In 2024, the European Council adopted a groundbreaking directive aimed at improving food safety, transparency, and consistency across EU member states.
This directive, known as the EU Breakfast Directive 2024/1438, aims to regulate the composition, labeling, presentation, and marketing of specific products. Here is everything you need to know about the directive.
At the beginning of 2024, the Council and representatives of the European Parliament reached a provisional agreement to enhance consumer information requirements for honey, fruit jams, fruit juices, and dehydrated milk.
The directive aims to improve transparency for so-called “breakfast” foods, helping consumers better understand what they are consuming. By implementing this directive, the European Council intends to assist end users in making informed decisions based on the product composition and to combat food fraud.
How will the Breakfast Directive impact honey?
Honey producers must now indicate the countries of origin on the label. If a honey consists of a mixture of honeys from different countries of origin, these countries must be displayed in decreasing order based on the percentage of each origin. EU member states will have the flexibility to require percentages for the four largest parts of the blend, but only when they represent more than 50% of the total. In addition, the co-legislators have authorized the Commission to establish standardized testing methods to detect honey adulterated with sugar, a consistent approach for tracing honey’s origin, and criteria to ensure that honey is not sold overheated to consumers.
For packages of less than 30 grams, the names of the countries of origin can be replaced by a two-letter ISO code. This change is part of an effort to combat honey fraud. Additionally, a dedicated export platform will support the Commission in developing methods to detect any tampering with honey and enhancing controls.
How will the Breakfast Directive impact fruit juices?
In response to the increased demand for lower-sugar options, the new directive introduces three categories:
- reduced-sugar fruit juice
- reduced-sugar fruit juice from concentrate
- and concentrated reduced-sugar fruit juice.
Moreover, producers will have the option to label their products as fruit juices with only naturally occurring sugars, like fructose. While this measure does not include visual aids, such as those found in the Japanese directives, it is designed to ensure that consumers have clear information about the fruit juice products they purchase.
How will the Breakfast Directive impact fruit jams?
Echoing the changes for fruit juices, the directive addresses the rising consumer demand for products with more natural fruit and less sugar, and empowers individuals to make healthier dietary choices.
The directive specifies an increase in the minimum fruit content required for jams1 and extra jams. 2This means an addition of 100g of fruit per kg for jams, and an extra 50g per kg for extra jams. This change also establishes a clearer distinction between the two categories:
- The standard for jam will now be 450 g of fruit per kg.
- The standard for extra jam will be set at 500 g of fruit per kg.
How will the Breakfast Directive impact milk products?
EU Directive 2024/1438 also presents important updates for producers of dehydrated milk, focusing on consumer safety and product transparency. The directive allows treatments to create lactose-free dehydrated milk products. Lactose levels in dairy products can be reduced, requiring clear labeling of these changes for consumer awareness. Additionally, manufacturers are permitted to use only approved food additives and enzymes, ensuring industry standardization and safety. The English term “evaporated milk” will be aligned with the international standard. Therefore, the two terms ‘evaporated milk’ and ‘condensed milk’ can be used interchangeably. Dairy businesses must adapt their production processes to ensure compliance and consider how these new categories may affect consumer perception of their products.
Ensuring compliance: How can Videojet help you?
The EU Breakfast Directive calls for meticulous preparation and foresight, particularly in integrating printers and lasers for compliant package labeling and printing. Adjustments may be necessary, such as allocating specific areas for marking on the product, adapting background colors, and selecting appropriate printer or laser technology for the material and production line.
The Breakfast Directive impacts three key areas of consumer-facing information:
Pre-printed (static) details on packaging or labels refer to the fixed content that is printed directly onto product packaging or affixed labels that remain consistent across all units of a particular product.
Variable codes such as best-before-dates, content percentages or ingredients lists that provide specific information about individual product units or batches.
QR codes on packaging or labels have become an innovative way for brands to connect with consumers by providing a bridge between physical products and digital content. These scannable 2D codes, sometimes meeting ,can direct users to a specific URL where they can access a wide array of ingredient information and product information.
As the directive introduces precise standards for product labeling, Videojet provides several technologies for printing on honey, fruit juices, fruit jams, and dehydrated milk, either for variable content or QR codes. It is important to choose the most suitable one based on your needs and capabilities.
A number of technologies are possible, including:
- Primary packaging:
- Secondary packaging:
- Tertiary packaging
Our team of experts is ready to support you in finding the most effective technical and cost-efficient solutions. Please contact us if you have any questions. We are here to assist you every step of the way.
Sources:
1Jam is a mixture, brought to a suitable gelled consistency, of sugars, the pulp and/or purée of one or more kinds of fruit and water. However, citrus jam may be obtained from the whole fruit, cut into strips and/or sliced.
2Extra jam is a mixture, brought to a suitable gelled consistency, of sugars, the unconcentrated pulp of one or more kinds of fruit and water.
