New maximum levels for aluminium in thickening agents
How to use modern aluminium analysis to check compliance with new maximum levels
August 2026. By means of Regulation (EU) 2026/196, the European Commission has amended the specifications for several food additives and introduced new or stricter requirements regarding aluminium content. The new specifications will apply from 18 August 2026. The following article describes where aluminium is found, how it enters food and food additives, which foods are particularly likely to be contaminated, the importance of monitoring aluminium levels, and how Eurofins carries out quantification.
Occurrence and entry into food
Aluminium is the third most abundant element in the Earth’s crust and occurs naturally in rocks, soils and water bodies. Owing to its ubiquitous occurrence, it continuously enters the food chain via natural processes. In addition, anthropogenic sources, such as industrial processes, mining, the manufacture of aluminium-containing materials or agricultural applications, can contribute to increased exposure.
Plant-based raw materials absorb aluminium from the soil. Consequently, food additives derived from plants in particular may contain aluminium. This applies, for example, to locust bean gum (E 410), guar gum (E 412), gum arabic (E 414), xanthan gum (E 415), pectins (E 440) and sodium octenylsuccinate of starch (E 1450), for which new specifications have been laid down in Regulation (EU) 2026/196.
Foods that may contain elevated levels of aluminium include herbs and spices, cocoa and chocolate products, tea, cereal products and certain baked goods. Furthermore, food additives can make a significant contribution to aluminium intake, particularly when they are derived from plant-based raw materials containing aluminium.
Effects on human health
Aluminium has no known essential physiological function in the human body. It is mainly ingested via food and drinking water. Once absorbed, aluminium is distributed throughout the body and can accumulate, in particular, in bones, the lungs and various tissues.
Long-term elevated exposure to aluminium is suspected of having adverse effects on the nervous and skeletal systems. For this reason, the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) has established a tolerable weekly intake (TWI) of 1 mg/kg body weight for aluminium. The risk assessment focuses in particular on vulnerable population groups, such as infants, young children and people with impaired kidney function.
Legal situation
Commission Regulation (EU) 2026/196 of 28 January 2026 amends the specifications for several food additives and, amongst other things, introduces maximum aluminium levels for certain hydrocolloids. This applies in particular to gum arabic (E 414) and pectins (E 440), for which specific maximum aluminium levels have been set for the first time. At the same time, the purity requirements for other thickeners and gelling agents have been revised. The aim of these amendments is to further reduce exposure to aluminium and other undesirable elements. The new requirements will apply from 18 August 2026.
Analysis of aluminium
Sensitive and reliable analytical methods are required for the determination of aluminium in foodstuffs, raw materials and food additives. Eurofins’ Metals and Elements Production Centre offers the quantification of aluminium using inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectrometry (ICP-OES) and inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS). These methods enable the reliable determination of aluminium at both trace levels and higher concentrations, and support manufacturers, importers and distributors in verifying compliance with regulatory requirements and ensuring the quality of their products.
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Written by:
Franziska Wiesner
Eurofins WEJ Contaminants GmbH