(This note is not part of the Regulations.)
These regulations amend the Miscellaneous Food Additives Regulations (Northern Ireland) 1996, as amended (“the principal Regulations”).
These Regulations implement—
(a)European Parliament and Council Directive 98/72/EC amending Directive 95/2/EC on food additives other than colours and sweeteners (regulations 3(a), (c) and (d), 4 to 9 and 11 to 13); and
(b)Commission Directive 98/86/EC amending Commission Directive 96/77/EC laying down specific purity criteria on food additives other than colours and sweeteners (regulations 3(b), 5 and 10(a)).
The principal provisions of the Regulations—
(1) add flour treatment agents to the list of additive categories controlled as miscellaneous additives (regulation 3(c) and (d));
(2) add four new additives to the list of miscellaneous additives generally permitted for use in foods not referred to in Schedule 6, 7 or 8 to the principal Regulations (regulation 6);
(3) provide for additional uses of certain conditionally permitted additives in various foods (regulations 7 and 8), remove E 233 Thiabendazole from the list of permitted miscellaneous additives (regulation 7(c) (i)), permit the use of one new group of additives, E 343 Magnesium phosphates, in certain foods (regulation 8), and reduce the level of sulphur dioxide permitted in certain sugars (regulation 7(b)(iii));
(4) add a number of new substances to the list of permitted carriers and carrier solvents (regulation 9);
(5) remove the restrictions on the use of generally permitted additives in certain types of cream (regulation 11 and 12) and dry pasta (regulation 11), and increase the restrictions on the use of such additives in plain pasteurised cream (regulation 12); and
(6) provide for additional uses of certain permitted additives and for use of one new additive, E 1451 Acetylated oxidised starch, in specified foods for infants and young children including such foods for special medical purposes (regulation 13).
The Regulations also make consequential amendments to other legislation (regulation 14) and a minor drafting amendment (regulation 13(c)(ii)) and a correction (regulation 10(b)).