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17.1.2013 Official
Journal
of
the
European
Union
L
13/1
II
(Non-legislative acts)
REGULATIONS
COMMISSION REGULATION (EU) No 25/2013
of 16 January 2013
amending Annexes II and III to Regulation (EC) No 1333/2008 of the European Parliament and of
the Council and the Annex to Commission Regulation (EU) No 231/2012 as regards the food
additive potassium diacetate
(Text with EEA relevance)
THE EUROPEAN COMMISSION,
(6)
An application for authorisation of the use of potassium
diacetate as a preservative was submitted on
Having regard to the Treaty on the Functioning of the European
27 September 2010 and was made available to the
Union,
Member States.
Having regard to Regulation (EC) No 1333/2008 of the
(7) Potassium
diacetate
is
requested
for
use
as
an
alternative
European Parliament and of the Council of 16 December
to the food additive sodium diacetate E 262 (ii) which is
2008 on food additives ( 1 ), and in particular Article 10(3),
used as a growth inhibitor of microorganisms. The
Article 14 and Article 30(5) thereof,
replacement of sodium diacetate E 262 (ii) by
potassium diacetate can contribute to the reduction of
Having regard to Regulation (EC) No 1331/2008 of the
dietary sodium intake.
European Parliament and of the Council of 16 December
2008 establishing a common authorisation procedure for
food additives, food enzymes and food flavourings ( 2 ), and in
(8) Pursuant
to
Article
3(2)
of
Regulation
(EC)
No
particular Article 7(5) thereof,
1331/2008, the Commission is to seek the opinion of
the Authority in order to update the Union list of food
Whereas:
additives set out in Annex II to Regulation (EC) No
1333/2008, except where the update in question is not
liable to have an effect on human health. Potassium
(1) Annex
II
to
Regulation
(EC)
No
1333/2008
lays
down
a
diacetate is an equimolecular compound of two auth
Union list of food additives approved for use in foods
orised food additives (potassium acetate E 261 and
and their conditions of use.
acetic acid E 260). The Scientific Committee for Food
evaluated food additives of various technological
(2) Annex
III
to
Regulation
(EC)
No
1333/2008
lays
down
a
functions in 1990. For acids, bases and their salts the
Union list of food additives approved for use in food
evaluations were based on the anions and cations listed.
additives, food enzymes, flavourings, nutrients and their
Acetic acid (E 260) as well as its salts, ammonium-,
conditions of use.
sodium-, potassium- and calcium acetates and diacetates,
were covered by the evaluation. The Committee estab
lished a group Acceptable Daily Intake not specified for
(3) Commission
Regulation
(EU)
No
231/2012
( 3 ) lays down
specifications for food additives listed in Annexes II and
all these substances. This implies that their use does not
III to Regulation (EC) No 1333/2008.
represent a hazard to health in order to achieve the

desired technological effect. The authorisation of use of
potassium diacetate in a similar way to potassium acetate
(4) Those
lists
may
be
amended
in
accordance
with
the
is not liable to have an effect on human health and it is
procedure referred to in Regulation (EC) No 1331/2008.
therefore not necessary to seek the opinion of the Auth
ority.
(5) Pursuant
to
Article
3(1)
of
Regulation
(EC)
No
1331/2008, the Union list of food additives may be
updated either on the initiative of the Commission or
(9)
Potassium diacetate should be authorised to be used in a
following an application.
the same way as potassium acetate. Therefore in the
Annexes to Regulation (EC) No 1333/2008 the current
name of additive E 261, i.e. ‘potassium acetate’, should be
( 1 ) OJ L 354, 31.12.2008, p. 16.
( 2 ) OJ L 354, 31.12.2008, p. 1.
replaced by the expression ‘potassium acetates’ covering
( 3 ) OJ L 83, 22.3.2012, p. 1.
both potassium acetate and potassium diacetate.

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L 13/2
EN
Official Journal of the European Union
17.1.2013
(10) Specifications
for
potassium
diacetate
should
be
included
(13) The
measures
provided
for
in
this
Regulation
are
in
in Regulation (EU) No 231/2012. In the Annex to that
accordance with the opinion of the Standing
Regulation, the number E 261 (ii) should be assigned to
Committee on the Food Chain and Animal Health and
potassium diacetate and the number for potassium
neither the European Parliament nor the Council has
acetate, currently designated as E 261, should be
opposed them,
changed to E 261 (i). This renumbering has no
consequences on the labelling requirements set out in
Articles 22 and 23 of Regulation (EC) No 1333/2008.
HAS ADOPTED THIS REGULATION:

