Food Additives Regulation refers to Regulation (EC) No 1333/2008, which permits only additives included on the EU Union list and specifies the food categories and conditions under which each additive may lawfully be used.
In trade practice
Buyers check product specifications and ingredient declarations against the Union list to confirm that any additive present is authorised for the specific food category being supplied. Suppliers of processed fruit, vegetable or grain products must ensure that carry-over from ingredients does not result in an unlawful additive presence in the finished product. Labelling audits and certificate-of-conformity reviews are the most common verification steps. Errors frequently arise when a preservative permitted in an ingredient is not permitted in the final product category.
In a specification
Specifications for processed products typically state that no additive may be present unless it appears on the Union list for the declared food category, with the additive name and E-number referenced in the ingredient declaration.