Objection under Article 112(4): the food additives nitrites (E 249-250) and nitrates (E 251-252)

Strasbourg, July 11, 2023 - The presence of nitrite additives in processed meats is one of the factors that led the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) to classify these meats as carcinogenic to humans.

The European Commission has suggested amending the regulation on food additives to reduce the maximum limits for nitrite additives in processed meats, but it doesn't reduce them enough and provides very long transition periods. That's why Greens/EFA have led this objection to the Commission's proposal.

We call for:

- introduce a ban on the addition of nitrate and nitrite to processed meat, in order to prevent any risk of carcinogenic nitro compounds appearing, and
- introduce a transition period of 4 years between the entry into force of the implementing regulation banning nitrate additives in cured meat products and its actual application.

I voted in favor.

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