ALERT: ban on smoke flavorings

What does this mean for your preparation method, ingredients, and product label?

• The ban applies to the 8 smoke flavourings SF-001, SF-002, SF-003, SF-004, SF-005, SF-006, SF-008, and SF-009.
• Does your product contain one of these 8 smoke flavourings? If your product complies with the provisions for these smoke flavouring products as established in the EU list prior to 21 August, 2024, your product may remain on the market until the end of its shelf life. You may also still place the product on the market. However, you must place the product on the market no later than 1 July, 2029, or 1 July, 2026 (depending on the type of product).
  • The 1 July, 2029 deadline applies to food categories 1.7 (Cheese and cheese products), 8 (Meat), 9.2 (Processed fish and fishery products, including crustaceans and molluscs), 9.3 (Fish roe), and their respective subcategories.
  • The 1 July, 2026 deadline applies to all other food products.
• Preparations containing (any of) these 8 smoke flavourings may still be used in food products until 1 July, 2029, or 1 July, 2026 (the date depends on the type of product). 'Preparations' are defined as: smoke flavourings or mixtures of one or more smoke flavourings with other food ingredients, such as flavourings, food additives, enzymes, or carriers, intended to facilitate their storage, sale, standardisation, dilution, or dissolution.
• This means you must now proactively look for a new product formulation, new ingredients, or a new preparation method, along with the corresponding product and label updates, to comply with these new regulations.