IFOAM Organics Europe launches a guideline on the use of Flavourings in Organic Food

One of the new EU Organic Regulation (EU) 2018/848’s novelties is the restriction of the use of natural flavourings in organic products and the possibility to produce and certify organic flavourings.

According to the previous Organic Regulation (EC) No 834/2007, all kinds of natural flavourings were allowed in organic processing. According to the new requirements applying from 1 January 2022, only certain natural flavouring can be used in organic food.

Taking the example of a lemon flavouring, only the first category listed below can be used for organic processing:

• Natural lemon flavouring (YES), at least 95% is obtained by lemon;
• Natural lemon flavouring with other natural flavourings (NO), it tastes like lemon but less than 95% is obtained by lemon;
• Natural flavouring (NO), lemon is not there.

As the production of flavourings and their composition are quite complex topics, organic producers and control bodies still have many questions.

This is why IFOAM Organics Europe has just launched a guidance to the use of flavourings in organic food, that is now available to the public.

For more information on the new EU Organic Regulation and IFOAM Organics Europe’s work on this issue, please contact [email protected]. Please note that we will only respond to our members’ questions.

For information about what you can gain from being a member, read our membership page and contact [email protected].

To help organic producers and traders, competent authorities and control bodies navigate the legal labyrinth of these regulations, IFOAM Organics Europe has developed guidelines to the EU Organic Regulation.

This IT tool, free for our members, puts together relevant requirements for certain categories under one chapter. For example, if you are a poultry producer you will find all recitals, definitions, and requirements relevant to your activities under one chapter, and you will not need to open 10 different regulations. On the top of that, when the EU Organic Regulation refers to other EU legislations, links to these are provided as well.

If you have any questions about these guidelines and/or access to them, please contact [email protected].