CODEX STANDARD FOR DAIRY FAT SPREADS
CODEX STAN 253-2006
1. SCOPE
This Standard applies to dairy fat spreads intended for use as spreads for direct
consumption, or for further processing, in conformity with section 2 of this Standard.
2. DESCRIPTION
Dairy fat spreads are milk products relatively rich in fat in the form of a spreadable
emulsion principally of the type of water-in-milk fat that remains in solid phase at a
temperature of 20°C.
3. ESSENTIAL COMPOSITION AND QUALITY FACTORS
3.1 Raw materials
– Milk and/or products obtained from milk.
Raw materials, including milk fat, may have been subjected to any appropriate
processing (e.g. physical modifi cations including fractionation) prior to its use.
3.2 Permitted Ingredients
The following substances may be added:
– Flavours and fl avourings;
– Safe and suitable processing aids;
– Where allowed in accordance with the Codex General Principles for the Addition
of Essential Nutrients for Food (CAC/GL 9-1987), maximum and minimum levels
for vitamins A, D and other nutrients, where appropriate, should be laid down
by national legislation in accordance with the needs of individual countries
including, where appropriate, the prohibition of the use of particular nutrients;
– Sodium chloride and potassium chloride as a salt substitute;
– Sugars (any carbohydrate sweetening matter);
– Inulin and malto-dextrins (limited by GMP);
– Starter cultures of harmless lactic acid and/or fl avour producing bacteria;
– Water;
– Gelatine and Starches (limited by GMP). These substances can be used in the same
function as thickeners, provided they are added only in amounts functionally
necessary as governed by GMP taking into account any use of the thickeners
listed in section 4.
Adopted in 2006. Amendment 2008, 2010.
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3.3 Composition
The milk fat content shall be no less than 10% and less than 80% (m/m) and shall
represent at least 2/3 of the dry matter.
Compositional modifi cations of Dairy Fat Spreads are restricted by the requirements of
section 4.3.3 of the General Standard for the Use of Dairy Terms.
4. FOOD ADDITIVES
Only those additive functional classes indicated as technologically justifi ed in the table
below may be used for the product categories specifi ed. Within each additive class,
and where permitted according to the table, only those food additives listed below the
table may be used and only within the functions and limits specifi ed.
Additive functional class
Justifi ed use in dairy fat spreads:
< 70% milk fat content(a) ≥ 70% milk fat content
Acidity regulators X X
Anticaking agents – –
Antifoaming agents X X
Antioxidants X X
Bleaching agents – –
Bulking agents – –
Carbonating agents – –
Colours X X
Colour retention agents – –
Emulsifi ers X –
Firming agents – –
Flavour enhancers X –
Foaming agents – –
Gelling agents – –
Humectants – –
Preservatives X X
Propellants X X
Raising agents – –
Sequestrants – –
Stabilizers X –
Thickeners X –
(a) The application of GMP in the use of emulsifi ers, stabilizers, thickeners and fl avour enhancers includes
consideration of the fact that the amount required to obtain the technological function in the product
decreases with increasing fat content, fading out at fat content about 70%.
DAIRY FAT SPREADS (CODEX STAN 253-2006)
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INS no. Name of additive Maximum level
Colours
100(i) Curcumin 5 mg/kg
160a(i) Carotene, beta-, synthetic
35 mg/kg, singly or in
combination
160a(ii) Carotene, beta-, Blakeslea trispora
160e Carotenal, beta-apo-8’-
160f Carotenoic acid, ethyl ester beta-apo-8’-
160b(i) Annatto extracts, –bixin-based 20 mg/kg
Emulsifi ers
432 Polyoxyethylene (20) sorbitan monolaurate
10 000 mg/kg, singly or in
combination
(Dairy fat spreads for baking
purposes only)
433 Polyoxyethylene (20) sorbitan monooleate
434 Polyoxyethylene (20) sorbitan monopalmitate
435 Polyoxyethylene (20) sorbitan monostearate
436 Polyoxyethylene (20) sorbitan tristearate
471 Mono and diglycerides of fatty acids Limited by GMP
472a Acetic and fatty acid esters of glycerol Limited by GMP
472b Lactic and fatty acid esters of glycerol Limited by GMP
472c Citric and fatty acid esters of glycerol Limited by GMP
472e Diacetyltartaric and fatty acid esters of glycerol 10 000 mg/kg
473 Sucrose esters of fatty acids 10 000 mg/kg, dairy fat spreads
for baking purposes only.
