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    EU Regulation 2026/196: What Changes for Guar Gum (E412) from 18 August 2026

    Commission Regulation (EU) 2026/196 applies from 18 August 2026 and rewrites the E412 rulebook — new microbiological criteria, updated purity specs, withdrawal from infant formula, and a hard 27 April 2027 sunset for FSMP infant use.

    B D Guar Pvt. Ltd.5 min read

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    Research Overview. On 28 January 2026 the European Commission adopted Commission Regulation (EU) 2026/196, published in the Official Journal on 29 January 2026. It amends Regulation (EC) No 1333/2008 on food additives and Regulation (EU) No 231/2012 on food additive specifications for a group of hydrocolloids — carrageenan (E407), locust bean gum (E410), guar gum (E412), gum arabic (E414), xanthan gum (E415), pectins (E440) and starch sodium octenyl succinate (E1450). Its updated rules apply from 18 August 2026. This article summarises what actually changes for E412, and what EU importers should ask their suppliers for right now.

    Quick answer. EU 2026/196 applies from 18 August 2026. For guar gum E412 it introduces new microbiological criteria, updates specification terminology ("dispersible/dispersion"), tightens purity and heavy-metal limits, and withdraws authorisation in infant formula and FSMP for infants (categories 13.1.1 and 13.1.5.1). Use in FSMP for infants from 4 months and young children (13.1.5.2) is maintained only temporarily until 27 April 2027, and only in liquid products with proteins or protein hydrolysates. Ethylene oxide remains not authorised in any food additive at the EU limit of 0.1 mg/kg (LOQ).

    What does EU 2026/196 change for guar gum?

    For E412 specifically, Regulation (EU) 2026/196 introduces four substantive changes to the specification and use rules laid down in Regulations (EC) 1333/2008 and (EU) 231/2012:

    • New microbiological criteria for guar gum — total plate count, yeasts & moulds, and pathogen absence — are now formally set at EU level, aligning E412 with the hygiene expectations already applied by most downstream users.
    • Updated terminology: the specification moves from "soluble / solution" to "dispersible / dispersion", correctly reflecting that guar gum hydrates and disperses rather than dissolves molecularly.
    • Tightened purity criteria, including lower limits for heavy metals (Pb, As, Hg, Cd) and additional purity parameters.
    • Restricted use in infant nutrition (detailed below).

    Which food categories lose E412 authorisation?

    The most commercially significant change is in the infant and young-child segment:

    • Category 13.1.1 — Infant formula: authorisation of E412 is withdrawn.
    • Category 13.1.5.1 — Dietary foods for special medical purposes (FSMP) for infants: authorisation of E412 is withdrawn.
    • Category 13.1.5.2 — FSMP for infants from 4 months and young children: use of E412 is maintained only temporarily until 27 April 2027, and only in liquid products containing proteins or protein hydrolysates.

    All other authorised food categories for E412 continue under the updated purity and microbiological specifications.

    What are the new microbiological and purity requirements?

    Historically, Regulation (EU) 231/2012 set purity criteria for guar gum but did not enumerate microbiological limits for E412 in the same way as for later-added hydrocolloids. Regulation (EU) 2026/196 closes that gap by introducing formal microbiological criteria and by tightening the purity table. In practice, E412 suppliers now need to be able to demonstrate — batch by batch — controlled Total Plate Count, yeasts & moulds, and absence of key pathogens (Salmonella, E. coli), alongside the standard heavy-metal (Pb, As, Hg, Cd) profile at the updated, lower limits. The switch to "dispersible/dispersion" wording aligns the EU text with how the product physically behaves and how it is tested.

    How does this connect to ETO and RASFF alerts?

    Ethylene oxide (ETO) is separate from 2026/196 but sits in the same compliance conversation. ETO has been banned in the EU as a pesticide since 1991 and as a food/feed protection product since 2011. It is not authorised in any food additive, and the applicable maximum residue level is 0.1 mg/kg, which is the limit of quantification (LOQ), expressed as the sum of ETO and 2-chloroethanol calculated as ETO. In 2021–2022 the EU Rapid Alert System for Food and Feed (RASFF) recorded a wave of ETO notifications covering locust bean gum (E410), guar gum (E412) and xanthan gum (E415), with a notable share linked to Turkish-origin material. This RASFF experience, combined with 2026/196, is why EU buyers now expect a Certificate of Analysis (COA) with ETO / 2-chloroethanol results and a signed non-ETO declaration on every consignment.

    What should EU importers ask their guar gum supplier for now?

    • Updated specification sheet aligned with Regulation (EU) 231/2012 as amended by (EU) 2026/196.
    • Batch-specific COA covering ETO / 2-chloroethanol at 0.1 mg/kg LOQ, heavy metals, and full microbiological panel.
    • Signed non-ETO declaration on manufacturer letterhead.
    • Written confirmation of use restrictions in categories 13.1.1, 13.1.5.1 and 13.1.5.2, with the 27 April 2027 sunset called out where relevant.

    HICOL® by B D Guar — ISO 9001:2015 certified, in operation since 1983, 12,000 MT/year capacity, exporting to 50+ countries — supplies E412 aligned with the updated 2026/196 specifications and is ETO-free at the 0.1 mg/kg EU LOQ, with a COA and non-ETO declaration on every shipment.

    Related resources

    To request a current COA, non-ETO declaration or a 2026/196-aligned specification pack, contact the B D Guar technical sales team — typical reply within one working day.

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