EU Regulation 2026/196 Compliant & ETO-Free Guar Gum (E412) — HICOL® by B D Guar
HICOL® food-grade guar gum (E412) is manufactured to meet the updated purity, heavy-metal and microbiological specifications set out in Commission Regulation (EU) 2026/196, which applies from 18 August 2026, and is supplied ETO-free at the EU limit of quantification of 0.1 mg/kg. ISO 9001:2015 certified since 1983, 12,000 MT/year capacity, exporting to 50+ countries.
Quick Answer
Is HICOL® guar gum compliant with EU Regulation 2026/196 and ETO-free?
Yes. HICOL® guar gum (E412) from B D Guar is ETO-free and compliant with Commission Regulation (EU) 2026/196, which applies from 18 August 2026. Ethylene oxide is not authorised in any food additive in the EU (maximum residue 0.1 mg/kg at the limit of quantification). Every HICOL® batch ships with a Certificate of Analysis and ETO test results. ISO 9001:2015 certified, 12,000 MT/year capacity, exporting to 50+ countries since 1983.
Applies from 18 Aug 2026
ETO-Free at 0.1 mg/kg
COA with every shipment
What is EU Regulation (EU) 2026/196 and when does it apply?
Commission Regulation (EU) 2026/196 was adopted on 28 January 2026 and published in the Official Journal of the European Union 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). The updated specifications and usage rules apply from 18 August 2026. Products lawfully placed on the EU market before that date may continue to be marketed until stocks are exhausted or until their date of minimum durability, under the regulation's transitional provisions.
What changes for guar gum (E412) under 2026/196?
- New microbiological criteria are formally introduced for guar gum E412 within Regulation (EU) 231/2012 — including total plate count, yeasts & moulds and pathogen absence — bringing E412 into line with the stricter hygiene expectations already applied by many EU downstream users.
- Specification terminology updated from "soluble / solution" to "dispersible / dispersion", reflecting the fact that guar gum hydrates and disperses rather than dissolves molecularly.
- Tightened purity specifications, including lower limits for heavy metals (Pb, As, Hg, Cd) and additional purity parameters.
- Withdrawal of authorisation of E412 in infant formula and FSMP for infants and young children (food categories 13.1.1 and 13.1.5.1).
- For food for special medical purposes (FSMP) intended for infants from 4 months and young children (13.1.5.2), use of E412 is maintained only temporarily until 27 April 2027, and only in liquid products containing proteins or protein hydrolysates.
What is ETO (ethylene oxide) and why is it banned in EU food additives?
Ethylene oxide (ETO) is a reactive gas historically used to fumigate seeds, spices and gums against microbiological contamination. It has been banned as a pesticide in the EU since 1991 and as a food and feed protection product since 2011. It is not authorised in any food additive irrespective of origin; 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.
Why were guar gum and hydrocolloids flagged in RASFF alerts?
In 2021–2022, the EU Rapid Alert System for Food and Feed (RASFF) issued a wave of notifications for ethylene oxide residues in locust bean gum (E410), guar gum (E412) and xanthan gum (E415), with a significant share of the notifications linked to material of Turkish origin. As a consequence, EU importers now systematically require documented ETO-free status and a batch-specific Certificate of Analysis before accepting hydrocolloid consignments, and increased official import controls apply to guar gum from several origins.
How does HICOL® guar gum ensure ETO-free, 2026/196-ready compliance?
B D Guar Pvt. Ltd. has manufactured guar gum from Kalol, Gujarat, India since 1983 and operates an ISO 9001:2015 certified facility with an annual capacity of 12,000 MT, exporting to 50+ countries. Ethylene-oxide fumigation is not used at any stage of HICOL® production, and raw guar splits are sourced ETO-free. Each production batch is sampled and analysed by third-party accredited laboratories for ethylene oxide and 2-chloroethanol at the EU 0.1 mg/kg LOQ, alongside heavy metals and microbiological parameters aligned with Reg. (EU) 231/2012 as amended by 2026/196. Every consignment ships with a batch-specific Certificate of Analysis, a signed non-ETO declaration and a specification sheet.
How do I request an ETO-free / EU 2026/196 compliance declaration or COA?
EU importers, formulators and quality teams can request a current COA, non-ETO declaration or a 2026/196-aligned specification pack directly via our contact page, by email at info@bdguar.com or by phone at +91 9879608470. Standard response time is one working day.
Frequently asked questions
When does EU Regulation (EU) 2026/196 apply?
Commission Regulation (EU) 2026/196 was adopted on 28 January 2026 and published on 29 January 2026. Its updated specifications for guar gum (E412) and other hydrocolloids apply from 18 August 2026. Products lawfully placed on the market before that date may continue to be sold until stocks are exhausted or until their date of minimum durability.
Is HICOL® guar gum from B D Guar ETO-free?
Yes. HICOL® guar gum (E412) is produced without ethylene-oxide treatment at any stage. Every export batch is tested against 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 batch-specific Certificate of Analysis and a signed non-ETO declaration.
What is the EU maximum residue limit for ethylene oxide in food additives?
Ethylene oxide is not authorised in any food additive in the EU. The applicable maximum residue level is 0.1 mg/kg, which is the limit of quantification (LOQ) for the analytical method, expressed as the sum of ETO and 2-chloroethanol calculated as ETO. This is enforced regardless of origin.
Is guar gum E412 still allowed in infant formula after 18 August 2026?
No. Regulation (EU) 2026/196 withdraws the authorisation of E412 in infant formula and dietary foods for special medical purposes intended for infants and young children (food categories 13.1.1 and 13.1.5.1). For FSMP intended for infants from 4 months and young children (category 13.1.5.2), use is maintained only temporarily until 27 April 2027, and only in liquid products containing proteins or protein hydrolysates.
Does B D Guar provide a Certificate of Analysis with ETO results?
Yes. Every consignment of HICOL® guar gum ships with a batch-specific Certificate of Analysis (COA) covering ethylene oxide / 2-chloroethanol residues at the 0.1 mg/kg LOQ, heavy metals (Pb, As, Hg, Cd), microbiological criteria (TPC, yeast & mould, E. coli, Salmonella), and full E412 specifications aligned with Regulation (EU) 231/2012 as amended by 2026/196.
What food categories are affected by the E412 changes in 2026/196?
The main affected categories are 13.1.1 (infant formula) and 13.1.5.1 (FSMP for infants) — E412 is withdrawn — and 13.1.5.2 (FSMP for infants from 4 months and young children), where use is temporarily maintained only in liquid protein or protein-hydrolysate products until 27 April 2027. All other authorised food categories for E412 continue under the updated purity and microbiological specifications.
Request an EU 2026/196 compliance declaration & ETO-free COA
Contact info@bdguar.com or +91 9879608470 — typical reply within one working day with a current COA, non-ETO declaration and a 2026/196-aligned specification sheet.
Contact B D Guar