474 Sucroglycerides 10 000 mg/kg, dairy fat spreads
for baking purposes only.
475 Polyglycerol esters of fatty acids 5 000 mg/kg
476 Polyglycerol esters of interesterifi ed ricinoleic acid 4 000 mg/kg
481(i) Sodium stearoyl lactylate 10 000 mg/kg, singly or in
482(i) Calcium stearoy lactylate combination
491 Sorbitan monostearate
10 000 mg/kg, singly or in
combination
492 Sorbitan tristearate
493 Sorbitan monolaurate
494 Sorbitan monooleate
495 Sorbitan monopalmitate
Preservatives
200 Sorbic acid 2 000 mg/kg, singly or in
combination (as sorbic acid) for
fat contents < 59% and 1 000
mg/kg singly or in combination
(as sorbic acid) for fat contents
≥ 59%
201 Sodium sorbate
202 Potassium sorbate
203 Calcium sorbate
Stabilizers/thickeners
340 (i) Potassium dihydrogen phosphate
880 mg/kg, singly or in
combination, as phosphorous
340 (ii) Dipotassium hydrogen phosphate
340 (iii) Tripotassium phosphate
341 (i) Calcium dihydrogen phosphate
341 (ii) Calcium hydrogen phosphate
341 (iii) Tricalcium phosphate
450 (i) Disodium diposphate
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INS no. Name of additive Maximum level
400 Alginic acid Limited by GMP
401 Sodium alginate Limited by GMP
402 Potassium alginate Limited by GMP
403 Ammonium alginate Limited by GMP
404 Calcium alginate Limited by GMP
406 Agar Limited by GMP
405 Propylene glycol alginate 3 000 mg/kg
407 Carrageenan Limited by GMP
407a Processed euchema seaweed (PES) Limited by GMP
410 Carob bean gum Limited by GMP
412 Guar gum Limited by GMP
413 Tragacanth gum Limited by GMP
414 Gum arabic (acacia gum) Limited by GMP
415 Xanthan gum Limited by GMP
418 Gellan gum Limited by GMP
422 Glycerol Limited by GMP
440 Pectins Limited by GMP
460 (i) Microcrystalline cellulose (Cellulose gel) Limited by GMP
460 (ii) Powdered cellulose Limited by GMP
461 Methyl cellulose Limited by GMP
463 Hydroxypropyl cellulose Limited by GMP
464 Hydroxypropyl methyl cellulose Limited by GMP
465 Methyl ethyl cellulose Limited by GMP
466 Sodium carboxymethyl cellulose (Cellulose gum) Limited by GMP
500 (i) Sodium carbonate Limited by GMP
500(ii) Sodium hydrogen carbonate Limited by GMP
500 (iii) Sodium sesquicarbonate Limited by GMP
1400 Dextrin, roasted starch Limited by GMP
1401 Acid-treated starch Limited by GMP
1402 Alkaline-treated starch Limited by GMP
1403 Bleached starch Limited by GMP
1404 Oxidized starch Limited by GMP
1405 Starches, enzyme treated Limited by GMP
1410 Monostarch phosphate Limited by GMP
1412 Distarch phosphate Limited by GMP
1413 Phosphated distarch phosphate Limited by GMP
1414 Acetylated distarch phosphate Limited by GMP
1420 Starch acetate esterifi ed with acetic anhydride Limited by GMP
1422 Acetylated distarch adipate Limited by GMP
1440 Hydroxypropyl starch Limited by GMP
1442 Hydroxypropyl distarch phosphate Limited by GMP
Acidity regulators
325 Sodium lactate Limited by GMP
326 Potassium lactate Limited by GMP
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INS no. Name of additive Maximum level
327 Calcium lactate Limited by GMP
329 Magnesium lactate, DL- Limited by GMP
331(i) Sodium dihydrogen citrate Limited by GMP
331(ii) Disodium monohydrogen citrate Limited by GMP
334 Tartaric acid L(+)-
5 000 mg/kg, singly or in
combination as tartaric acid
335 (i) Sodium (L+)-tartrate
335 (ii) Disodium tartrate
336 (i) Monopotassium tartrate
336 (ii) Dipotassium tartrate
337 Potassium sodium (L+)-tartrate
339 (i) Sodium dihydrogen phosphate
880 mg/kg, singly or in
combination as phosphorous
339 (ii) Sodium hydrogen phosphate
339 (iii) Trisodium phosphate
338 Phosphoric acid
524 Sodium hydroxide Limited by GMP
526 Calcium hydroxide Limited by GMP
Antioxidants
304 Ascorbyl palmitate
500 mg/kg, as ascorbyl stearate
305 Ascorbyl stearate
307 Tocopherols 500 mg/kg
310 Propyl gallate 200 mg/kg, singly or in
combination: butylated
hydroxyanisole (INS 320),
butylated hydroxytoluene (INS
321), and propyl gallate (INS
310) as a combined maximum
level of 200 mg/kg on a fat or
oil basis. May be used only in
dairy fat spreads intended for
cooking purposes.
