22.3.2012 Official Journal of the European Union L 83/1 II (Non-legislative acts) REGULATIONS COMMISSION REGULATION (EU) No 231/2012 of 9 March 2012 laying down specifications for food additives listed in Annexes II and Il to Regulation (EC) No 1333/2008 of the European Parliament and of the Council (Text with EEA relevance) THE EUROPEAN COMMISSION, Having regard to the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union, Having regard to Regulation (EC) No 1333/2008 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 16 December 2008 on food additives ('), and in particular Articles 14 and 30(4) thereof, and Regulation (EC) No 1331/2008 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 16 December 2008 establishing a common authorisation procedure for food additives, food enzymes and food flavourings (3), and in particular Article 7(5) thereof, Whereas: (1)  Specifications relating to origin, purity criteria and any other necessary information should be adopted for food additives listed in the Union lists in Annex II and III to Regulation (EC) No 1333/2008. (2)  To that end, specifications previously developed for food additives in Commission Directive 2008/128/EC of 22 December 2008 laying down specific purity criteria concerning colours for use in foodstuffs (}), Commission Directive 2008/84/EC of 27 August 2008 laying down specific purity criteria on food additives other than colours and sweeteners () and Commission Directive 2008/60/EC of 17 June 2008 laying down specific purity criteria concerning sweeteners for use in food- stuffs (°) should be updated and taken over to this Regu- lation. As a consequence, those Directives should be repealed. (3) It is necessary to take into account the specifications and analytical techniques as set out in the Codex Alimentarius drafted by the Joint FAO/WHO Expert Committee on Food Additives (hereafter JECFA). () O] L 354, 31.12.2008, p. 16. () O] L 354, 31.12.2008, p. 1. () O] L 6, 10.1.2009, p. 20. (4 O] L 253, 20.9.2008, p. 1. () O] L 158, 18.6.2008, p. 17. ) - The European Food Safety Authority (hereinafter ‘the Authority’) expressed its opinion on the safety of basic methacrylate copolymer (°) as a glazing agent. That food additive has subsequently been authorised on the basis of specific uses and has been allocated the number E 1205. Therefore specifications should be adopted for that food additive. Food colours ethyl ester of beta-apo-8'-carotenic acid (E 160 f), and brown FK (E 154), as well as the aluminium containing carrier bentonite (E 558) are not used any more according to information submitted by food manu- facturers. Therefore, current specifications for those food additives should not be taken over to this Regulation. On 10 February 2010 the Authority expressed an opinion on the safety of sucrose esters of fatty acids (E 473) prepared from vinyl esters of fatty acids (). Current specifications should be adapted accordingly in particular by reducing maximum limits for impurities of safety concern. Specific purity criteria currently applicable should be adapted by reducing maximum limits for individual heavy metals of interest where feasible and where the JECFA limits are lower than those currently in force. Pursuant to that approach maximum limits for the contaminant 4-methylimidazole in ammonia caramel (E 150 ¢), sulphated ash in beta-carotene (E 160 a (i), and magnesium and alkali salts in calcium carbonate (E 170), should be lowered. That approach should be departed from only for additives trisodium citrate (E 331 (iii)) (lead content), carrageenan (E 407) and (6) EFSA Panel on Food Additives and Nutrient Sources added to Food (ANS); Scientific Opinion on the use of Basic Methacrylate Copolymer as a food additive on request from the European Commission. EFSA Journal 2010; 8(2):1513. EFSA Panel on Food Additives and Nutrient Sources added to Food (ANS); Scientific Opinion on the safety of sucrose esters of fatty acids prepared from vinyl esters of fatty acids and on the extension of use of sucrose esters of fatty acids in flavourings on request from the European Commission. EFSA Journal 2010; 8(3):1512.