Codex Alimentarius Commission Updates the General Standard for Food Additives

Recently, Codex Alimentarius Commission unveiled the 2023 version of General Standard for Food Additives, which is the latest one so far. The Codex standard always serves as a significant reference for countries developing their local regulations. To help food stakeholders better understand the regulation changes, this news summarizes the key amendments regarding the use of food additives comparing with its 2021 version.

1. New food additives varieties are added

Three new varieties of food additives are included into General Standard for Food Additives, which are β-carotene-rich extract from Dunaliella Salina, riboflavin from Ashbya gossypii and spirulina extract. Spirulina extract can be used in all kinds of food in accordance with Good Manufacturing Practice (GMP), unless otherwise specified. The permitted application scopes and maximum usage levels of β-carotene-rich extract from Dunaliella Salina and riboflavin from Ashbya gossypii are detailed in Table 1 and 3 in the Codex standard.

Food additives	INS No.	Usage
β-Carotene-rich extract from Dunaliella Salina	160a(iv)	Specified in Table 1
Riboflavin from Ashbya gossypii	101(iv)	Specified in Table 1 & Table 3
Spirulina Extract	134	GMP (Specified in Table 3)

Table 1: Additives Permitted for Use Under Specified Conditions in Certain Food Categories or Individual Food Items

Table 3: Additives Permitted for Use in Food in General, Unless Otherwise Specified, in Accordance with GMP

2. The usage scopes of food additives are expanded

The application scopes of 17 food additives are expanded in the 2023 version, including:

Food additive	INS No	Food additive	INS No
Gum Arabic	INS 414	Carbon dioxide	290
Advantame	INS 969	Powdered cellulose	460(ii)
Propylene glycol esters of fatty acids	477	Fumaric acid	297
Erythrosine	127	Mannitol	421
Erythritol	968	Calcium silicate	552
Nitrogen	941	Magnesium silicate (synthetic)	553(i)
Silicon dioxide (amorphous)	551	Pectins	440
Propylene glycol alginate	405

The expanded scopes of some food additives are listed in the table below:

Food additives	INS No.	(expanded) Food category No.	(expanded) food categories	Maximum usage level
Erythritol	968	12.2.2	Seasonings and condiments	GMP
Nitrogen	941	13.1.2	Follow-up formulae	GMP
Silicon dioxide, amorphous	551	01.5.1	Milk powder and cream powder (plain)	GMP
		13.1.1	Infant formulae	10 mg/kg
		13.1.2	Follow-up formulae	10 mg/kg
		13.1.3	Formulae for special medical purposes for infants	10 mg/kg
Carbon dioxide	290	13.1.2	Follow-up formulae	GMP
Powdered cellulose	460(ii)	01.5.1	Milk powder and cream powder (plain)	GMP

3. The usage levels of food additives are modified

The maximum usage levels of five food additives were adjusted, including indigotine, beta-carotenes (vegetable), curcumin, carmines, allura red AC.

Some of the modifications are listed as below:

Food additives	INS No.	Food category No.	Food category	Maximum usage level
Food additives	INS No.	Food category No.	Food category	2021	2023
Indigotine	132	02.3	Fat emulsions mainly of type oil-in-water, including mixed and/or flavoured products based on fat emulsions	300 mg/kg	100 mg/kg
Curcumin	100(i)	01.6.1	Unripened cheese	GMP	150 mg/kg
		01.6.2.1	Ripened cheese, including rind	GMP	500 mg/kg
		01.6.2.2	Rind of ripened cheese	GMP	100 mg/kg
		01.6.2.3	Cheese powder (for reconstitution; e.g. for cheese sauces)	GMP	100 mg/kg
Carmines	120	02.3	Fat emulsions mainly of type oil-in-water, including mixed and/or flavoured products based on fat emulsions	500 mg/kg	150 mg/kg
Allura red AC	129	01.1.4	Flavoured fluid milk drinks	300 mg/kg	100 mg/kg

4. Some food additives can no longer be used in some food categories

Such removed food additives include indigotine, riboflavins, citric and fatty acid esters of glycerol, neotame, sucralose, ponceau 4R, isomalt, acesulfame potassium, and beta-carotenes, vegetable. Some of the removed items are listed below.

Food additives	INS No.	Removed food categories No.	Removed food categories
Indigotine	132	02.1.3	Lard, tallow, fish oil, and other animal fats
Ponceau 4R	124	01.6.1	Unripened cheese
Sucralose	955	12.2.1	Herbs and spices
Isomalt	953	12.2.1	Herbs and spices
beta-Carotenes, vegetable	160a(ii)	06.4.2	Dried pastas and noodles and like products
		08.1.2	Fresh meat, poultry, and game, comminuted
		09.1.1	Fresh fish
		10.1	Fresh eggs
		11.4	Other sugars and syrups (e.g. xylose, maple syrup, and sugar toppings)
		14.2.1	Beer and malt beverages

5. Two food additives are deleted

Carotenoic acid, ethyl ester, beta- apo-8'-(INS 160f) and ortho-phenylphenols, including ortho-phenylphenol (INS 231) and sodium ortho-phenylphenol (INS 232), can no longer be used in any food product.