The new Regulation (EU) 2022/2340 about the restriction of EGCG from green tea extract, which modifies Annex III of Regulation (EC) 1925/2006, has already been published.
We have already had several publications dedicated to the state regarding the restriction of the use of green tea extract in food, due to the study on the safety of consumption of one of its active ingredients: (-) epigallocatechin 3-gallate (EGCG from now on).
Last August we announced that the final version of the proposal for the new Regulation, with a brief summary of what was to be expected in its publication.
The expected Regulation (EU) 2022/2340 has already been published in Official Journal of the European Union on 30 November 2022, and it has been published in DOUE on 1 December 2022. In this way, the aforementioned restriction becomes effective, in which the daily dose must contain less than 800 mg of EGCG, adding the ingredient in part B of Annex III of Regulation (EC) 1925/2006.
In addition, the new Regulation has certain requirements that must be taken into account on the labeling of all those foods that contain the ingredient, the indication of the following information and warning being mandatory:
– The maximum number of portions of the food for daily consumption, with the warning: “Not to consume a daily amount of 800 mg of (-)-epigallocatechin-3-gallate or more.”
– The content of (-) – epigallocatechin-3-gallate per portion of the food.
– The warnings:
o “Should not be consumed if you are consuming other products containing green tea on the same day”.
o “Should not be consumed by pregnant or lactating women and children below 18 years old”.
o “Should not be consumed on an empty stomach”.
It should be noted that aqueous green tea extracts containing EGCG are excluded, and they have an equivalent composition to traditional green tea infusions after reconstituting in drinks.
IMPORTANT: The new Regulation enters into force on the 20th day following that of its publication in the Official Journal of the European Union.
All the foodstuffs which do not comply with the new Regulation and have been placed on the market before 21 December 2022 could stay there until 22 June 2023.
Finally, we want to inform that the green tea extract that contains EGCG will remain in part C of the Annex III to Regulation 1925/2006, that means that it doesn’t stop being in the spotlight and information must be provided for 2 years to end up making a decision on the ingredient.
