S.I. No. 187/1985:

EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES (ANTIOXIDANT IN FOOD) (PURITY CRITERIA) REGULATIONS, 1985.

EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES (ANTIOXIDANT IN FOOD) (PURITY CRITERIA) REGULATIONS, 1985.

The Minister for Health, in exercise of the powers conferred on him by section 3 of the European Communities Act, 1972 (No. 27 of 1972), hereby makes the following Regulations:--

1. These Regulations may be cited as the European Communities (Antioxidant in Food) (Purity Criteria) Regulations, 1985.

2. These Regulations shall come into operation on the 1st day of August, 1985.

3. The European Communities (Antioxidant in Food) (Purity Criteria) Regulations, 1981 ( S.I. No. 183 of 1981 ) are hereby revoked.

4. (1) In these Regulations "the Council Directive" means Council Directive 78/664/EEC¹, as amended by Council Directive 82/712/ EEC².

(2) In these Regulations, words and phrases shall have the same meaning as in the Council Directive.

5. Subject to Article 8 of these Regulations, no antioxidant shall be manufactured, prepared, imported, distributed or sold in the State unless such antioxidant complies with the specific purity criteria applicable to that antioxidant in the Council Directive.

6. A person who contravenes these Regulations shall be guilty of an offence, and shall be liable on summary conviction to a fine not exceeding £500, and, in the case of a continuing offence, to a further fine not exceeding £50, for each day the offence is continued.

¹ Official Journal of the European Communities 14/8/78 No. L 223 (pages 30 to 46).

² Official Journal of the European Communities 23/10/82 No. L 297 (pages 31 and 32).

7. These Regulations shall be enforced in the functional area of a health board by the health board.

8. These Regulations shall not apply to antioxidants for export or re-export.

GIVEN under the Official Seal of the Minister for Health this 28th day

of June, 1985.

BARRY DESMOND.

Minister for Health.

EXPLANATORY NOTE

The Regulations implement EEC Council Directives 78/664/EEC and 82/712/EEC, which prescribe specific purity criteria for antioxidants which may be used in foodstuffs for human consumption.

They revoke the Health (Antioxidant in Food) Purity Criteria) Regulations, 1981 ( S.I. No. 183 of 1981 ), which implemented EEC Council Directive 78/664 EEC.

The Regulations introduce new purity criteria for lecithins (E322), and allow the use of hydrolysed lecithins.

The Regulations come into effect on 1 August, 1985.