein hydrolysates and their salts, milk protein and gluten;

(g) amino acids and their salts other than glutamic acid, glycine, cysteine and cystine and their salts and having no additive function;

(h) caseinates and casein;

(i) inulin.

Textual Amendments

F1 Inserted by Directive 98/72/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 15 October 1998 amending Directive 95/2/EC on food additives other than colours and sweeteners.

F2 Substituted 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.

F3 Substituted by 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.

(1)

OJ No L 229, 30. 8. 1980, p. 11. Directive as last amended by Directive 91/692/EEC (OJ No L 377, 31. 12. 1991, p. 48).