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Australian and New Zealand Food Additives

A compilation of some of the Additives that may be found in your breakfast consisting of cereals with milk and a sprinkle of sugar.
Or a slice of buttered toast or croissant topped with a fruit conserve. Followed with a glass of fruit juice or some yoghurt.
For a snack later, a piece of fresh fruit.

Breakfast cereals, including rolled oats (06.3)
This consists of all ready-to-eat, instant, and regular hot breakfast cereal products. Examples include: granola-type breakfast cereals, instant oatmeal, farina, corn flakes, puffed wheat or rice, multi-grain (e.g., rice, wheat and corn) breakfast cereals, breakfast cereals made from soy or bran, and extruded-type breakfast cereals made from grain flour or powder.

 

Food Additives Permitted in Breakfast cereals.
This includes Butylated hydroxytoluene (antioxidant) which retards rancidity in fats, oils, and oil-containing foods. It is used in cereals, chewing gum, potato chips, vegetable oils and also used in lipstick and eye liner.

  GSFA Provisions for Food Category (1)  
INS No. Food Additive or Group Max Level
110 Sunset yellow FCF 300 mg/kg
120 Carmines 200 mg/kg
133 Brilliant blue FCF 200 mg/kg
150c Caramel III - ammonia process 6,500 mg/kg
150d Caramel IV - sulfite ammonia process 2,500 mg/kg
160a(ii) beta-Carotenes (vegetable) 400 mg/kg
310 Propyl gallate 200 mg/kg
320 Butylated hydroxyanisole 200 mg/kg
321 Butylated hydroxytoluene 100 mg/kg
950 Acesulfame potassium 1,200 mg/kg
951 Aspartame 1,000 mg/kg
955 Sucralose (Trichlorogalactosucrose) 1,000 mg/kg
961 Neotame 160 mg/kg 160 mg/kg
  ASCORBYL ESTERS 200 mg/kg
  IRON OXIDES 75 mg/kg
  RIBOFLAVINS 300 mg/kg
  SACCHARINS 100 mg/kg

11.1 Sugar  
INS No. Additive Permitted Level
460 Cellulose, microcrystalline and powdered GMP


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Food Additives Permitted in Milk Products
This includes fresh milk ,thickened milk with Vegetable gum, seaweed, Cellulose, Bone phosphate products and may also be garnished with Annatto extracts (colour) ; derived from a tree (Bixa orellana) which is also used to dye cheese, butter, margarine, cereals, snack foods, soaps, textiles and varnishes.

1.1.2  Liquid milk products and flavoured liquid milk

Code Additive mg/kg
160b Annatto extracts 10
950 Acesulphame potassium 500
160b Alitame 40
950 Aspartame-acesulphame salt 1100

1.1.3  Liquid milk to which phytosterol esters have been added

Code Additive mg/kg
401 Sodium alginate 2
407 Carrageenan 2
412 Guar gum 2
471 Mono- and diglycerides of fatty acids 2

1.1.4  Liquid milk to which tall oil phytosterols have been added

Code Additive mg/kg
460 Microcrystalline cellulose 5

1.2.2  Fermented milk products and rennetted milk products

Code Additive mg/kg
160b Annatto extracts 60
950 Acesulphame potassium 500
956 Alitame 60
962 Aspartame-acesulphame salt 1100

1.5  Dried milk, milk powder, cream powder

Code Additive mg/kg
304 Ascorbyl palmitate 5000
320 Butylated hydroxyanisole 100
343 Magnesium phosphates 10000
431 Polyoxyethylene (40) stearate GMP
530 Magnesium oxide 10000
542 Bone phosphate 1000
555 Potassium aluminium silicate GMP

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Food Additives Permitted in Bread and bakery Products
This includes Maltol (flavour enhancer) Derived from the bark of larch trees, pine needles, chicory wood. Used in baked goods to give a 'fresh baked' taste and smell in bread and cakes.

7 BREADS PRODUCTS*    
INS No. Additive Permitted Level  
200 Sorbic acid 1200 mg/kg
201 Sodium sorbate 4000 mg/kg
202 Potassium sorbate 4000 mg/kg
203 Calcium sorbate 4000 mg/kg
211 Sodium benzoate * mg/kg
221 Sodium sulphite * mg/kg
223 Sodium metabisulphite * mg/kg
262 Sodium acetates * mg/kg
280 Propionic acid 4000 mg/kg
281 Sodium propionate 4000 mg/kg
282 Calcium propionate 4000 mg/kg
283 Potassium propionate 4000 mg/kg
330 Citric acid * mg/kg
516 Calcium sulphate * mg/kg
636 Maltol 'fresh baked' taste * mg/kg
920 L-Cysteine monohydrochloride * mg/kg

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Food Additives Permitted in Butter and Margarine.
This includes Annatto extracts (colour) ; derived from a tree (Bixa orellana)and is used to dye cheese, butter, margarine, cereals, snack foods also used in soaps, textiles and varnishes.

