Based on the changing political landscapes, evolving categories driven by biotechnology, and regulatory changes in 2023, WHO specialists have analyzed how these factors influence the food additives market in 2024 and what further changes we can expect to see in this year and beyond.

Assessment of Food Additive Safety

Additives are used for various purposes in food preparation, including restoration, preservation, extending shelf life, and improving quality. These include colorants, preservatives, antioxidants, and flour treatment agents.

In light of new guidelines and laws affecting additives, on November 16, 2023, the World Health Organization (WHO) published an information sheet on food additives, compiling information on what they are, how they are assessed for safety, and how consumers can find out about additives in their food products.

Based on this, the Scientific Committee on Food (SCF) and/or the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) continuously evaluate additives to determine their safety and place them on the EU list once approved.

For products marketed internationally, the Joint FAO/WHO Expert Committee on Food Additives (JECFA) is responsible for assessing the safety of food additives.

Building on a Report

The EU report containing the institution's position on food additives is now in its sixth year. The Standing Committee on Plants, Animals, Food and Feed (PAFF), which brings together representatives of the Member States and the Commission to discuss food safety issues, issued such a report for the first time in 2018.

The opinion on the use of plant extracts rich in constituents capable of performing a technological function supported: "Such use of extracts providing a technological function (e.g., preservative, antioxidant, color stabilizer, etc.) in the foods to which they are added is considered a deliberate use as a food additive."

"As a result, such use is considered to meet the definition of a food additive and, therefore, must comply with the conditions laid down in food additive legislation (including relevant specifications) and be labeled accordingly with the relevant provisions for labeling food additives," continued the experts' opinion, noting:

"Although the opinions of this committee cannot be considered official positions of the Commission, all Member States supported this observation," said Stefan De Keersmaecker, spokesperson for health, food safety, regional policy, and structural reforms at the EC, to FoodNavigator.

Legal Position

PAFF's opinion aims to assist the authorities of the Member States in implementing EU rules on food additives, especially Regulation (EC) No 1333/2008 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 16 December 2008.

EU legislation defines additives as "any substance not normally consumed as a food in itself and not normally used as a characteristic ingredient of food, whether or not it has nutritive value." The EU also has legislation regulating the labeling of food additives based on predefined E numbers.

"The application of this EU legislation is the responsibility of the Member States and not of the Commission," emphasized De Keersmaecker. "Therefore, it is the responsibility of the authorities of the Member States, not the Commission, to take a position on the legal status of individual products, on a case-by-case basis," De Keersmaecker added.

For example, following Brexit, in 2023, the United Kingdom introduced The Food Additives, Food Flavorings and Novel Foods Regulations 2023, amending various elements of retained EU law concerning food additives and novel foods.

And, on October 6, 2023, the European Commission (EC) published Commission Regulation (EU) 2023/2108, establishing new reduced limits for food additives nitrites and nitrates. Implemented as a step towards the European Cancer Plan, Safe Food Advocacy Europe (SAFE) supported the move:

"SAFE has always called for stricter limits on nitrates and nitrites in food." The update to the regulations also responded to the diverse range of products and production conditions in the EU.

Policy Shifts

Amid financial uncertainty, regulatory changes, and potential political shifts in 2024, in December 2023, FoodNavigator reported on how manufacturers are updating their policies regarding food additives.

Future changes to the stevia label in November 2024 will shape how brands formulate sweeteners and market them in their products. Manufacturers will need to ensure the correct labels are on stevia-packaged products, and the content will vary depending on the source of the ingredient, adding a layer of complexity to the food supply chain.

If the guidance recommends consumers limit their intake of dietary components such as sugar, it may suggest that alternatives such as sweeteners offer a better substitute. However, this is not necessarily the case.

For example, in May 2023, the WHO issued a recommendation against the use of sugar-free sweeteners, based on evidence that they do not seem to benefit long-term weight loss or maintenance and may increase the risk of non-communicable diseases.

As regulations on high fat, salt, or sugar (HFSS) content take hold, this may encourage manufacturers to consider how food additives can be used in products to replace these components but create similar organoleptic profiles to mimic taste, texture, and mouthfeel.

Cultured Meat: A Divided Market

Lab-grown, slaughter-free meat, which can be made using various food additives, continues to be a hot topic on food producers' lips and in new product development (NPD) plans.

In 2022, the Netherlands announced €60 million in public funding for cultivated meat (C&M) research and development and precision fermentation.

The Dutch government submitted a document to the EC's PAFF in 2023, seeking to classify food crops as food additives. Other European markets, including Denmark, the UK, Spain, and Catalonia, have also committed to developing their cultured meat scenes.

However, in a move credited with preserving its culinary heritage, in November 2023, Italy passed a law banning the production and sale of cultured meat and prohibiting language describing plant-based products as meat.

"This bill tells Italians what they can and cannot eat, stifles innovation, and likely violates EU law," commented the Italian Alliance for Complementary Proteins, said the Good Food Institute (GFI).

As Italy banned cell-cultured meat, questions arise whether other countries will follow suit: "As for the UK's position, it is unlikely to see a ban," said Brigid McKevith, head of the regulatory department at the food labeling compliance company Ashbury.

"But more should become clear close to the end of 2024, when the process of approving new foods will finalize for the current presentation of cultured meat," McKevith added.

A Move Away from Artificial Zone

Natural preservatives, including mushroom and their endolysins, bacteriocins, and plant-derived substances, may offer a viable alternative to synthetic chemicals in meat preservation, a study from October 2023 by researchers at Zhejiang A&F University and Zhejiang University found.

If the research promotes the positive possibilities of natural preservatives, it may create opportunities for the industry to explore what natural means in the context of meat and to ask where synthetic food additives leave off.

However, based on current laws, this could prompt further legislative scrutiny.

"It is important to emphasize that the Regulation on food additives does not define the term 'natural'," De Keersmaecker said, adding that there are still many uncertainties. (Photo: Freepik)