Colours (Use in Foodstuffs) (Amendment) Regulations, 2004

L.N. 216 of 2004

FOOD SAFETY ACT

(CAP. 449)

Colours (Use in Foodstuffs) (Amendment) Regulations, 2004

IN exercise of the powers conferred by article 10 of the Food Safety

Act, the Minister of Health, the Elderly and Community Care has made

the following regulations>

The title of these regulations is the Colours (Use in Foodstuffs)

(Amendment) Regulations, 2004, and they shall be read and construed

as one with the Colours (Use in Foodstuffs) Regulations, 1995,

hereinafter referred to as “the principal regulations”.

‘ E 160a (i) mixed carotenes

1. PLANT CAROTENES

CI Food Orange 5

Mixed carotenes are obtained by solvent extraction of natural strains of

edible plants, carrots, vegetable oils, grass, alfalfa (lucerne) and nettle.

The main colouring principle consists of carotenoids of which beta-

carotene accounts for the major part. α, γ-carotene and other pigments

may be present. Besides the colour pigments, this substance may

contain oils, fats and waxes naturally occurring in the source material.

Only the following solvents may be used in the extraction: acetone,

methyl ethyl ketone, methanol, ethanol, propan-2-ol, hexane,

dichloromethane and carbon dioxide.

Carotenoid

75130

230-636-6

β-Carotene: C 40 H 56

β-Carotene: 536.88

Content of carotenes (calculated as β-carotene) is not less than 5

%. For products obtained by extraction of vegetable oils: not less

than 0.2 % in edible fats

1 %

2500 at ca 440 nm – 457 nm in cyclohexane

E 1cm

Maximum in cyclohexane at 440 nm – 457 nm and 470 nm – 486

nm

Acetone

Methyl ethyl ketone

Methanol

Not more than 50 mg/kg,

Propan-2-ol

singly or in combination

Hexane

Ethanol

Dichloromethane

Not more than 10 mg/kg

Not more than 3 mg/kg

Not more than 10 mg/kg

Not more than 1 mg/kg

Not more than 1 mg/kg

Not more than 40 mg/kg

2. ALGAL CAROTENES

Mixed carotenes may also be produced from the algae Dunaliella

salina, grown in large saline lakes located in Whyalla, South Australia.

Beta-carotene is extracted using an essential oil. The preparation is 20-

30 % suspension in soya bean oil containing natural tocopherols (up to

0,3 %). The ratio of trans-cis isomers is in the range of 50/50 – 71/29.

The main colouring principle consists of carotenoids of which beta-

carotene accounts for the major part. Alpha-carotene, lutein, zeaxanthin

and beta-cryptoxanthin may be present. Besides the colour pigments,

this substance may contain oils, fats and waxes naturally occurring in

the source material.

Carotenoid

75130

Content of carotenes (calculated as β-carotene) is not less than 20

%.

Maximum in cyclohexane at 448 nm – 457 nm and 474 nm – 486

nm

Not more than 3 mg/kg

Not more than 10 mg/kg

Not more than 1 mg/kg

Not more than 1 mg/kg

Not more than 40 mg/kg’

Mitbug] fl-Istamperija tal-Gvern - Printed at the Government Printing Press

In part B of the Sixth Schedule, the chapter concerning E 160a

(i) Mixed Carotenes is replaced by the text of the Schedule to these

regulations.

B