14.2.6 Spirit drinks as defined in Regulation (EU) 2019/787

EU food category, from Regulation (EC) No 1333/2008, Annex II, Part D.

Under Annex II, an additive may be used only in the foods and under the conditions listed for them. This page shows what is listed for this category. It does not infer anything from broader categories: where Annex II extends a broader category's provisions to its subcategories, it says so in that category's own listing. See the broader category 14.2.

Listed for this category

AdditiveMaximum levelConditionsCitation
Amaranth E12330 mg/l

except: spirit drinks as defined in categories 1-17, 22, 36, 37 and 41 of Annex I of Regulation (EU) 2019/787.

Regulation (EC) No 1333/2008, Annex II, as amended by (EU) No 438/2013
Annatto extracts, bixin-based E160b(i)10 mg/l

only liqueurs’.

Regulation (EC) No 1333/2008, Annex II, as amended by (EU) No 2020/0771
Calcium tartrate E3541,000 mg/l

Authorised under Tartaric acid – tartrates E 334 – 337 and E 354.

Regulation (EC) No 1333/2008, Annex II, under Tartaric acid – tartrates E 334 – 337 and E 354
FD&C Yellow No. 6 E110100 mg/l

except: spirit drinks as defined in categories 1-17, 22, 36, 37 and 41 of Annex I of Regulation (EU) 2019/787. Note 61: The total quantity of E 104, E 110, E 124 and the colours in Group III shall not exceed the maximum listed for Group III.

Regulation (EC) No 1333/2008, Annex II, as amended by (EU) No 438/2013
Glycerol ester of wood rosin E445100 mg/l

only cloudy spirit drinks.

Regulation (EC) No 1333/2008, Annex II, as amended by (EU) No 1129/2011
Gold E175quantum satis

only liqueurs.

Regulation (EC) No 1333/2008, Annex II, as amended by (EU) No 1129/2011
Karaya gum E41610,000 mg/l

only egg-based liqueurs.

Regulation (EC) No 1333/2008, Annex II, as amended by (EU) No 1129/2011
Polyglycerol esters of fatty acids E4755,000 mg/l

only emulsified liqueurs.

Regulation (EC) No 1333/2008, Annex II, as amended by (EU) No 1129/2011
Ponceau 4R (Cochineal red A) E124170 mg/l

except: spirit drinks as defined in categories 1-17, 22, 36, 37 and 41 of Annex I of Regulation (EU) 2019/787. Note 61: The total quantity of E 104, E 110, E 124 and the colours in Group III shall not exceed the maximum listed for Group III.

Regulation (EC) No 1333/2008, Annex II, as amended by (EU) No 438/2013
Potassium acid tartrate E3361,000 mg/l

Authorised under Tartaric acid – tartrates E 334 – 337 and E 354.

Regulation (EC) No 1333/2008, Annex II, under Tartaric acid – tartrates E 334 – 337 and E 354
Potassium tartrate1,000 mg/l

Authorised under Tartaric acid – tartrates E 334 – 337 and E 354.

Regulation (EC) No 1333/2008, Annex II, under Tartaric acid – tartrates E 334 – 337 and E 354
Propylene glycol alginate E40510,000 mg/l

only emulsified liqueurs.

Regulation (EC) No 1333/2008, Annex II, as amended by (EU) No 1129/2011
Quinoline yellow E104180 mg/l

except: spirit drinks as defined in categories 1-17, 22, 36, 37 and 41 of Annex I of Regulation (EU) 2019/787. Note 61: The total quantity of E 104, E 110, E 124 and the colours in Group III shall not exceed the maximum listed for Group III.

Regulation (EC) No 1333/2008, Annex II, as amended by (EU) No 438/2013
Silver E174quantum satis

only liqueurs.

Regulation (EC) No 1333/2008, Annex II, as amended by (EU) No 1129/2011
Sodium acid tartrate E335(i)1,000 mg/l

Authorised under Tartaric acid – tartrates E 334 – 337 and E 354.

Regulation (EC) No 1333/2008, Annex II, under Tartaric acid – tartrates E 334 – 337 and E 354
Sodium potassium tartrate E3371,000 mg/l

Authorised under Tartaric acid – tartrates E 334 – 337 and E 354.

Regulation (EC) No 1333/2008, Annex II, under Tartaric acid – tartrates E 334 – 337 and E 354
Sodium tartrate E3351,000 mg/l

Authorised under Tartaric acid – tartrates E 334 – 337 and E 354.

Regulation (EC) No 1333/2008, Annex II, under Tartaric acid – tartrates E 334 – 337 and E 354
Tartaric acid E3341,000 mg/l

Authorised under Tartaric acid – tartrates E 334 – 337 and E 354.

Regulation (EC) No 1333/2008, Annex II, under Tartaric acid – tartrates E 334 – 337 and E 354

Permitted as members of an additive group

Annex II authorises some additives collectively. Each group below shares one set of conditions for this category.

Caramels — 4 additivesquantum satis. except: spirit drinks as defined in categories 15-17, 22, 36, 37 and 41 of Annex I of Regulation (EU) 2019/787 category 2 of Annex I of Regulation (EU) 2019/787 can only contain E 150a category 1, 3-8, 10-14 of Annex I of Regulation (EU) 2019/787 can only contain added caramel as a means of adjusting the colour.
Group I, Additives — 162 additivesexcept whisky or whiskey; E 420, E421, E 953, E 965, E 966, E 967 and E 968 may not be used except in liqueurs.
Group II, Colours atquantum satis — 24 additivesquantum satis. except: spirit drinks as defined in categories 1-17, 22, 36, 37 and 41 of Annex I of Regulation (EU) 2019/787.
Group III, Colours with combined maximum limit — 14 additivesML = 200 mg/l. except: spirit drinks as defined in categories 1-17, 22, 36, 37 and 41 of Annex I of Regulation (EU) 2019/787. Note 87: Maximum limit for aluminium coming from aluminium lakes of E 120 cochineal, carminic acid, carmines 1,5 mg/kg. No other aluminium lakes may be used. For the purposes of Article 22(1)(g) of Regulation (EC) No 1333/2008 that limit shall apply from 1 February 2013.
Phosphoric acid - phosphates - di - tri- and polyphosphates — 26 additivesML = 1000 mg/l. except: category 2 of Annex I of Regulation (EU) 2019/787. Note 1: The additives may be added individually or in combination.
Sodium and Calcium stearoyl-2-lactylates — 2 additivesML = 8000 mg/l. only emulsified liqueurs. Note 1: The additives may be added individually or in combination.
Sucrose esters of fatty acids-sucroglycerides — 2 additivesML = 5000 mg/l. except: category 2 of Annex I of Regulation (EU) 2019/787’. Note 1: The additives may be added individually or in combination.
Sulphur dioxide - sulphites — 8 additivesML = 50 mg/l. only distilled alcoholic beverages containing whole pears. Note 3: Maximum levels are expressed as SO 2 and relate to the total quantity, available from all sources, an SO 2 content of not more than 10 mg/kg or 10 mg/l is not considered to be present.