Commission Directive 2004/77/EC of 29 April 2004 amending Directive 94/54/EC as regards the labelling of certain foods containing glycyrrhizinic acid and its ammonium salt (Text with EEA relevance)
Date: 2004-04-29
Institutions: European Commission
Subjects: approximation of laws, chemical product, consumer information, foodstuff, labelling

L 162/76

EN

Official Journal of the European Union

30.4.2004

COMMISSION DIRECTIVE 2004/77/EC

of 29 April 2004

amending Directive 94/54/EC as regards the labelling of certain foods containing glycyrrhizinic
acid and its ammonium salt

(Text with EEA relevance)

THE COMMISSION OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES,

Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European
Community,

Having regard to Directive 2000/13/EC of the European Parlia-
ment and of the Council of 20 March 2000 on the approxima-
tion of the laws of the Member States relating to the labelling,
presentation and advertising of foodstuffs (1), and in particular
Article 4(2) thereof,

After consulting the Scientific Committee on Food,

Whereas:

(1)

(2)

(3)

Commission Directive 94/54/EC of 18 November 1994
concerning the compulsory indication on the labelling of
certain foodstuffs of particulars other
than those
provided for in Directive 2000/13/EC (2) contains a list
of foodstuffs for which the labelling must include one or
more additional particulars.

The purpose of this Directive is to supplement that list
with regard to certain foods containing glycyrrhizinic
acid and its ammonium salt.

Glycyrrhizinic acid naturally occurs in the liquorice
plant Glycyrrhiza glabra while its ammonium salt is
manufactured from aqueous extracts of liquorice plant
Glycyrrhiza glabra. Glycyrrhizinic acid and its ammo-
nium salt are included in the Community register of
flavouring substances laid down by Commission Deci-
sion 1999/217/EC of 23 February 1999 adopting a
register of flavouring substances used in or on foodstuffs
drawn up in application of Regulation (EC) No 2232/96
of the European Parliament and of the Council of 28
October 1996 (3). Exposure to glycyrrhizinic acid and its
ammonium salt occur mostly via consumption of
liquorice confectionery, including chewing gum, herbal
teas and other beverages.

(4)

The Scientific Committee on Food, in its opinion of 4
April 2003 on glycyrrhizinic acid and its ammonium
salt, concluded that an upper limit for regular ingestion
of 100 mg/day provides a sufficient level of protection
for the majority of the population, consumption above

(1) OJ L 109, 6.5.2000, p. 29. Directive as amended by Directive
2003/89/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 10
November 2003 (OJ L 308, 25.11.2003, p. 15).

(2) OJ L 300, 23.11.1994, p. 14. Directive as amended by Council

Directive 96/21/EC (OJ L 88, 5.4.1996, p. 5).

(3) OJ L 84, 27.3.1999, p. 1. Decision as amended by Decision 2002/

113/EC (OJ 49, 20.2.2002, p. 1).

this level may give rise to hypertension. However the
Committee noted that within the human population
there are subgroups for which this upper limit might
not
subgroups
comprise people with medical conditions related to
disturbed water- and electrolyte homeostasis.

protection. These

sufficient

offer

(5)

(6)

(7)

These findings make it necessary to provide labelling
which gives the consumers clear information on the
presence of glycyrrhizinic acid or its ammonium salt in
confectionery and beverages. In the case of high contents
of glycyrrhizinic acid or its ammonium salt in these
products,
those
suffering from hypertension,
should in addition be
informed that excessive intake should be avoided. To
ensure a good understanding of these information by the
consumers,
the well known term ‘liquorice extracts’
should be preferably used.

and in particular

consumers,

the

Directive 94/54/EC should therefore be amended accord-
ingly.

The measures provided for in this Directive are in
accordance with the opinion of the Standing Committee
on the Food Chain and Animal Health,

HAS ADOPTED THIS DIRECTIVE:

Article 1

Annex to Directive 94/54/EC is amended in accordance with
the text set out in the Annex to this Directive.

Article 2

The Member States shall permit trade in products which

1.
comply with this Directive from 20 May 2005 at the latest.

The Member States shall prohibit trade in products which

2.
do not comply with this Directive from 20 May 2006.

However, products which do not comply with this Directive
and which were labelled before 20 May 2006 shall be
authorised while stocks last.

30.4.2004

EN

Official Journal of the European Union

L 162/77

Article 3

Article 4

1. Member States shall bring into force the laws, regulations
and administrative provisions necessary to comply with this
Directive by 20 May 2005 at the latest. They shall forthwith
communicate to the Commission the text of those provisions
and a correlation table between those provisions and this Direc-
tive.

When Member States adopt those provisions, they shall contain
a reference to this Directive or be accompanied by such a refer-
ence on the occasion of their official publication. Member
States shall determine how such reference is to be made.

2. Member States shall communicate to the Commission the
text of the main provisions of national law which they adopt in
the field covered by this Directive.

This Directive shall enter into force on the 20th day following
that of its publication in the Official Journal of the European
Union.

This Directive is addressed to the Member States.

Article 5

Done at Brussels, 29 April 2004.

For the Commission

David BYRNE

Member of the Commission

In Annex to Directive 94/54/EC, the following text is added:

ANNEX

Type or category of foodstuff

Particulars

Confectionery or beverages containing glycyrrhizinic acid
the
its ammonium salt due to the addition of
or
substance(s) as such or the liquorice plant Glycyrrhiza
glabra, at concentration of 100 mg/kg or 10 mg/l or
above.

The terms ‘contains liquorice’ shall be added immediately
after the list of ingredients, unless the term ‘liquorice’ is
already included in the list of ingredients or in the name
under which the product is sold. In absence of list of ingre-
dients, the particular shall take place nearby the name
under which the product is sold.

Confectionary containing glycyrrhizinic acid or its ammo-
nium salt due to the addition of the substance(s) as such
or the liquorice plant Glycyrrhiza glabra at concentrations
of 4 g/kg or above.

‘contains

The following message must be added after the list of
from
ingredients:
hypertension should avoid excessive consumption’.
In
absence of list of ingredients, the particular shall take place
nearby the name under which the product is sold.

liquorice-people

suffering

Beverages containing glycyrrhizinic acid or its ammonium
salt due to the addition of the substance(s) as such or the
liquorice plant Glycyrrhiza glabra at concentrations of
50 mg/l or above, or of 300 mg/l or above in the case of
beverages containing more than 1,2 % by volume of
alcohol (1).

‘contains

The following message must be added after the list of
liquorice- people suffering from
ingredients:
hypertension should avoid excessive consumption’.
In
absence of list of ingredients, the particular shall take place
nearby the name under which the product is sold.

(1) The level shall apply to the products as proposed ready for consumption or as reconstituted according to the instructions of the

manufacturers