AIJN/12/COP/12
AIJN Guideline for Vegetable Juices and Nectars
1. INTRODUCTION
This guideline is applicable without prejudice to the national legislation of each Member
State and/or Code of Practice and cannot be used as an obstacle to the principle of free
movement of goods.
2. DEFINITIONS
a) Vegetable juice
The fermentable but unfermented product, obtained from sound and ripe vegetables, fresh
or preserved by physical means or by treatments applied in accordance with the provisions
of the European Union, of one or more kinds mixed together having the characteristic
colour, flavour and taste of the juice of the vegetable from which it comes.
Flavour and pulp, obtained by suitable physical means from the same species of vegetables
may be restored to the juice.
The juice must be without non edible parts like the peel, pits, and seeds of the vegetable.
However, these parts are permitted if they cannot be removed by GMP.
Vegetable juice may be obtained from vegetable juice and/or vegetable purée.
b) Vegetable juice from concentrate
The product obtained by reconstituting concentrated vegetable juice with potable water that
meets the criteria of Council Directive 98/83/EC of 3 November 1998 on the quality of water
intended for human consumption.
Flavour and pulp, obtained by suitable physical means from the same species of vegetables
may be restored.
The juice is prepared by suitable processes which maintain the essential physical, chemical,
organoleptic and nutritional characteristics of an average type of juice from the vegetable(s)
from which it comes.
Vegetable juice from concentrate may be obtained from concentrated vegetable juice and/or
concentrated vegetable puree.
The mixing of vegetable juice and vegetable juice from concentrate is authorised in the
production of juice.
c) Concentrated vegetable juice
The product obtained from vegetable juice of one or more species by the physical removal
of a specific proportion of the water content. Where the product is intended for direct
consumption that removal shall be of at least 50%.
The mixing of vegetable juice and/or concentrated vegetable juice with vegetable purée
and/or concentrated vegetable purée is authorised in the production of concentrated
vegetable juice.
Flavour and pulp obtained by suitable physical means from the same species of
vegetable(s) may be restored to the concentrated vegetable juice.
d) Dehydrated /powdered vegetable juice
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The product obtained from juice as defined under a) b) c) by the physical removal of virtually
all the water content.
e) X- fermented vegetable juice
The product obtained by non-alcoholic fermentation of a vegetable and/or a vegetable juice
as defined in 2.a whereby X defines the type of fermentation e.g.:
Lactic acid fermented vegetable juice
f) X- fermented vegetable juice from concentrate
The product obtained by X- fermentation from a vegetable juice from concentrate defined in
2.b) or by reconstituting concentrated fermented vegetable juice as defined under g) with
potable water that meets the criteria of Council Directive 98/83/EC on the quality of water
intended for human consumption.
g) Concentrated x-fermented vegetable juice
The product obtained from x-fermented vegetable juice as defined under e) and f) by the
physical removal of a specific proportion of the water content. Where the product is intended
for direct consumption that removal shall be of at least 50%.
A concentrated x-fermented vegetable juice may also be obtained by x-fermentation of a
concentrated vegetable juice as defined under c).
h) Dehydrated /powdered x-fermented vegetable juice
The product obtained from juice as defined under e) f) g) by the physical removal of virtually
all the water content.
i)
Vegetable Nectar
The product obtained by adding water with/or without any authorized ingredients as listed in
part 3.1. and any authorised additives as listed in part 3.2 to the products defined in point 2
(from a) to h)) and/or to a mixture of those products.
Where vegetable nectars are manufactured without added sugar/honey or with reduced
energy value, sugars/honey may be replaced wholly or partially by sweeteners in
accordance with Regulation (EC) No 1333/2008 on additives.
Flavour and pulp obtained by suitable physical means from the same species of vegetables
may be restored to the vegetable nectar.
The minimum vegetable content is defined in chapter 5.
j)
Mixture of vegetable and fruit products
Any combination of the above defined vegetable products (a) to (h) and fruit juices, fruit
nectars and similar products are permitted subject to proper labelling.
Examples:
Mixed Vegetable and Fruit Juice *
Mixed Vegetable and Fruit Nectar *
*Fruit juices and fruit nectars as defined in Directive 2001/112/EC, as amended, and
vegetable juices and vegetable nectars as defined in this guideline
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3. INGREDIENTS, TREATMENTS AND SUSBTANCES
3.1 Authorised ingredients
Only the following ingredients may be added to the products referred to in Part 2:
a) vitamins and minerals as authorized in Regulation (EC) No 1925/2006 on the
addition of vitamins and minerals and of certain other substances to foods
b) flavours and pulp restored to vegetable juice and to vegetable juice from concentrate
must come from the same species of vegetable
c) sugars as defined by Council Directive 2001/111/EC, fructose syrup and sugars
derived from fruits and vegetables
d) honey as defined by Council Directive 2001/110/EC
e) for all products defined under section 2. the addition of lemon juice or concentrated
lemon juice is permitted as an acidity regulator
f) Carbon dioxide, as an ingredient, is permitted
g) salt, sea salt or iodized or fluoridated salt and potassium chloride and mixture of
them
h) herbs, spices and their natural flavourings and extracts
i) vegetable derived natural flavourings and vegetable derived extracts
j) edible oils
k) vinegar
l) Drying agent, substances used to dilute or disperse without having a technological
role other than to dry and to obtain a dried product
3.2 Authorised additives
Additives as authorised in the Regulation (EC) No 1333/2008 on additives; Addition of lactic
acid shall not be allowed in lactic acid fermented products and the addition of x acid shall
not be allowed in x - fermented products.
