31. 12. 88 Official Journal of the European Communities No C 337/5 
Opinion on the proposal for a Council Directive amending for the fifth time Directive 
74/329/EEC on the approximation of the laws of the Member States relating to 
emulsifiers, stabilizers, thickeners and gelling agents for use in foodstuffs 
(88/C 337/02) 
On 1 July 1988 the Council decided to consult the Economic and Social Committee, 
under Article 100 A of the Treaty establishing the European Economic Community on the 
abovementioned proposal. 
The Committee instructed its sections for protection of the environment, public health and 
consumer affairs to prepare its work on the matter. The section adopted its Opinion on 
4 October 1988. (Rapporteur: Mrs Williams; co-rapporteurs: Mr Riera-Marsa and Mr Saiu). 
At its 259th plenary session (meeting of 27 October 1988) the Economic and Social Committee 
adopted the following Opinion unanimously. 
1. General 
All the emulsifiers and stabilizers covered by this pro­
posal are currently in Annex II of the Directive 74/329/ 
EEC. This means that Member States may permit their 
use but need not do so. Only some Member States 
permit the use of all those substances at present. These 
differences are due to historical reasons pre-dating the 
EEC. They also pre-date many of the safety-in-use tests 
which have now been carried out. 
Given the results of safety-in-use tests stretching over 
many years, the Commission proposes transferring the­
se products to Annex I and making them generally 
available throughout the EEC. This had already been 
proposed in 1984 and generally approved by the Econ­
omic and Social Committee and Parliament. However, 
the Council has prevaricated on any action and this 
new proposal therefore has become necessary. It takes 
into account further safety-in-use tests carried out since 
1984. 
The Committee supports the Commission proposal to 
transfer the substances concerned from Annex II (tem­
porary list) to Annex I (permanent list), thus abolishing 
Annex II, and with the proposed implementation date 
of 1 January 1989. 
The Committee notes, however, that a further more 
comprehensive proposal on the conditions of use of 
these and other substances will be put forward by the 
Commission in due course and that this will be of 
significance within the framework of the achievement 
of the internal market by 1992. 
2. Tragacanth gum — E413 
2.1. This gum originates from a shrub grown in Iran 
and Turkey. It is highly resistant to acid and is therefore 
used in salad dressings and mayonnaise. It also gives a 
very thick paste, making it useful for flour confec­
tionery. 2.2. Both the Joint Expert Committee on food addi­
tives of the World Health Organization (WHO) and of 
the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United 
Nations (FAO) (JECFA) and the Scientific Committee 
for food (SCF) have evaluated it and have given a non-
specified (i.e. unlimited) acceptable daily intake (ADI). 
2.3. The Committee approves the Commission's pre­
sent proposal. 
• 3. Karaya gum — E416 
3.1. This is a gum from a plant grown particularly 
in India. While its main use is as a thickener in medi­
cines, it also has a specialized use in a number of foods. 
3.2. The SCF has recently given an ADI of 0-12,5 
mg/kg body weight, while JECFA has given a non-
specified ADI. The reason for the difference is that 
JECFA was able to include some recent Indian safety-
in-use studies in its evaluation. 
3.3. The Committee maintains its previous advice (!) 
endorsing the Commission's proposal, viz. that follow­
ing further research by the SCF a more extensive autho­
rization of this substance may be allowed and that it 
can be transferred from Annex II to Annex I. 
4. Polysorbates — E432 to E436 
4.1. These are a family of esters prepared from 
polyoxyethylene and fatty acids. They are very efficient 
emulsifiers for oil in water. The exact properties vary 
with the fatty acid portion, thus allowing the lipophilic 
(•) JO No C 248, 17. 9. 1984, p. 28 and 29. 
No C 337/6 Official Journal of the European Communities 31. 12. 88 
properties to be adjusted exactly to the food product 
being manufactured. 
4.2. JECFA has evaluated polysorbates at 0-25 mg/ 
kg body weight and the SCF at 10 mg/kg body weight. 
4.3. The Economic and Social Committee maintains 
its previous position endorsing the Commission's 
proposal, viz. that it notes that the SCF considers that 
these substances are now acceptable for inclusion in 
Annex I. 
Done at Brussels, 27 October 1988. 5. Thermally oxidized soya bean oil — E479 
5.1. This product consists of mono- and di-glycerides 
of fatty acids reacted with soya bean oil and is used 
mainly as an anti-spattering agent for margarine when 
the latter is used for frying. 
5.2. The SCF has given an ADI of 0-25 mg/kg body 
weight. JECFA has had no request to consider it so far. 
Here too the Committee endorses the Commission's 
proposal 
The Chairman 
of the Economic and Social Committee 
Alberto MASPRONE