ETO-Free Guar Gum (E412) — EU Regulation 2026/196 Compliant Supplier
HICOL® by B D Guar: ETO-free food-grade guar gum aligned with the updated EU purity, heavy-metal and microbiological specifications, and the 0.1 mg/kg ethylene-oxide limit of quantification. ISO 9001:2015 certified manufacturer since 1983 — 12,000 MT/year capacity, 50+ export markets, COA with every shipment.
Quick Answer
Is HICOL® guar gum ETO-free and EU 2026/196 compliant?
Yes — HICOL® guar gum (E412) from B D Guar is supplied ETO-free and aligned with EU Regulation 2026/196 and the EU/UK ethylene-oxide limit of 0.1 mg/kg (limit of quantification). We are an ISO 9001:2015 certified manufacturer operating since 1983 in Kalol, Gujarat, with 12,000 MT/year capacity, exporting to 50+ countries. Every shipment ships with a Certificate of Analysis (COA).
No ethylene-oxide treatment
Tested to EU LOQ 0.1 mg/kg
COA on every shipment
What is ETO-free guar gum and why does it matter for EU buyers?
Ethylene oxide (ETO) is a reactive gas historically used to fumigate seeds, spices and gums against microbiological contamination. It is classified by IARC as a Group 1 carcinogen and its principal hydrolysis product, 2-chloroethanol (2-CE), is regulated on the same basis. Starting with the 2020 sesame-seed incident, the EU Rapid Alert System for Food and Feed (RASFF) recorded a wave of notifications extending to locust bean gum, xanthan gum and guar gum — driving the current strict EU stance on ETO residues in food additives.
To close this gap, the EU applies a limit of quantification (LOQ) of 0.1 mg/kg to ethylene oxide in food additives, expressed as the sum of ETO and 2-chloroethanol calculated as ETO. Any consignment exceeding the LOQ is considered non-compliant and is refused at the EU border, with a RASFF notification and downstream recall risk.
What changed under EU Regulation 2026/196 for guar gum (E412)?
Commission Regulation (EU) 2026/196, published on 29 January 2026, amends Regulation (EC) No 1333/2008 on food additives and Regulation (EU) No 231/2012 on the specifications for food additives — including E412 guar gum and other hydrocolloids. In summary, the amendment introduces:
- Stricter purity criteria and tighter heavy-metal limits;
- More rigorous microbiological criteria (total plate count, yeasts & moulds, absence of pathogens);
- Withdrawal of E412 from certain infant / food for special medical purposes (FSMP) categories, with a temporary derogation for infant FSMP until 27 April 2027.
This does not change the underlying safety profile of guar gum for the vast majority of food applications — but EU importers and formulators must now confirm that supplier specifications and COAs match the updated numbers.
How does B D Guar ensure its guar gum is ETO-free and EU-compliant?
HICOL® guar gum is produced at our ISO 9001:2015 certified facility in Kalol, Gujarat (established 1983, 12,000 MT/year capacity). Raw guar splits are conditioned using steam and controlled heat only — no ethylene-oxide treatment is applied at any point. Every production batch is sampled and tested by third-party accredited laboratories for ethylene oxide and 2-chloroethanol to the EU 0.1 mg/kg LOQ, alongside heavy metals and microbiological parameters aligned with Reg. (EU) 231/2012 as amended by 2026/196.
Which documents ship with every ETO-free guar gum order?
Standard export documentation includes:
- Certificate of Analysis (COA) — batch-specific, listing ETO / 2-CE results, heavy metals and microbiological parameters;
- Non-ETO / ETO-Free Declaration — signed on B D Guar letterhead;
- Specification sheet aligned with Reg. (EU) 231/2012 as amended by 2026/196;
- Allergen, non-GMO, Halal/Kosher declarations on request.
Which industries and markets need ETO-free, EU-compliant guar gum?
Any operator placing guar gum on the EU or UK market as a food additive (E412) needs documented ETO-free status and 2026/196-aligned specifications: food & beverage (dairy, bakery, sauces, plant-based), pharmaceutical and nutraceutical formulators, and personal-care manufacturers. B D Guar currently supplies HICOL® to 50+ countries across these categories.
Frequently asked questions
Is HICOL® guar gum ETO-free?
Yes. HICOL® Guar Gum (E412) from B D Guar is produced without ethylene-oxide treatment at any stage — raw guar splits are conditioned using steam/heat only. Every batch is tested to the EU limit of quantification of 0.1 mg/kg (sum of ethylene oxide and 2-chloroethanol, expressed as ethylene oxide) and shipped with a Certificate of Analysis (COA).
Is B D Guar guar gum compliant with EU Regulation 2026/196?
Yes. Our E412 food-grade guar gum is manufactured to meet the updated purity, heavy-metal and microbiological specifications set out in Commission Regulation (EU) 2026/196 (published 29 January 2026), which amends Regulations (EC) No 1333/2008 and (EU) No 231/2012.
What is the EU limit for ethylene oxide in guar gum?
The EU applies a limit of quantification (LOQ) of 0.1 mg/kg to ethylene oxide in food additives, including guar gum (E412). The figure is expressed as the sum of ethylene oxide plus 2-chloroethanol, calculated as ethylene oxide. HICOL® is tested against this LOQ for every export batch.
Do you provide a Certificate of Analysis with every shipment?
Yes. Every consignment ships with a batch-specific Certificate of Analysis covering ethylene oxide / 2-chloroethanol residues, heavy metals (Pb, As, Hg, Cd), and microbiological criteria (TPC, yeast & mould, E. coli, Salmonella), together with a non-ETO declaration and a specification sheet.
Which countries do you export ETO-free guar gum to?
B D Guar exports HICOL® guar gum to 50+ countries, including EU member states (Germany, France, Italy, Spain, Netherlands, Poland and more), the United Kingdom, USA, Canada, Australia, Japan, South Korea, UAE, Saudi Arabia, Qatar and Turkey.
Since when has B D Guar manufactured guar gum?
B D Guar Pvt. Ltd. has been manufacturing guar gum from Kalol, Gujarat, India since 1983. The facility is ISO 9001:2015 certified with an annual production capacity of 12,000 MT.
Request an ETO-free COA & quote for EU-compliant guar gum
Contact info@bdguar.com or +91 9879610774 — we typically reply within one working day with a current COA and price indication.
Contact B D Guar