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Important new FSA Food Import Requirements
If in doubt, speak to Aerona 

We have recently been advised that the Food Standards Agency (FSA) has requested that Port Health Authorities (PHAs) remind importers that there are a number of important food import requirements they must be aware of when they are importing confectioneries, soft drinks, cereals and fine bakery wares into Great Britain. This crucial advice follows the discovery of several instances of unauthorised food additives.

The key point to remember is that food imported in the UK must comply with the requirements of the market they are placed on by only using ingredients (including food additives) authorised for use in GB.

Recently there have been a number of instances where the FSA has discovered several instances when breakfast cereals, soft drinks, confectioneries and fine baked goods have contained unauthorised food additives.

It is vital you remember that according to EU Regulation NO 1333/2008 any food additives used in a product must be authorised for use in the food category the product falls under.

At Aerona we feel it our duty to remind you about these food import requirements, as there have been many non-compliances identified by the FSA that breach this regulation. There have also been several instances where maximum permitted levels in products have been exceeded, as well as a large number of labeling deficiencies.

If you are at all concerned about what action you must take then please do not hesitate to contact Aerona and we will do our utmost to provide you with all the very latest and up to date food Import requirements legislation.

However, for your information here is a list of non-compliances that we have recently discovered:

·  Use of bleached flour/bleached white flour

.  Use of food additives that are not permitted, for example:

.  Drinks containing brominated vegetable oil (BVO)

.  Confectioneries containing mineral oil/white mineral oil

.  Use of the colour E127 – Erythrosine (shown on USA products as FD&C Red 3), which is only permitted for use in cocktail cherries
   but has been found in breakfast cereals, baking goods and confectioneries

·  Foods containing the ‘Southampton colours’ with levels in excess of those authorised or lacking the mandatory warning 'may have
   an adverse effect on activity and attention in children':

.  Sunset yellow FCF (E110) – Food Yellow 3 or FD&C Yellow 6

.  Quinoline yellow (E104) – Food Yellow 13

.  Carmoisine (E122) – Food Red 3 or Azorubine

.  Allura red (E129) – Food Red 17 or FD&C Red 40

.  Tartrazine (E102) – Food Yellow 4 or FD&C Yellow 5

.  Ponceau 4R (E124) – Food Red 7 or Cochineal Red A 

·  Food products that have not been correctly labelled with the functional class of the food additive along with either its name or E number.
   For example, products containing
   Yellow 5 should be over-stickered before being placed on the market and include information in the correct format, i.e. Colour E102 or Colour Tartrazine

.  Calcium disodium EDTA (E385) and Erythorbic acid (E315) are permitted additives for some foods, but they are not permitted in soft drinks

It is the responsibility of food business operators importing and/or selling these products to ensure they meet legislative requirements when placing them on the market, and that consumers are not misled over the true nature of the products. Importers should therefore ensure they source products compliant with food additives legislation. 

Please remember, the PHAs will reject all products if they are found to contain unauthorised additives and they will be deemed to be non-compliant!

At Aerona we recommend that you seek further information at https://www.food.gov.uk/safety-hygiene/food-additives.

But please remember you can always consult Aerona if require any further information on this important and complex subject. 

You can contact Aerona by telephoning 0161 652 3443. You could also email us at: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or you can send us a message using the form that can be found on our Contact page.  Please remember, at Aerona we are here to help you.