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angle-left ADVISORY: Use of Anatto in Food Products Exported to EU

DTI’s Philippine Trade and Investment Center in Brussles, Belgium informed DTI-EMB that the EU Commission Regulation 2020/771 has adopted the amending Annexes II and III of Regulation 1333/2008 on Food Additives, specifically on the authorisation of annatto, bixin and norbixin (E 160b) as a food colour in a variety of food products.

The results of tests on the safety of the above-cited food additives by the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) showed that Annatto bixin (E 160b(i)) and Annatto norbixin (E 160b(ii)) have different toxicological properties and, therefore, different ADIs. It was decided that the food additive ‘Annatto, Bixin, Norbixin (E 160b)’ should be deleted from the Union list of authorised food additives and two separate food additives, namely Annatto bixin (E 160b(i)) and Annatto norbixin (E 160b(ii)) should be listed.

In this regard, the authorised uses and conditions of use for both food additives replaced selected condition for ‘Annatto, Bixin, Norbixin (E 160b)’ as well as new entries for the both or either of the two new food additives Annatto bixin (E 160b(i)) and Annatto norbixin (E 160b(ii)) for selected food products.

The purity criteria of both new additives has been added to the purity criteria of all allowed food additives contained in the Annex to Commission Regulation 231/2012 - please refer to Annex II of Commission Regulation 2020/771.

The amendments and new entries pertinent to possible PH exports to the EU, include the following:

  1. New entry - Category 04.2.5.3 (Other similar jam, jellies and marmalades and sweetened except chestnut purée as defined by Directive 2001/113/EC) - E 160b(i) (Annatto bixin) and E 160b(ii) (Annatto norbixin) at maximum level of 20 mg/kg (page 31)

  2. Amendment - Category 05.4 (Decorations, coatings and fillings, except fruit-based fillings covered by category 4.2.4) - E 160b(i) Annatto bixin at maximum level 80 mg/kg for decorations and coatings and E 160b(ii) Annatto norbixin at maximum level of 20 mg/kg only decorations and coating - page 32

  3. New entry - Category 06.5 (Noodles) - E 160b(i) Annatto bixin and E 160b(ii) Annatto norbixin at maximum level of 20 mg/kg - page 32

  4. New entry - Category 09.2 (Processed fish and fishery products including molluscs and crustaceans) - E 160b(i) Annatto bixin and E 160b(ii) Annatto norbixin both at maximum level of 30 mg/kg for surimi and similar products and salmon substitutes - page 34

  5. New entry - Category 12.5 (Soups and broths) - E 160b(i) (Annatto bixin) at maximum level of 15 mg/kg and E 160b(ii) Annatto norbixin at maximum level of 10 mg/kg - page 35

  6. New entry - Category 12.6 (Sauces) - E 160b(i) Annatto bixin and E 160b(ii) Annatto norbixin at maximum level of 30 mg/kg on all sauces including pickles, relishes, chutney and piccalilli but excluding tomato-based sauces - page 35

  7. New entry - Category 14.1.4 (Flavoured drinks) - E 160b(i) Annatto bixin for a maximum level of 20 mg/kg

  8. Amendment - Category 14.2.8 (Other alcoholic drinks including mixtures of alcoholic drinks with non-alcoholic drinks and spirits with less than 15 % of alcohol), the entry for E 160b (Annatto, Bixin, Norbixin) is replaced by E 160b(ii) Annatto norbixin maximum level of 10 mg/kg for alcoholic drinks with less than 15 % of alcohol

  9. Amendment - Category 16 (Desserts excluding products covered in category 1, 3 and 4) - E 160b(i) Annatto bixin at maximum level of 15 mg/kg and E 160b(ii) Annatto norbixin at maximum level of 7,5 mg/kg.

Please also be informed of the following important dates:

  • Until 2 January 2021 - the use of the previous maximum levels for Annatto, Bixin, Norbixin (E 160b) may continue to be placed on the market
  • Until 2 January 2021 foods containing Annatto, Bixin, Norbixin (E 160b), which are produced and labelled before 2 July 2020 may continue to be placed on the market