Chile consults on overhaul of food additives legislation

The Chilean Ministry of Health opened, on 22 August, 2022, a consultation on proposed amendments to the Chilean Food Health Code. The proposals would completely modify Title III of the Code – which regulates food additives – by eliminating 15 of its 30 articles, and replacing a further 14 articles. Only one article – on the definition of food additives – would be left untouched. 

In addition to the Codex Alimentarius, the new rules establish regulations in the EU (EFSA specifications) and the US (Food Chemical Codex and FDA specifications) as secondary options to assess the identity and purity of food additives.  

Furthermore, the Chilean authorities would establish a technical norm listing allowed food additives and their authorized uses, use conditions, and limits. The Ministry of Health has already drafted this technical list, on which comments can also be submitted during the consultation period. 

Finally, the rules also address the labelling obligations for food additives. 

The drafts are open for consultation until November 30, 2022. They can be accessed on the Ministry’s website.