Smoking of food is practiced everywhere in the world, and in many countries food regulators have established rules for the safety of the smoking process, standards for the smoked food itself and for guaranteeing consumers’ safety. The Codex Alimentarius Commission, the global food standards body, adopted a Code of practice for the reduction of contamination of food with polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH) from smoking and direct drying processes (CAC/RCP 68-2009), the Codex Standard for Smoked Fish, Smoke-Flavoured Fish and Smoke-Dried Fish (CODEX STAN 311-2013) and a Recommended International Code of Practice for Smoked Fish. In the European region, the Council of Europe and the European Union with its supranational law binding for its member States adopted a number of pertinent laws, among them a regulation on smoke flavourings.
Topics the CleanSmoke Coalition are working on include the establishment of a regulatory framework for purified smoke, the use of purified smoke in organic food, maximum levels of harmful substances in smoked foods, the future of smoke flavourings and consumer information on different forms of smoke-processed foods. Outside the area of food regulations we work on emission control in the context of environmental law and on work safety in the context of labour law. We work with policy makers and other stakeholders to secure the position of innovative smoking technologies and to reconcile tradition in smoking with state-of-the-art healthy and environmentally-friendly smoking options.
Global
Code of practice for the reduction of contamination of food with polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH) from smoking and direct drying processes (CAC/RCP 68-2009)
Codex Standard for Smoked Fish, Smoke-Flavoured Fish and Smoke-Dried Fish (CODEX STAN 311-2013)
Recommended International Code of Practice for Smoked Fish
Guidelines for the Use of Flavourings (CAC/GL 66-2008)
European
Council of Europe Resolution[1] concerning the transmission of flavour of smoke to food of 17 January 1985
Council of Europe guidelines concerning the transmission of flavour of smoke to food 1992 (Council of Europe Publishing, 1992, reprinted 1998, ISBN 92-871-2189-3)
Scientific Committee on Food (SCF)[2] report on smoke flavourings of 25/6/1993 (Reports of the Scientific Committee for Food[3] – Thirty-fourth series, pp. 1-7)
General food law and food hygiene
Regulation (EC) No 852/2004 on the hygiene of foodstuffs
Regulation (EC) No 853/2004 laying down specific hygiene rules for food of animal origin
Good smoking practices
Derived from Codex Alimentarius requirements
Contaminants and residues
Legislation on Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons (PAHs) – Joint Research Centre
Council Regulation (EEC) No 315/93 laying down Community procedures for contaminants in food
Commission Recommendation 2005/108/EC on the further investigation into the levels of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in certain foods
Commission Regulation (EC) No 1881/2006 setting maximum levels (MRLs) for certain contaminants in foodstuffs (as amended, recast under preparation)
Commission Regulation (EU) No 835/2011 amending Regulation (EC) No 1881/2006 as regards maximum levels for polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in foodstuffs
Commission Regulation (EU) No 1327/2014 amending Regulation (EC) No 1881/2006 as regards maximum levels of polycyclic aromatic hydro carbons (PAHs) in traditionally smoked meat and meat products and traditionally smoked fish and fishery products
Commission Regulation (EU) 2015/1125 amending Regulation (EC) No 1881/2006 as regards maximum levels for polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in Katsuobushi (dried bonito) and certain smoked Baltic herring
Commission Regulation (EU) 2015/1933 amending Regulation (EC) No 1881/2006 as regards maximum levels for polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in cocoa fibre, banana chips, food supplements, dried herbs and dried spices
Commission Regulation (EU) 2020/1255 of 7 September 2020 amending Regulation (EC) No 1881/2006 as regards maximum levels of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in traditionally smoked meat and smoked meat products and traditionally smoked fish and smoked fishery products and establishing a maximum level of PAHs in powders of food of plant origin used for the preparation of beverages
Industrial Emissions [CleanSmoke as Best Available Technique (BAT) for emissions reduction]
Directive 2010/75/EU on industrial emissions
Commission Decision establishing a forum for the exchange of information pursuant to Article 13 of the Directive 2010/75/EU on industrial emissions
Commission Implementing Decision 2012/119/EU (guidance on collection of BAT data)
Commission Implementing Decision (EU) 2019/2031 of 12 November 2019 establishing best available techniques (BAT) conclusions for the food, drink and milk industries, under Directive 2010/75/EU of the European Parliament and of the Council
Smoke Flavourings
Regulation (EC) No 2065/2003 of the European Parliament and of the Council on smoke flavourings used or intended for use in or on foods (‘the Smoke Flavourings Regulation’)
Commission Regulation (EC) No 627/2006 implementing Regulation (EC) No 2065/2003 as regards quality criteria for validated analytical methods for sampling, identification and characterisation of primary smoke products
Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) No 1321/2013 establishing the Union list of authorised smoke flavouring primary products for use as such in or on foods and/or for the production of derived smoke flavourings
Regulation (EC) No 1334/2008 on flavourings and certain food ingredients with flavouring properties for use in and on foods
Labelling
Regulation (EU) No 1169/2011 on the provision of food information to consumers
Product names
Ingredients list
Organic Food
Council Regulation (EC) No 834/2007 on organic production and labelling of organic products
Commission Regulation (EC) No 889/2008 laying down detailed rules for the implementation of Council Regulation (EC) No 834/2007 on organic production and labelling of organic products with regard to organic production, labelling and control
as of 1/1/2021:
Regulation (EU) 2018/848 of the European Parliament and the Council on organic production and labelling of organic products and repealing Council Regulation (EC) No 834/2007
Quality Products
Regulation (EU) No 1151/2012 on quality schemes for agricultural products and foodstuffs
Example for smoked quality food: French Ail fumé d’Arleux
Governance
European Commission
European Food Safety Authority – EFSA
Joint Research Centre – JRC
Food and Feed Safety (food law)
European IPPC Bureau (environmental law)
European Reference Laboratories – EURL
EURL-PAHs – European Union Reference Laboratory for Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons