Discussion on the identity of wine within the Codex Alimentarius

02 Apr 2015

Among the various points of the agenda, a particular point concerned the additives and their provisions for the food category 14.2.3 “Grape wines and its sub-categories”.

Grape wine is part of Annex 3 for which the additives that are recognised for use in the grape wine category and subcategories should be evaluated case by case.

In 2014 the Committee agreed to establish an electronic working group, to collect information on the functional classes, on the appropriateness of setting good manufacturing practice (GMP) or a numerical maximum use level as well as the actual levels of use.

During this 47th session, the Committee endorsed the recommendation to adopt at Step 8 the draft provision for carbon dioxide (INS 290) in food category 14.2.3 “Grape wines” with a maximum use level at “GMP” and to revise the Note 60, associated in order to limit CO2 content in finished still wine at 4000 mg/kg at 20 °C”;

The Committee also endorsed the recommendation to establish an EWG to develop a discussion paper, for the next session, which would assist to analyse the specific provisions of food category 14.2.3 and its sub-categories case-by-case.

It was noted that the concern was not about the safety but about the technological justification of the provisions.

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