PURPOSE: to revise the so-called ‘breakfast’ directives in order to strengthen marketing standards and improve consumer information.
LEGISLATIVE ACT: Directive (EU) 2024/1438 of the European Parliament and of the Council amending Council Directives 2001/110/EC relating to honey, 2001/112/EC relating to fruit juices and certain similar products intended for human consumption, 2001/113/EC relating to fruit jams, jellies and marmalades and sweetened chestnut purée intended for human consumption, and 2001/114/EC relating to certain partly or wholly dehydrated preserved milk for human consumption.
CONTENT: this directive updates the rules on the composition, labelling and naming of honey, fruit juices, fruit jams and dehydrated milk. The updated 'breakfast directives' aim to help consumers make more informed choices, ensure more transparency on the origin of products, and reduce food fraud.
The main amendments are as follows:
Honey
Given the particular interest shown by consumers in the geographical origin of honey, the directive requires that the country or countries of origin be indicated on the label in descending order, as well as the percentage of each origin in the case of blends, with a tolerance of 5% for each individual part within the blend, calculated on the basis of the operator's traceability documentation.
In order to guarantee a certain degree of flexibility, Member States may provide that, in the case of blends of honeys with more than four different countries of origin, it is permissible to indicate in percentage terms only the four largest parts, provided that together they represent more than 50% of the total. The other countries of origin must be indicated in descending order.
In the case of packages containing net quantities of honey of less than 30 grammes, the names of the countries of origin may be replaced by a two-letter ISO code.
In order to support the Commission with the best available technical expertise, a platform will be established which will provide recommendations for a Union traceability system that ensures the availability of and access to essential information on the origin of the honey. It will also support the future establishment of a Union reference laboratory for honey to improve controls and detect adulteration in honey through harmonised methods and to systematically test honey using the latest testing methods to prove the authenticity and quality of honey.
Fruit juices
To take account of the growing demand for reduced-sugar products, the directive provides for the addition of three new categories: i) ‘reduced-sugar fruit juice’, ii) ‘reduced-sugar fruit juice from concentrate’ and iii) ‘concentrated reduced-sugar fruit juice’. Fruit juices may be labelled ‘reduced sugar fruit juice’ if at least 30% of the natural sugars have been removed. However, producers will not be able to use sweeteners to compensate for the effect of the sugar reduction on the taste, texture and quality of the final product.
The directive also stipulates that the statement ‘fruit juices contain only naturally occurring sugars’ must be authorised for fruit juices. The introduction of such a statement will provide accurate and precise information to consumers, in line with the objectives of informing them about the nutritional characteristics of products, making it easier to distinguish between fruit juices and fruit nectars, and enabling consumers to make informed choices.
Jams
The minimum fruit content for jams and extra jams has been increased (by 100 g per kg for jams and 50 g per kg for extra jams). A distinction is made between the two categories: a) 450 g as a general rule for jam; b) 500 g as a general rule for extra jam.
No later than 14 June 2027, the Commission will present a report to the European Parliament and to the Council providing an assessment of the feasibility of the different possibilities for labelling indicating the country or countries of origin where the fruit or fruits used to manufacture fruit jams, jellies, citrus marmalades and sweetened chestnut purée have been harvested. That report shall be accompanied, where appropriate, by a legislative proposal.
Milk
In the case of dehydrated milk, the use of treatments that produce lactose-free dehydrated milk products will be allowed.
ENTRY INTO FORCE: 13.6.2024.