Based on the changing political landscapes, evolving biotechnology-driven categories, and regulatory shifts in 2023, we look at how these influence food additives and what further changes we can expect to see, as outlined in an analysis published by FoodNavigator.

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.

Against the backdrop of new guidelines and laws affecting additives, on November 16, 2023, the World Health Organization (WHO) published a fact sheet on food additives, bringing together information on what they are, how they are assessed for safety, and how consumers can find out about additives in their food products.

Safety assessment of food additives

The Scientific Committee on Food (SCF) and/or the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) evaluate additives to determine their safety and place them on the EU list once approved. For internationally marketed products, the Joint FAO/WHO Expert Committee on Food Additives (JECFA) is responsible for evaluating the safety of food additives.

The EU'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 its position on food additives on September 17, 2018.

The PAFF opinion on the use of plant extracts rich in constituents capable of serving 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 to be a deliberate use as a food additive."

"Consequently, 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 appropriate provisions for labeling food additives," the opinion continued.

"Although the opinions of this committee cannot be considered official positions of the Commission, all Member States supported this opinion," said Stefan De Keersmaecker, spokesperson for Health, Food Safety, Regional Policy, and Structural Reforms at the EC, to FoodNavigator.

Legal position

The PAFF opinion aims to assist the authorities of the Member States in enforcing 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," De Keersmaecker emphasized. "Therefore, it is the responsibility of the authorities of the Member States, not of the Commission, to take a position on the legal status of individual products, on a case-by-case basis," De Keersmaecker added.

After Brexit, in 2023, the UK introduced The Food Additives, Food Flavorings and Novel Foods Regulations 2023, amending various elements of retained EU law relating to food additives and novel foods.

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 foods." The update to the regulations also responded to the diverse range of products and production conditions in the EU.

Policy changes

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

The forthcoming stevia labeling changes 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-containing product packaging, and the content will vary depending on the source of the ingredient, adding a layer of complexity to the food supply chain.

If the guide recommends that consumers limit their intake of dietetic components such as sugar, it may suggest that alternatives, such as sweeteners, offer a better substitute. However, this is not necessarily the case. WHO, for example, issued a recommendation in May 2023 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 high-fat, salt, or sugar (HFSS) regulations settle in, it may encourage manufacturers to explore 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 that can be made using various food additives continues to be a hot topic on the lips of food manufacturers and 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 cultures" 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 reported to preserve its culinary heritage, in November 2023, Italy passed a law banning the production and sale of cultivated meat and prohibiting language that describes plant-based products as meat.

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

As Italy bans lab-grown cellular meat, questions arise whether other countries will follow suit. "As far as the UK's position goes, it's unlikely we'll see a ban," said Brigid McKevith, head of regulatory affairs at food labeling compliance company Ashbury, to FoodNavigator.

"But more should become clear closer to the end of 2024, when the approval process for the current presentation of cultivated meat will complete," McKevith added.

A move away from the artificial?

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

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 question where synthetic food additives leave off.

However, based on current laws, this could prompt additional legislative scrutiny. "It is important to underline that the Regulation on food additives does not define the term 'natural'," De Keersmaecker said.(Foto: Freepik)