1. 10. 79 Official Journal of the European Communities No C 247/1 
II 
(Preparatory Acts) 
ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL COMMITTEE 
Opinion on the proposal for a Council Directive amending for the second 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 
The text referred to the Committee has been published in Official Journal of the European 
Communities No C 115 of 8 May 1979, page 10. 
A. LEGAL BASIS FOR THE OPINION 
On 24 April 1979 the Council referred the abovementioned proposal to the Economic and 
Social Committee in accordance with Article 100 of the Treaty establishing the European 
Economic Community. 
B. OPINION OF THE ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL COMMITTEE 
The Economic and Social Committee prepared its opinion on the above matter at its 170th 
plenary session held in Brussels on 17 and 18 July 1979. 
The full text of the opinion is as follows: 
THE ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL COMMITTEE, HAS ADOPTED THE FOLLOWING OPINION 
Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European 
Economic Community, and in particular Article 100 
thereof, 
Having regard to the request made by the Council of the 
European Communities on 24 April 1979 for an opinion, 
Having regard to the decision taken by its chairman on 
10 May 1979 instructing the Section for Protection of the 
Environment, Public Health and Consumer Affairs to 
draw up - in accordance with Article 22 of the Rules of 
Procedure - an opinion and a report on the matter, 
Having regard to the opinion issued by the Section for 
Protection of the Environment, Public Health and 
Consumer Affairs at its meeting held on 29 May 1979, 
Having regard to the oral report submitted by the 
rapporteur, Mr De Grave, 
Having regard to the discussions at its 170th plenary 
session held on 17 and 18 July 1979 (meeting of 18 July 
1979), unanimously: 
The Committee approves the proposal subject to the 
following comments: 
1. The Committee is pleased that the Commission has 
reacted positively to its own earlier request and has 
consulted the Scientific Committee for Food on the cases 
of tragacanth and a number of other additives on the list. 
It would nevertheless point out that the Commission has 
not consulted the Scientific Committee for Food on other 
additives referred to at the time (gum arabic). 
2. The Committee notes that the Commission has 
asked the Scientific Committee for Food to re-examine 
only some of the emulsifiers listed — and in particular 
those to be found in Annex II. This procedure was not 
the one used in the case of colouring matters. 
The Committee regrets that the Commission has not 
asked the Scientific Committee for Food to ascertain 
No C 247/2 Official Journal of the European Communities 1. 10. 79 
whether the ADIs (acceptable daily intake) for 
sucrose-esters and sucroglycerides still reflect current 
knowledge. As far as additives E 481 and E 482 are 
concerned, the Committee notes that, in its assessments, 
the Joint FAO/WHO Committee requested that a 
number of studies be carried out on metabolism. The 
Committee feels that the Commission could have asked 
the Scientific Committee for Food whether these studies 
had been carried out. 
3. According to the Scientific Committee for Food, 
tragacanth (E 413) is only temporarily acceptable in 
foodstuffs due to the fact that it has not been possible to 
fix an ADI. The Committee therefore considers that the 
status of tragacanth should have been changed by 
transferring it to Annex II. On reading the opinion of the 
Scientific Committee for Food it would also appear that 
no views have been expressed on the allergy problems 
posed by the use of tragacanth though allergy has been 
the main objection both to tragacanth and gum arabic. 
4. On a more general note, the Committee wonders 
whether the principle of positive lists does not in fact 
imply that an additive can be authorized only if sufficient 
toxicological data are available. 
5. In its opinion the Scientific Committee for Food 
took the line that Karaya gum was not acceptable for use 
in food on the basis of existing toxicological data: 
'Establishment of an ADI would require at least a 
metabolic study, a 90-day study in a rodent species 
and a long-term study in an appropriate species. 
Bearing in mind the traditional usage of this 
substance in food, and provided the results of the 
metabolic and 90-day study become available within 
one year, the Committee would be prepared to 
reassess the present classification of this 
substance (1).' 
(') Reports of the Scientific Committee for Food (seventh 
series, 1978), page 31. 
Done at Brussels, 18 July 1979. The Committee notes that the long-term studies will not 
be completed within one year. Since, however, it has 
been informed that the preliminary studies are in 
progress it accepts the Commission's proposal that this 
substance be kept in Annex II on a provisional basis until 
the Scientific Committee has been able to examine the 
results of these preliminary toxicological studies, which 
should be available within one year. 
6. The Committee notes that additives E 491 to E 495 
of Annex I, as well as the seven polyoxyethylene 
derivatives in Annex II, have been subject to a 
reassessment by the Scientific Committee for Food. The 
Committee hopes that the essential data provided by the 
manufacturers will be published so that scientific 
comparisons can, if necessary, be made. 
7. The Committee feels that criteria of purity should 
be laid down when additives are authorized. This point 
of view is shared by the Scientific Committee for Food 
which considers, for example, that authorization of 
Xanthan gum should be coupled with rules on 
micro-organisms and nitrogen content. 
8. The Committee regrets that the Commission has 
not yet proposed any measures as laid down by Article 4 
of Directive 74/329/EEC (determination of conditions of 
use) and as requested by the Economic and Social 
Committee in its opinion of 23 November 1977 (2). 
9. Finally, the Committee would point out that one of 
the fundamental criteria to be applied when authorizing 
additives for use has to be their harmlessness. The 
additives so authorized must, however, also be necessary 
and useful and they must not bring about a reduction in 
food quality by, for example, reducing the nutritional 
value or permitting a higher water content. 
(2) OJ No C 59, 8. 3. 1978, p. 41. 
The Chairman 
of the Economic and Social Committee 
Raffaele VANNI