The first deadline is approaching
The EU’s decision to phase out smoke flavours is no longer news. However, we have now reached a point where the change is having a tangible impact on production.
1 July 2026 marks the first cut-off date. After this date, products containing smoke flavours may no longer be placed on the market for the majority of food categories, unless they have already been produced and can be sold until their use-by date.
This means that alternative solutions and recipes must be adapted and tested to ensure they meet the applicable requirements.
For certain product categories, a longer transition period applies until 1 July 2029.
The significance of the first cut-off date
The phase-out of smoke flavours follows an assessment by the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA), which found it was not possible to dismiss concerns regarding genotoxicity.
Consequently, it was decided on 24 April 2024 that smoke flavours would be gradually removed from the market.
1 July 2026 is the first cut-off date in this process. Read more on the European Commission’s website.
Products manufactured before the cut-off date may continue to be sold until their expiry date. New products, however, must comply with the applicable requirements.
Smoke flavour is an integral part of products
In many foods, smoke flavour is not an isolated ingredient, but part of the overall flavour profile.
Therefore, it is rarely possible to simply replace it directly.
A change may affect:
- taste experience and recognisability.
- the balance of the recipe.
- dosage and interaction with other ingredients.
- production conditions and processes.
This makes it necessary to work with the taste solution as a whole.
It is precisely this complexity that means working with alternatives often requires a structured approach to both testing and adapting recipes.
For decades, we have assisted with various forms of recipe optimisation and have distilled our experience into five concrete tips, which you can find inspiration in here: https://procudan.com/insights/insights/five-useful-tips-when-optimising-recipes
The choice of solution depends on your product
There is no single solution that suits all products.
The right approach depends on the application and the requirements your product places on taste and function.
Together with our flavour partner dsm-firmenich, we work with a broad toolbox based on application, dosage and labelling requirements.
Get in touch with us via the form, and we’ll sit down together to ensure the taste of your products.