Traditional food: dried kenari nuts

Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2023/667 of 22 March 2023 authorising the placing on the market of Canarium indicum L. dried nuts as a traditional food from a third country and amending Implementing Regulation (EU) 2017/2470

Update

The EU has authorised the sale of dried kenari (Canarium indicum) nuts. The authorisation follows an evaluation of kenari as a traditional food according to the novel foods Regulation.

Impacted Products

kenari nuts

What is changing?

The EU has accepted that kenari nuts are safe for consumption and may be placed on the EU market. This traditional food and snack from the Spice Islands region of Indonesia comprises dried nuts of Canarium indicum (also called Canarium amboinense).

Why?

Foods that are new to the EU market have to undergo evaluation and authorisation. EFSA (2022) concluded that dried kenari nuts do not raise safety concerns.

Timeline

Date of entry into force: 12 April 2023.

Recommended Actions

Dried kenari nuts can now be legally placed on the EU market. They must be labelled “dried kenari (Canarium indicum) nuts”. The label must state that the nuts may cause allergic reactions to consumers with known allergies to hazel, cashew and pistachio. Suppliers must ensure that their products comply with the microbiological criteria and levels for contaminants (heavy metals, mycotoxins, cyanotoxins, process contaminants) and pesticides set out in the Annex of Regulation 2023/667.

Background

The EU maintains a Union list of novel foods (including traditional foods) that have been evaluated and may be placed on the EU market (as set out in Implementing Regulation (EU) 2017/2470).

Resources

Sources