Commission Directive 1999/75/EC of 22 July 1999 amending Commission Directive 95/45/EC laying down specific purity criteria concerning colours for use in foodstuffs (Text with EEA relevance)
5. 8. 1999 EN Official Journal of the European Communities L 206/19 COMMISSION DIRECTIVE 1999/75/EC of 22 July 1999 amending Commission Directive 95/45/EC laying down specific purity criteria concerning colours for use in foodstuffs (Text with EEA relevance) THE COMMISSION OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES, HAS ADOPTED THIS DIRECTIVE: Directive 95/45/EC is hereby amended as follows: Article 1 In the Annex part B the chapter concerning E 160a (i) Mixed Carotenes is replaced by the text of the Annex to this Directive. Article 2 Member States shall bring into force the laws, regulations and administrative provisions necessary to comply with this Directive before 1. 7. 2000. They shall immediately inform the Commission thereof. these provisions, When Member States adopt these shall contain a reference to this Directive or shall be accompanied by such reference at the time of their official publication. The procedure for such reference shall be adopted by Member States. Article 3 This Directive shall enter into force on the twentieth day following that of its publication in the Official Journal of the European Communities. 1. This Directive is addressed to the Member States. Article 4 Done at Brussels, 22 July 1999. For the Commission Karel VAN MIERT Member of the Commission Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European Community, Having regard to Council Directive 89/107/EEC of 21 December 1988 on the approximation of the laws of the Member States concerning food additives authorised for use in foodstuffs intended for human consumption (1), as amended by European Parliament and Council Directive 94/34/EC (2), and in particular Article 3(3)(a) thereof; After consulting the Scientific Committee for Food, (1) Whereas European Parliament and Council Directive 94/ 36/EC of 30 June 1994 on colours for use in food- stuffs (3), lists those substances which may be used as colours in foodstuffs; (2) Whereas Commission Directive 95/45/EC of 26 July 1995 laying down specific purity criteria concerning colours for use in foodstuffs (4) sets out the purity criteria for the colours mentioned in Directive 94/36/EC; (3) Whereas it is necessary, technical progress, to amend the purity criteria set out in Directive 95/45/EC for mixed carotenes (E160a (i)); whereas it is consequently necessary to adapt this Directive; in the light of (4) Whereas it is appropriate to take into account the speci- fications and analytical techniques for colours as set out in the Codex Alimentarius and the Joint FAO/WHO Expert Committee on Food Additives (JECFA); (5) Whereas the measures provided for in this Directive are the Standing in accordance with the opinion of Committee on Foodstuffs; (1) OJ L 40, 11. 2. 1989, p. 27. (2) OJ L 237, 10. 9. 1994, p. 1. (3) OJ L 237, 10. 9. 1994, p. 13. (4) OJ L 226, 22. 9. 1995, p. 1. L 206/20 EN Official Journal of the European Communities 5. 8. 1999 ‘E 160a (i) mixed carotenes 1. PLANT CAROTENES Synonyms Definition ANNEX CI Food Orange 5 Mixed carotenes are obtained by solvent extraction of natural strains of edible plants, carrots, vegetable oils, grass, alfalfa (lucerne) and nettle. The main colouring principle consists of carotenoids of which beta-carotene accounts for the major part. a, c-carotene and other pigments may be present. Besides the colour pigments, this substance may contain oils, fats and waxes naturally occurring in the source material. Only the following solvents may be used in the extraction: acetone, methyl ethyl ketone, methanol, ethanol, propan-2-ol, hexane, dichloromethane and carbon dioxide. Class Carotenoid Colour Index No 75130 EINECS 230-636-6 Chemical formula b-Carotene: C 40 H 56 Molecular weight b-Carotene: 536,88 Assay Content of carotenes (calculated as b-carotene) is not less than 5 %. For prod- ucts obtained by extraction of vegetable oils: not less than 0,2 % in edible fats E 1 % 2 500 at ca 440 nm — 457 nm in cyclohexane 1 cm Identification A. Spectrometry Maximum in cyclohexane at 440 nm — 457 nm and 470 nm — 486 nm Purity Solvent residues Acetone Methyl ethyl ketone Methanol Propan-2-ol Hexane Ethanol Not more than 50 mg/kg, singly or in combination Dichloromethane Not more than 10 mg/kg Arsenic Lead Mercury Not more than 3 mg/kg Not more than 10 mg/kg Not more than 1 mg/kg Cadmium Not more than 1 mg/kg Heavy metals (as Pb) Not more than 40 mg/kg 5. 8. 1999 EN Official Journal of the European Communities L 206/21 2. ALGAL CAROTENES Definition Class Colour Index No Assay Identification Mixed carotenes may also be produced from the algae Dunaliella salina, grown in large saline lakes located in Whyalla, South Australia. Beta-carotene is extracted using an essential oil. The preparation is 20-30 % suspension in soya bean oil containing natural tocopherols (up to 0,3 %). The ratio of trans-cis isomers is in the range of 50/50 — 71/29. The main colouring principle consists of carotenoids of which beta-carotene accounts for the major part. Alpha-carotene, lutein, zeaxanthin and beta-cryp- toxanthin may be present. Besides the colour pigments, this substance may contain oils, fats and waxes naturally occurring in the source material. Carotenoid 75130 Content of carotenes (calculated as b-carotene) is not less than 20 %. A. Spectrometry Maximum in cyclohexane at 448 nm — 457 nm and 474 nm — 486 nm Purity Arsenic Lead Mercury Cadmium Not more than 3 mg/kg Not more than 10 mg/kg Not more than 1 mg/kg Not more than 1 mg/kg Heavy metals (as Pb) Not more than 40 mg/kg'