2.2.1.1 Butter    
INS No. Additive    
160a Carotenes GMP  
160b Annatto extracts 20 mg/kg
160 Carotenal, b-apo-8'- GMP  
160f Carotenal, b-apo-8'-, methyl or ethyl esters GMP  
508 Potassium chloride GMP  
       
2.2.1.3 Margarine and similar products*    
475 Polyglycerol esters of fatty acids 5000 mg/kg
476 Polyglycerol esters of interesterified ricinoleic acids 5000 mg/kg

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Food Additives Permitted in Fruit and vegetable spreads including jams.
This includes Propionates (preservative) which occur naturally in fermented foods, human perspiration and ruminants digestive tract, also can be derived commercially from ethylene and carbon monoxide or propionaldehyde , natural gas , fermented wood pulp or produced when bacteria decompose fibre.

4.3.4 Fruit and vegetable spreads including jams, chutneys and related products*    
INS No. Additive Permitted Level  
102 Tartrazine * mg/kg
123 Amaranth 290 mg/kg
153 Carbon black * mg/kg
220 Sulphur dioxide * mg/kg
281 Sodium propionate GMP  
282 Calcium propionate GMP  
330 Citric acid *  
331 Sodium citrates *  
440 Pectins *  
636 Maltol (flavour enhancer) *  
950 Acesulphame potassium 3000 mg/kg
952 Cyclamates 1000 mg/kg
954 Saccharin 1500 mg/kg
956 Alitame 300 mg/kg
962 Aspartame-acesulphame salt 6800 mg/kg

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Food Additives Permitted in Fruit and vegetable juices .
This includes Tartaric acid (acidity regulator) Obtained from unripe fruit, grape juice. Found in chewing gum and various types of foods and drinks.

14.1.2 Fruit and vegetable juices *    
INS Number Additive Permitted Level  
200 Sorbic acid 400 mg/kg
201 Sodium sorbate *  
202 Potassium sorbate *  
203 Calcium sorbate *  
210 Benzoic acid 400 mg/kg
211 Sodium benzoate *  
212 Potassium benzoate *  
213 Calcium benzoate *  
220 Sulphur dioxide 115 mg/kg
221 Sodium sulphite *  
222 Sodium bisulphite *  
223 Sodium metabisulphite *  
224 Potassium metabisulphite *  
225 Potassium sulphite *  
228 Potassium bisulphite *  
242 Dimethyl dicarbonate 250 mg/kg
281 Sodium propionate GMP  
282 Calcium propionate *  
14.1.2.1 Separated by mechanical means only    
270 Lactic acid GMP  
290 Carbon dioxide GMP  
296 Malic acid GMP  
330 Citric acid GMP  
334 Tartaric acid GMP  
335 Sodium tartrates    
336 Potassium tartrate    
337 Potassium sodium tartrate    
353 Metatartaric acid    
354 Calcium tartrate    

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Food Additives Permitted for Surface treated fruits and vegetables.
This includes Shellac (glazing agent) Derived from the lac insect of India; also used as glazing agent, chocolate, confectionery, orange fizzy drinks, orange skin and staining wood.

4.1.2 Surface treated fruits and vegetables    
INS No. Additive Permitted Level  
342 Ammonium phosphates GMP  
473 Sucrose esters of fatty acids 100 mg/kg
901 Beeswax, white and yellow GMP  
903 Carnauba wax GMP  
904 Shellac GMP  

GMP   (Good Manufacturing Practice) means using the lowest level possible of an additive to achieve a technological function (eg. preservation) which will leave the least residual in the final food.
* Additives in Schedules 2, 3 and 4 are permitted
Compiled from Current Australian approved additives.
http://www.foodstandards.gov.au/foodmatters/foodadditives.cfm   Accessed:  August 18th  2009
(1) Source:  Updated up to the 31st Session of the Codex Alimentarius Commission (2008)
http://www.codexalimentarius.net/gsfaonline/index.html   Acessed: August 20th  2009

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Bon Appétit