Article 1
(11) Pursuant
to
the
transitional
provisions
of
Commission
Regulation (EU) No 1129/2011 of 11 November 2011
Annexes II and III to Regulation (EC) No 1333/2008 are
amending Annex II to Regulation (EC) No 1333/2008 of
amended in accordance with Annex I to this Regulation.
the European Parliament and of the Council by estab
lishing a Union list of food additives ( 1 ), Annex II estab
Article 2
lishing the Union list of food additives approved for use
in foods and conditions of use applies from 1 June 2013.
The Annex to Regulation (EU) No 231/2012 is amended in
In order to allow the use of potassium diacetate before
accordance with Annex II to this Regulation.
that date, it is necessary to specify an earlier date of
application with regard to that food additive.
Article 3
This Regulation shall enter into force on the twentieth day
(12) Regulations (EC) No 1333/2008 and (EU) No 231/2012
following that of its publication in the Official Journal of the
should therefore be amended accordingly.
European Union.
This Regulation shall be binding in its entirety and directly applicable in all Member States.
Done at Brussels, 16 January 2013.
For the Commission
The President
José Manuel BARROSO
( 1 ) OJ L 295, 12.11.2011, p. 1.

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EN
17.1.2013 Official
Journal
of
the
European
Union
L
13/3
ANNEX I
A. Annex II to Regulation (EC) No 1333/2008 is amended as follows:
(1) in Part B, point 3 ‘Additives other than colours and sweeteners’, the entry for additive E 261 is replaced by the
following:
‘E 261 Potassium
acetates
(*)
(*) Period of application: From 6 February 2013.’;
(2) in Part C, Group I, the entry for additive E 261 is replaced by the following:
‘E 261 Potassium
acetates
(*) quantum
satis
(*) Period of application: From 6 February 2013.’;
(3) in Part E:
(a) in food category 04.2.3 ‘Canned or bottled fruit and vegetables’, the entry for additive E 261 is replaced by the
following:
‘E 261 Potassium
acetates quantum
satis Period
of
application:
From 6 February 2013.’
(b) in food category 07.1.1 ‘Bread prepared solely with the following ingredients: wheat flour, water, yeast or
leaven, salt’, the entry for additive E 261 is replaced by the following:
‘E 261 Potassium
acetates quantum
satis Period
of
application:
From 6 February 2013.’
(c) in food category 07.1.2 ‘Pain courant franais; Friss búzakenyér, fehér és félbarna kenyerek’ the entry for
additive E 261 is replaced by the following:
‘E 261 Potassium
acetates quantum
satis only Friss búzakenyér, fehér és félbarna
kenyerek
Period of application:
From 6 February 2013.’
(d) in food category 08.1.2 ‘Meat preparations as defined by Regulation (EC) No 853/2004’ the entry for additive
E 261 is replaced by the following:
‘E 261 Potassium
acetates quantum
satis only
prepacked
preparations
of
fresh
minced meat
Period of application:
From 6 February 2013.’
(e) in food category 13.1.3 ‘Processed cereal-based foods and baby foods for infants and young children as
defined by Directive 2006/125/EC’ the entry for additive E 261 is replaced by the following:
‘E 261 Potassium
acetates quantum
satis only
processed
cereal-based
foods
and
baby foods, only for pH adjustment
Period of application:
From 6 February 2013.’

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L 13/4
EN
Official Journal of the European Union
17.1.2013
B. Annex III to Regulation (EC) No 1333/2008 is amended as follows:
(a) in Part 3, the entry for additive E 261 is replaced by the following:
‘E 261 Potassium
acetates quantum
satis quantum
satis quantum
satis’
(b) in Part 5, Section A, the entry for additive E 261 is replaced by the following:
‘E 261 Potassium
acetates quantum
satis All
nutrients’
(c) in Part 6, Table 1, the entry for additive E 261 is replaced by the following:
‘E 261 Potassium
acetates’

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EN
17.1.2013 Official
Journal
of
the
European
Union
L
13/5
ANNEX II
The Annex to Regulation (EU) No 231/2012 is amended as follows:
(a) in the entry for additive E 261, the heading is replaced by the following:
‘E 261 (i) POTASSIUM ACETATE’
(b) the following entry is inserted after the entry for additive E 261 (i):
‘E 261 (ii) POTASSIUM DIACETATE
Synonyms
Definition Potassium
diacetate
is
a
molecular
compound
of
potassium
acetate and acetic acid
Einecs 224-217-7
Chemical name Potassium
hydrogen
diacetate
Chemical formula
C 4 H 7 KO 4
Molecular weight 158,2
Assay
Content 36 to 38 % of free acetic acid and 61 to 64 % of
potassium acetate
Description White
crystals
Identification
pH 4,5-5
(10
%
aqueous
solution)
Test for acetate Passes
test
Test for potassium Passes
test
Purity
Water content Not
more
than
1
%
(Karl
Fischer
method)
Formic acid, formates and other oxidisable Not more than 1 000 mg/kg expressed as formic acid
substances
Arsenic Not
more
than
3
mg/kg
Lead Not
more
than
2
mg/kg
Mercury Not
more
than
1
mg/kg’

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