4.1.1 Entire fresh fruit and vegetables
GB food category, from assimilated Regulation (EC) No 1333/2008, Annex II, Part D, as at 28 June 2024.
In Great Britain an additive may be used only in the foods and under the conditions listed for them. Since 1 April 2025 those conditions are Annex II as it stood on 28 June 2024, read with the FSA and FSS register of authorisations. 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 4.1.
Listed for this category
| Additive | Maximum level | Conditions | Citation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Beeswax (yellow and white) E901 | quantum satis | only for the surface treatment of fruit: citrus fruit, melons, apples, pears, peaches, pineapples, bananas, mangoes, avocados and pomegranates and as glazing agent on nuts Period of application as regards bananas, mangoes, avocados and pomegranates: From 25 December 2012. | Assimilated Regulation (EC) No 1333/2008, Annex II (as at 28 June 2024) |
| Candelilla wax E902 | quantum satis | only surface treatment of citrus fruit, melons, apples, pears, peaches and pineapples and glazing agent on nuts. | Assimilated Regulation (EC) No 1333/2008, Annex II (as at 28 June 2024) |
| Carnauba wax E903 | 200 mg/kg or mg/l | only for the surface treatment of fruit: citrus fruit, melons, apples, pears, peaches, pineapples, pomegranates, mangoes, avocados and papayas and as glazing agent on nuts Period of application as regards pomegranates, mangoes, avocados and papayas: From 25 December 2012 . | Assimilated Regulation (EC) No 1333/2008, Annex II (as at 28 June 2024) |
| Glycerol ester of wood rosin E445 | 50 mg/kg or mg/l | only surface treatment of citrus fruit. | Assimilated Regulation (EC) No 1333/2008, Annex II (as at 28 June 2024) |
| Hydroxypropyl methylcellulose E464 | 10 mg/kg or mg/l | only for citrus fruit, melons and pomegranates in order to: repeat all or some of the mandatory information particulars required by ... law, and/or provide on a voluntary basis brand name, production method, PLU-code, QR-code and/or barcode Period of application: From 24 June 2013 . | Assimilated Regulation (EC) No 1333/2008, Annex II (as at 28 June 2024) |
| Iron oxide, black INS 172(i) | 6 mg/kg or mg/l | Authorised under E 172, Iron oxides and hydroxides. only as a contrast enhancer for marking citrus fruit, melons and pomegranates in order to: repeat all or some of the mandatory information particulars required by ... law, and/or provide on a voluntary basis brand name, production method, PLU-code, QR-code and/or barcode Period of application: From 24 June 2013 . | Assimilated Regulation (EC) No 1333/2008, Annex II (as at 28 June 2024), under E 172, Iron oxides and hydroxides |
| Iron oxide, red INS 172(ii) | 6 mg/kg or mg/l | Authorised under E 172, Iron oxides and hydroxides. only as a contrast enhancer for marking citrus fruit, melons and pomegranates in order to: repeat all or some of the mandatory information particulars required by ... law, and/or provide on a voluntary basis brand name, production method, PLU-code, QR-code and/or barcode Period of application: From 24 June 2013 . | Assimilated Regulation (EC) No 1333/2008, Annex II (as at 28 June 2024), under E 172, Iron oxides and hydroxides |
| Iron oxide, yellow INS 172(iii) | 6 mg/kg or mg/l | Authorised under E 172, Iron oxides and hydroxides. only as a contrast enhancer for marking citrus fruit, melons and pomegranates in order to: repeat all or some of the mandatory information particulars required by ... law, and/or provide on a voluntary basis brand name, production method, PLU-code, QR-code and/or barcode Period of application: From 24 June 2013 . | Assimilated Regulation (EC) No 1333/2008, Annex II (as at 28 June 2024), under E 172, Iron oxides and hydroxides |
| Iron oxides and hydroxides E172 | 6 mg/kg or mg/l | Authorised under E 172, Iron oxides and hydroxides. only as a contrast enhancer for marking citrus fruit, melons and pomegranates in order to: repeat all or some of the mandatory information particulars required by ... law, and/or provide on a voluntary basis brand name, production method, PLU-code, QR-code and/or barcode Period of application: From 24 June 2013 . | Assimilated Regulation (EC) No 1333/2008, Annex II (as at 28 June 2024), under E 172, Iron oxides and hydroxides |
| Mono- and di-glycerides of fatty acids E471 | quantum satis | Only for the surface treatment of citrus fruit, melons, pineapples, bananas, papayas, mangoes, avocados and pomegranates. | Assimilated Regulation (EC) No 1333/2008, Annex II (as at 28 June 2024) |
| Oxidised polyethylene wax E914 | quantum satis | only surface treatment of citrus fruit, melons, papaya, mango, avocado and pineapple. | Assimilated Regulation (EC) No 1333/2008, Annex II (as at 28 June 2024) |
| Petroleum wax E905 | quantum satis | only for the surface treatment of fruit: melons, papayas, mangoes, avocados and pineapples Period of application pineapples: From 25 December 2012. | Assimilated Regulation (EC) No 1333/2008, Annex II (as at 28 June 2024) |
| Shellac, bleached E904 | quantum satis | only for the surface treatment of fruit: citrus fruit, melons, apples, pears, peaches, pineapples, pomegranates, mangoes, avocados and papayas and as glazing agent on nuts Period of application as regards pomegranates, mangoes, avocados and papayas: From 25 December 2012 . | Assimilated Regulation (EC) No 1333/2008, Annex II (as at 28 June 2024) |
Permitted as members of an additive group
Annex II authorises some additives collectively. Each group below shares one set of conditions for this category.
E 200 – 202: Sorbic acid – potassium sorbate (SA) — 2 additivesML = 20. only surface treatment of unpeeled fresh citrus fruit.
- Potassium sorbate E202
- Sorbic acid E200
E 220–228: Sulphur dioxide — sulphites — 8 additives(1) ML 10: only table grapes, fresh lychees (measured on edible parts) and blueberries ( Vaccinium corymbosum ); (2) ML 100: only vacuum-packed sweetcorn. Note (3): Maximum levels are expressed as SO 2 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.
- Calcium hydrogen sulphite E227
- Calcium sulphite E226
- Potassium bisulfite E228
- Potassium metabisulfite E224
- Sodium bisulfite E222
- Sodium metabisulfite E223
- Sodium sulfite E221
- Sulfur dioxide E220