Introduction of “Standards on the Use of Food Additives in Foodstuffs”

Administrative Regulation No. 5/2024 “Standards on the Use of Food Additives in Foodstuffs” will come into effect on 1 May 2024. It is an update and integration of the content of Administrative Regulation No. 30/2017 “Standard for Uses of Food Coloring in Foodstuffs”, Administrative Regulation No. 12/2018 “Standard for Uses of Sweeteners in Foodstuffs” and Administrative Regulation No. 7/2019 “Standard for Uses of Preservatives and Antioxidants in Foodstuffs”, with the addition of other common food additives into the regulatory scope of the standards, so as to better guide and regulate the use of food additives by the trade and further ensure food safety.

Food additives are widely used in the food industry, and their proper use can improve food safety and quality. The use of food additives in food within specific limits is unlikely to pose health risks provided that the food additives have passed the safety assessments and the total daily intake does not exceed the respective health-based guidance values. However, prolonged consumption of food containing excessive amounts of food additives or consumption of food containing food additives that have not passed the safety assessments may pose risks to human health. Therefore, it is necessary to establish food safety standards and impose concrete regulation.

The “Standards on the Use of Food Additives in Foodstuffs” regulate the use of food additives by those engaged in food production and operation, stipulating the principles for the use of food additives, the categories of food additives allowed to be used in food, the categories of food in which food additives are allowed, and the maximum levels of food additives allowed to be used in specific food categories.

Link to the Administrative Regulation