Novel food: inulin-propionate ester
- Food safety
- Novel/traditional foods
Summary
The European Union (EU) has authorised the use of inulin-propionate ester as a novel food in cereal bars and fruit smoothies, under specified conditions of use.
EU authorises inulin-propionate ester as a novel food
Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2026/1219 of 9 June 2026 authorising the placing on the market of inulin-propionate ester as a novel food and amending Implementing Regulation (EU) 2017/2470
Update
The European Union (EU) has authorised the use of inulin-propionate ester as a novel food in cereal bars and fruit smoothies, under specified conditions of use.
Impacted Products
Cereal bars, fruit smoothies
What is changing?
The EU has authorised the use of inulin-propionate ester as a novel food in cereal bars and fruit smoothies.
Only the company that applied for authorisation, Imperial College Hammersmith Campus, is authorised to put products containing inulin-propionate ester on the EU market over the next 5 years unless it gives permission or another applicant obtains a separate authorisation based on independent data.
Maximum authorised levels of inulin-propionate ester are 17 g per 100 g in cereal bars, and 3 g per 100 ml in fruit smoothies. The ingredient must be labelled on foods as “inulin-propionate ester”.
The Regulation also sets compositional, chemical, and microbiological specifications, including limits for:
- free propionic acid
- esterified propionate
- heavy metals such as arsenic, cadmium, lead, and mercury
- microbiological contaminants such as Listeria spp., Escherichia coli, and Enterobacteriaceae.
Why?
The applicant Imperial College Hammersmith Campus requested permission to use inulin-propionate ester in cereal bars and fruit smoothies. The European Food Safety Authority has concluded that inulin-propionate ester is safe under the proposed conditions of use (EFSA 2025).
Timeline
This novel food may be placed on the EU market from 30 June 2026.
Background
This Regulation updates the Annex to Regulation 2017/2470 which lists authorised novel foods (see the Union list of novel foods). For further information on the EU novel foods authorisation process, see Novel foods explained.
Resources
EFSA (2025) Safety of inulin-propionate ester as a novel food pursuant to Regulation (EU) 2015/2283. EFSA Journal, 23(7): e9534.
Sources
Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2026/1219 authorising the placing on the market of inulin-propionate ester as a novel food
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EU authorises inulin-propionate ester as a novel food
Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2026/1219 authorising the placing on the market of inulin-propionate ester as a novel food
What is changing and why?
The European Union (EU) has authorised inulin-propionate ester as a novel food for use in cereal bars and fruit smoothies. The European Food Safety Authority has concluded that it is safe under specified conditions.
The authorised maximum levels are 17 g per 100 g in cereal bars, and 3 g per 100 ml in fruit smoothies. The ingredient must be labelled on foods as “inulin-propionate ester”. To ensure safety, the Regulation also sets specific chemical and microbiological criteria for this ingredient.
For the first 5 years, only Imperial College Hammersmith Campus, the original applicant, may place this novel food on the EU market, unless it gives permission or another applicant obtains a separate authorisation based on independent data.
Timeline
This novel food may be placed on the EU market from 30 June 2026.
Disclaimer: Under no circumstances shall COLEAD be liable for any loss, damage, liability or expense incurred or suffered that is claimed to have resulted from the use of information available on this website or any link to external sites. The use of the website is at the user’s sole risk and responsibility. This information platform was created and maintained with the financial support of the European Union. Its contents do not, however, reflect the views of the European Union.