European regulation of low-calorie sweeteners
The Sweeteners Directive
In the European Union, the harmonisation of legislation – that is, ensuring that all Member States have similar laws and regulations - is a continuous process. The harmonisation of legislation on foodstuffs, and food additives in particular, is an exceptional achievement. Directive 94/35/EC (the „European Parliament and Council Directive on sweeteners in foodstuffs", also known as the „Sweeteners Directive"), was adopted on June 30, 1994. To keep pace with technological developments in the area of sweeteners, two amending Directives were adopted later; i.e. Directive 96/83/EC on December 19, 1996 and Directive 2003/115/EC which entered into force on 29 January 2004. The latter introduced two new sweeteners: aspartame-acesulfame salt (E962) and sucralose (E955), in addition to the six intense sweeteners already authorised: acesulfame-K (E950), aspartame (E951), cyclamate (E952), neohesperidine DC (E959), saccharin (E954), and thaumatin (E957).
It is the European Commission, the EU regulatory body and risk manager of EU food safety policy, that proposes an amendment to the existing sweeteners legislation after having received an opinion from the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA), the risk assessor, with regard to the safety of a new low-calorie sweetener. Under the current procedure of co-decision it is the European Parliament together with the European Council of Ministers that adopts the proposed legislation.
Each low-calorie sweetener is permitted according to set use levels for that sweetener, irrespective of whether it is used as a sole low-calorie sweetener in a product or in combination with other low-calorie sweeteners. The amounts of food additives permitted in different foods and beverages are established so that even the average daily intake by high consumers over prolonged periods of time would not exceed the ADI value.
To facilitate consultation of the permitted use of low-calorie sweeteners, the European Commission has produced a consolidated version of the four Directives: the original Sweeteners Directive and its three amendments. The articles contain explanations and special provisions; the annexes indicate the maximum levels of use of each low-calorie sweetener in a given food category.
Other relevant EU legislation
Other areas of legislative interest for the ISA include:
- framework legislation on food
- framework legislation on food labelling
- framework legislation on food additives
- nutrition labelling
- health and nutrition claims on food