Additives, Flavours, Enzymes

Labelling is mandatory: Additives and flavours manufactured directly from genetically modified organisms are under an obligation to be labelled.

Different additives can be won from GM plants:

• Lecithine from GM soy beans

• Vitamin E (tocopherol) from GM soy beans

• Flavours from proteins from GM soy beans

• Cellulose from GM cotton, used as thickening agents and binders

Labelling is legally possible but in practice not usual: There are numerous additives derived from chemical or other modifications of raw materials. These can come from GMOs, usually GM corn and GM soy beans ("additives of the second generation").

In the regulations of the European Union, it is not fixed clearly whether such additives or flavours also have to be labelled. In practice, however, it has become generally accepted that one does not label.

These products are allowed on the market:

• Mono-glycerides and di-glycerides from GM soy beans, used as emulsifying agents in sweets, baking goods or ice-cream.

• Modified starch and similar additives from GM corn.

• Sugar substitutes such as maltite or sorbite from GM corn.

• Sugar substitutes such as maltite or filler polydextrose made from glucose (raw material: GM corn).

• Flavours which are derived from modified proteins made from GM soy beans.

Labelling is not required: additives, vitamins and flavours produced with the aid of genetically modified microorganisms are not under the obligation of labelling.

The condition: In the food and/or the additive, GM microorganisms or their components are no longer present.

Production by GM microorganisms is, for instance, possible with these additives: 

• Vitamin B2 (riboflavin)

• Vitamin C (ascorbic acid), Vitamin B12 (cobalamin)

• Glutamate and several substances, used as flavour enhancers

• Aspartame, used as sweetener

• Xanthan, used as thickening agent

Labelling is not required if food enzymes are used which have been produced with the aid of genetically modified microorganisms.

Usually, enzymes are no longer present in active form in the food they were used to produce. With few exceptions, they qualify therefore as processing aids and not as food.

These generally do not have to be labelled:

• Chymosin for producing cheese

• Starch-splitting amylases in bread or pastries

• Sugar-splitting invertases in sweets and chocolates

• Amylases and other enzymes which are used for the production of glucose syrup from starch

• Pectinases which degrade cell membranes in juice or wine