EU Novel Food Additives Report in the First Half of 2026

Based on publicly available information from the Open EFSA and regulations issued by the European Commission, CIRS conducted a statistical analysis of EU food additive submissions in the first half of 2026 for your reference.

As of June 30, 2026, the EU approved 8 food additives, recieved 6 dossiers and accepted 5, published 9 scientific opinions.

EU Approved Food Additives

In the first half of 2026, the European Commission approved a total of 8 food additives, all of which were modification applications (see Table 1). According to EC No. 1331/2008 3(1), the food additives list may be updated either proactively by the EC or in response to applications from companies or Member States. Therefore, the application types include:

• New food additives submissions,
• Modification applications for already approved food additives, and
• Re-evaluations of approved food additives.

Table 1. List of food additives approved by the EC in the first half of 2026

Food Additives Received and Validated by the EU

During the first half of 2026, EFSA received dossiers for six food additives applications, including three applications for new food additives and three applications to amend previously authorized food additives. During the same period, five dossiers entered the formal validation stage, comprising one new food additive application and four applications for amendments to existing authorizations. Four substances appeared in both the “received” and “validated”. Details are provided in Table 2.

It should be noted that receipt of a dossier by EFSA does not constitute formal validation. Each submission must first undergo an initial completeness check to verify that the dossier is complete and complies with the applicable submission requirements before it can proceed to the formal validation stage. During this process, applicants may be required to respond to EFSA’s questions and submit supplementary information as requested.

Accordingly, CIRS recommends that companies ensure their submission dossiers are scientifically robust, complete, and fully compliant with the applicable documentation requirements before filing applications with overseas regulatory authorities. Otherwise, repeated requests for supplementary information at the preliminary review stage may create an unfavorable impression and potentially affect the efficiency of the subsequent scientific assessment.

Table 2. Food additives submitted and validated by EFSA in the first half of 2026

Food Additives Received Scientific Opinions

Among the 9 food additives for which EFSA issued scientific opinions in the first half of 2026, 2 new food additives applications, 1 update applications, and 6 re-evaluations.

Table 3. List of food additives issued scientific opinions in the first half of 2026

CIRS Summary

Applications for food additives in the EU remained highly active during the first half of 2026. In terms of substance categories, an increasing number of plant extracts and microorganism-derived substances were submitted either as new food additive applications or as amendments to existing specifications to incorporate new production strains. Regarding technological functions, applications covered a wide range of categories, including colourings, preservatives, antioxidants, sweeteners, emulsifiers, and thickeners, reflecting evolving market demand. From a regulatory perspective, interest in new food additive applications continued to grow. Nevertheless, applications to amend already authorised food additives remained the dominant submission type. At the same time, EFSA continued to re-evaluate the safety of several widely used additives, such as acesulfame K, sucralose, and hydrogen, ensuring food safety through the continuous incorporation of the latest scientific evidence.

In January 2026, the EU published revised Scientific Guidance for food additive applications (effective from 20 July 2026) and updated Administrative Guidance (effective from 27 January 2026). These revisions introduce more rigorous scientific requirements and stricter administrative procedures for food additive dossiers. For further details, please refer to Exporting Food Additives to the EU in 2026: Detailed Interpretation of the Updated EFSA Administrative and Scientific Guidance. CIRS Group recommends that applicants carefully review the revised guidance documents and ensure full compliance with the new requirements, from study design to dossier preparation, in order to achieve an efficient and successful EU market authorisation.

Note: There may be omissions and errors in the data statistics process. The data in this article is for reference only. Please refer to the information officially published by the EU. If there are any inaccuracies or inappropriate statements, CIRS Group welcomes your feedback and corrections.

What CIRS Can Do for You

Established in 2007, the CIRS Group is a leading product safety and regulatory consulting firm. CIRS has branch offices in the Republic of Ireland, South Korea, the United States, the United Kingdom, Japan and China. CIRS Group utilizes its technical expertise, various resources, and international network to provide one-stop compliance services from regulatory compliance, laboratory testing, R&D to data services across multiple industries. This includes chemicals, cosmetics, food and food beverages, medical devices, agrochemical products, disinfectants, and consumer goods. It helps clients gain a competitive advantage by reducing business risks associated with regulatory affairs.

The vast majority of members in CIRS Food Business Division have over 10 years of professional experience in food compliance, with more than 80% holding Master’s or Doctoral degrees in food-related disciplines. The CIRS toxicology expert team consists 24 Chinese Certified Toxicologists (DCST), 2 American Board Certified Toxicologists (DABT), and 2 European Registered Toxicologists (ERT). CIRS has provided one-stop food compliance services to over 1,000 domestic and international food and related enterprises. Leveraging its technical expertise, diverse resources, and global network, the CIRS Food Business Division offers global food compliance services, including but not limited to:

• Health food registration and filing in China;
• Application for “Three New Foods (new food additives, new food raw materials and new food-related products” in China;
• U.S. GRAS, NDI, and CAP notifications;
• EU Novel Food, food additives, and food enzymes applications; and
• Application for new feed ingredients and feed additives in China, the U.S., and the EU.

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