The authorization of 8 smoke flavorings for food will not be granted at European level due to risks linked to genotoxicity.
Last April 24, the European Commission gave the green light to the non-authorization proposal. After a phase-out period, the use of these flavorings will no longer be permitted in the European Union.
What smoking flavors will be prohibited?
The substances affected are the following:
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SF-001 “proFagus Smoke R714” (previously called “Scansmoke PB 1110”);
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SF-002 “Zesti Smoke Code 10;
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SF-003 “Smoke Concentration 809045”;
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SF-004 “Scansmoke SEF7525”;
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SF-005 “SmokeEx C-10”;
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SF-006 “SmokEz Enviro-23”;
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SF-008 “proFagus Smoke R709”;
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SF-009 “Fumokomp Conc.” (formerly called “Fumokomp”).
The decision was made after the European Food Safety Authority ( EFSA ) published an assessment in November 2023 finding that, for all eight smoke flavourings, genotoxicity concerns were confirmed or could not be excluded .
“Based on the available scientific evidence on flavorings – explained Wim Mennes, president of the EFSA working group – we could not exclude concerns relating to genotoxicity for any of the eight smoke flavourings.
Genotoxicity is the ability of a chemical substance to damage the genetic material of cells. Changes or mutations to genetic information within a cell can increase the risk of developing conditions such as cancer and hereditary diseases.
For this type of toxicity it is not possible to define a safety level."
Following extensive discussions with Member States and interested parties – reads a note from the European Commission – the regulation establishes several phase-out periods to give producers and operators time to adapt to the new rules.
The use of these flavorings will be phased out in the European Union, with different transition periods depending on their use:
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5 years for products in which they replace traditional smoking (e.g. hams, fish, cheeses)
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2 years for products where smoke flavoring is added for extra flavor (e.g. soups, chips, sauces)
The European Commission will formally adopt the regulation in the coming weeks and it will enter into force this spring.