Commission Directive 2006/129/EC
of 8 December 2006
amending and correcting 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 consumption1, and in particular Article 3(3)(a) thereof,
After consulting the Scientific Committee on Food and the European Food Safety Authority,
Whereas:
Commission Directive 96/77/EC2 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 sweeteners3.
It is appropriate to withdraw the purity criteria for E 216 propyl p-hydroxybenzoate and E 217 sodium propyl p-hydroxybenzoate which are no longer permitted for use as food additives.
A number of language versions of Directive 96/77/EC contain errors regarding the following substances: E 307 alpha-tocopherol, E 315 erythorbic acid, E 415 xanthan gum. 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.
The level of sulphated ash in the purity criteria for E 472c citric acid esters of mono- and diglycerides of fatty acids should be amended in order to cover partially or wholly neutralised products.
It is necessary to ensure that E 559 aluminium silicate is produced from raw kaolinitic clay which is free from unacceptable dioxin contamination. The presence of dioxin in the raw kaolinitic clay should therefore be restricted to the lowest possible level.
It is necessary to adopt specifications for the new food additives authorised through 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: E 319 tertiary-butylhydroquinone (TBHQ), E 426 soybean hemicellulose, E 462 ethyl cellulose, E 586 4-hexylresorcinol, E 1204 pullulan and E 1452 starch aluminium octenyl succinate.
Directive 96/77/EC should therefore be amended and corrected accordingly.
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: