Fruit juices and similar products

KEY POINTS

Fruit juices and certain similar products

The products covered by this directive are listed in its Annex I:

• fruit juice (which by definition does not contain added sugars);
• fruit juice from concentrate (obtained by reconstituting concentrated fruit juice with potable water that meets the criteria set out in Directive (EU) 2020/2184);
• concentrated fruit juice;
• water-extracted fruit juice;
• dehydrated/powdered fruit juice; and
• fruit nectar.

These products are defined on the basis of their composition and preparation processes so as to ensure that the terms are used correctly in trade, and not in a manner that may mislead consumers.

Labelling

• Council Directive 2001/112/EC should be read in conjunction with other related legislation, such as Regulation (EU) No 1169/2011 on the labelling of foodstuffs.
• The product names listed in Annex I are to be used in trade to designate them and they are reserved to those products. Alternatively, Annex III provides a list of particular designations that, when used, must be used in the language and under the conditions laid down therein.
• The directive requires that it be made clear in the product name:
  • if a product is a mixture of different fruits;
  • if a product has been obtained entirely or partly from a concentrate, indicating on the label in clearly visible characters from concentrate(s) or partially from concentrate(s).
• For products manufactured from two or more fruits, the product name must be composed of a list of the fruits used, in descending order of the volume of the fruit juices or purées included, as indicated in the list of ingredients.
• In the case of products manufactured from three or more fruits, the indication of the fruits used may be replaced by the words several fruits or a similar wording, or by the number of fruits used.
• Only the treatments and substances listed in Part II of Annex I and the raw materials complying with Annex II may be used to manufacture the products defined in Part I of Annex I.
• Annex IV sets out the minimum content of fruit juice and/or fruit purée in fruit nectar. For nectars, the labelling must indicate the minimum fruit content.

New categories of fruit juice introduced

Amending Directive (EU) 2024/1438 introduces three new categories of fruit juice:

• reduced-sugar fruit juice – fruit juice where the amount of naturally occurring sugars has been reduced by at least 30 % and may be obtained by mixing reduced-sugar fruit juice with fruit juice, fruit purée or both;

• reduced-sugar fruit juice from concentrate – fruit juice from concentrate where the amount of naturally occurring sugars has been reduced by at least 30 % and may be obtained by mixing reduced-sugar fruit juice from concentrate with one or more of the following products:
  • fruit juice,
  • fruit juice from concentrate,
  • reduced-sugar fruit juice,
  • concentrated fruit purée and fruit purée; and
• concentrated reduced-sugar fruit juice – concentrated fruit juice where the amount of naturally occurring sugars has been reduced by at least 30 %, or the product obtained from reduced-sugar fruit juice by the physical removal of a specific proportion of its water content.

These three new products are obtained using a process authorised by the directive that maintains all the other essential physical, chemical, organoleptic and nutritional characteristics of an average type of juice of the fruit from which it comes.

Amending Directive (EU) 2024/1438 also introduces the possibility to use the statement fruit juices contain only naturally occurring sugars on the label of fruit juice and fruit juice from concentrate to provide accurate information to consumers.

Report

By 14 June 2027, the European Commission must present a report to the European Parliament and to the Council of the European Union providing an assessment of the feasibility of the different possibilities for labelling indicating the country or countries of origin where the fruit or fruits used to manufacture a fruit juice or fruit purée have been harvested. The report should be accompanied, where appropriate, by a legislative proposal.