As of 23 April, 2024, stearyl tartrate (E 483) may no longer be used in new batches of food products. This is laid down in Regulation (EU) 2023/2379. The food additive E 483 is used, for example, in bakery products. Foods containing stearyl tartrate (E 483) that have been lawfully placed on the market before 23 April, 2024, may remain on the market until their date of minimum durability ('best before') or 'use-by' date.
This decision follows an opinion issued by the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) to re-evaluate the use of stearyl tartrate (E 483) as a food additive. According to EFSA, there is a lack of adequate data regarding the toxicity of stearyl tartrate, as well as insufficient data to support read-across comparisons with other substances. Consequently, EFSA cannot confirm the safety of stearyl tartrate as a food additive or establish an acceptable daily intake (ADI) for this compound.
As a result, its inclusion on the list of authorised food additives is no longer justified, and stearyl tartrate (E 483) has been removed from the Union list of approved food additives. A transitional period of 6 months following the entry into force of the regulation was granted to allow food manufacturers to source alternatives to E 483. The regulation will therefore be fully applied from 23 October, 2024.