Processing aids for yeast fermentation in reduced-sugar fruit juices

Draft Commission Delegated Regulation amending Council Directive 2001/112/EC as regards processing aids for yeast fermentation [download]

Update

The European Commission has published a proposal to authorise sodium citrate, diammonium phosphate, yeast autolysate, and thiamine hydrochloride as processing aids in yeast fermentation used to produce reduced-sugar fruit juices, and to set maximum quantities for these substances.

Comments can be submitted to the Commission’s Have your say platform until 26 May 2026.

Impacted Products

Reduced-sugar fruit juices

What is changing?

The European Union (EU) proposes to authorise specific processing aids for the production of reduced-sugar fruit juices and similar products using yeast fermentation, amending Directive 2001/112/EC.

Reduced-sugar fruit juice may be produced using authorised sugar-reduction processes, including:

• membrane filtration
• yeast fermentation.

When yeast fermentation is used, processing aids may improve the fermentation process and the quality of the final reduced-sugar juice, reducing their naturally occurring sugar content by at least 30% while maintaining the essential characteristics of the original fruit juice. These aids are used for:

• yeast rehydration, to activate dry yeast before fermentation
• yeast nutrition, to help yeast ferment sugars effectively.

Table 1 lists the substances and maximum quantities that will be authorised for use in producing reduced-sugar fruit juices, which will be added to Directive 2001/112/EC (Annex I, Part II, point 3).

Why?

The proposal gives manufactures and consumers legal clarity on what processing aids may be used to produce reduced-sugar fruit juices. The processing aids sodium citrate, diammonium phosphate, yeast autolysate, and thiamine hydrochloride will be authorised for use in the yeast fermentation process.

Timeline

The Regulation is expected to be published in the third quarter of 2026, and will apply 20 days after its publication.

Recommended Actions

All interested stakeholders are invited to give feedback via the EU’s Have your say platform until 26 May 2026.

Stakeholders wishing to respond to the EU must be registered. Those who do not already have an account will first need to Create an EU login account, then register their organisation on the EU Transparency register.

Background

Directive 2001/112/EC lays down EU rules for fruit juices and similar products intended for human consumption, including definitions, authorised ingredients, treatments, and substances. It was amended by Directive 2024/1438, which updated several “breakfast directives” covering honey, fruit juices, jams, and dehydrated milk products. For fruit juices, this amendment introduced new categories of reduced-sugar fruit juices and established the authorised processes for reducing naturally occurring sugars, namely membrane filtration and yeast fermentation.

This new Regulation further clarifies the processing aids that may be used when reduced-sugar fruit juices are produced through yeast fermentation.

Resources

Sources

Tables & Figures

Source: based on Draft Regulation