3.3 Treatments and authorised substances
a) mechanical extraction processes
b) the usual physical processes, including in line water extraction(diffusion) of the
edible part of the vegetables for the manufacture of concentrated vegetable juices,
provided that the concentrated vegetable juices thus obtained comply with part 2
Definitions
c) enzyme preparations meeting the requirements of Regulation (EC) N° 1332/2008
d) fermenting micro-organisms e.g. fermentation with lactic acid bacteria
e) Edible gelatine
f)
Adsorbent clays (Bentonite)
g) Tannins
h) Silicasol
i)
Nitrogen
j)
Charcoal
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k) Calcium carbonate
l)
Chemically inert filtration aids and precipitation agents (e.g. perlite, washed
diatomite, cellulose, insoluble polyamide, polyvinylpolypyrrolidone, polystyrene),
which comply with Regulation (EC) N°1935/2004 on materials and articles intended
to come into contact with Food
m) Other treatments and substances authorized by member states legislations
concerning processing aids.
4. DEFINITION RAW MATERIALS
a) Vegetable
For the purpose of this standard vegetables are the edible parts of root, bulb and tuber
vegetables (e.g. carrots, garlic, potatoes) stem and sprout vegetables (e.g. asparagus), leaf
and flower vegetables (e.g. spinach, cauliflower), fruit vegetables (e.g. cucumber, pumpkin)
and seed vegetables/legumes (e.g. peas) and also rhubarb and others.
The vegetables shall be sound, appropriately mature, and fresh or preserved by physical
means or by treatments applied in accordance with the provisions of the European Union
*Tomato is considered as fruit according to Directive 2012/12/EU amending Directive
2001/112/EC (Annex 2).
b) Vegetable purée
The fermentable but unfermented product obtained by suitable physical processes without
removing the juice.
c) Concentrated vegetable purée
The product obtained from vegetable purée by the physical removing of a part of the water.
d) Vegetable pulp
The product obtained in the same way as a vegetable purée whereby a part of the juice is
removed.
e) Flavour
Without prejudice to Regulation (EC) No 1334/2008 flavours for restoration are obtained
during the processing of the named vegetable by applying suitable physical processes.
These physical processes may be applied to retain, preserve or stabilize the flavour quality
and include in particular squeezing, extraction, distillation, filtration, adsorption, evaporation,
fractionation and concentration.
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5. VEGETABLE CONTENT FOR NECTARS
Vegetable name
Min. Juice/purée
content in nectar, %
Commentary note:
Asparagus
40
Calculation for a multi-juice/nectar.
Aubergine
40
Black radish
25
Brussels sprouts
40
The recipe is 60 % carrot, 20 %
vegetable paprika, 10 % red beet, 5
% celery root and 5 % leek. How
much juice in the final product?
Carrot
25
Cauliflower
40
Celery leaves
25
Celery root
25
Chinese cabbage Pe-tsai
Carrot
60 % of 250 ml =
150 ml
40
Vegetable
paprika
20 % of 400 ml = 80
ml
Cos Lettuce
40
Red beet
Cucumber
40
10 % of 400 ml = 40
ml
Dill
40
Celery root
French bean
40
5 % of 250 ml =
12,5 ml
Green broccoli
25
Leek
Kohlrabi
40
5 % of 250 ml =
12,5 ml
Leek
25
Total
Lentil
40
295 ml per 1000 ml
nectar
Lettuce
40
Marrow
40
Onion
25
Parsley leaves
25
Parsley root
40
Pea
25
Potato
40
Pumpkin gourd
25
Radish
25
Red beet
40
Rhubarb
25
Round-headed cabbage
40
Spinach
40
Vegetable paprika
40
Other vegetables (not
mentioned in the table)
25
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6. LEGISLATIVE CRITERIA
The following legislation should be followed:

Regulation (EC) 1881/2006 setting maximum levels for certain contaminants in
foodstuffs;

Regulation (EC) 396/2005 on maximum residue levels of pesticides in or on food and
feed of plant and animal origin.
7. LABELLING PROVISIONS
The following horizontal legislation should be followed:
-
Regulation (EC) No 1169/2011 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 25
October 2011 on the provisions of food information to consumers
-
Regulation (EC) No 1924/2006 on nutrition and health claims made on foods
-
Regulation (EC) No1334/2008 on flavourings and certain food ingredients with flavouring
properties for use in and on foods
-
Regulation (EC) No 1333/2008 on additives
-
Regulation (EC) No 1332/2008 on enzymes
The following vertical legislation should be taken into account as guiding principle:
-Council Directive 2001/112/EC related to fruit juices and certain similar products.
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