320 Butylated hydroxyanisole 200 mg/kg, singly or in
combination: butylated
hydroxyanisole (INS 320),
butylated hydroxytoluene (INS
321), and propyl gallate (INS
310) as a combined maximum
level of 200 mg/kg on a fat or
oil basis. May be used only in
dairy fat spreads intended for
cooking purposes.
321 Butylated hydroxytoluene 75 mg/kg, singly or in
combination: butylated
hydroxyanisole (INS 320),
butylated hydroxytoluene (INS
321), and propyl gallate (INS
310) as a combined maximum
level of 200 mg/kg on a fat or
oil basis. May be used only in
dairy fat spreads intended for
cooking purposes.
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INS no. Name of additive Maximum level
Anti-foaming agents
900 a Polydimethylsiloxane 10 mg/kg in dairy fat spreads for
frying purposes, only
Flavour enhancers
627 Disodium 5’-guanylate Limited by GMP
628 Dipotassium 5’-guanylate Limited by GMP
5. CONTAMINANTS
The products covered by this Standard shall comply with the Maximum Levels
for contaminants that are specifi ed for the product in the General Standard for
Contaminants and Toxins in Food and Feed (CODEX STAN 193-1995).
The milk used in the manufacture of the products covered by this Standard shall
comply with the Maximum Levels for contaminants and toxins specifi ed for milk by the
General Standard for Contaminants and Toxins in Food and Feed (CODEX STAN 193-
1995) and with the maximum residue limits for veterinary drug residues and pesticides
established for milk by the CAC.
6. HYGIENE
It is recommended that the products covered by the provisions of this standard be
prepared and handled in accordance with the appropriate sections of the General
Principles of Food Hygiene (CAC/RCP 1-1969), the Code of Hygienic Practice for
Milk and Milk Products (CAC/RCP 57-2004) and other relevant Codex texts such as
Codes of Hygienic Practice and Codes of Practice. The products should comply with
any microbiological criteria established in accordance with the Principles for the
Establishment and Application of Microbiological Criteria for Foods (CAC/GL 21-1997).
7. LABELLING
In addition to the provisions of the General Standard for the Labelling of Prepackaged
Foods (CODEX STAN 1-1985) and the General Standard for the Use of Dairy Terms
(CODEX STAN 206-1999), the following specifi c provisions apply:
7.1 Name of the food
7.1.1 The name of the food shall be ”Dairy Fat Spread”. Other names may be used if allowed
by national legislation in the country of retail sale.
7.1.2 Dairy fat spreads with reduced fat content may be labelled as “reduced fat” in line
with the Guidelines for the Use of Nutrition and Health Claims (CAC/GL 23-1997).
7.1.3 The designations and any qualifying terms should be translated into other languages
in a non-misleading way and not necessarily word for word and should be acceptable
in the country of retail sale.
DAIRY FAT SPREADS (CODEX STAN 253-2006)
35
7.1.4 Dairy fat spreads may be labelled to indicate whether it is salted or unsalted according
to national legislation.
7.1.5 Dairy fat spreads that have been sweetened shall be labelled to indicate that they have
been sweetened.
7.2 Declaration of fat content
The milk fat content shall be declared in a manner found acceptable in the country of
retail sale, either (i) as a percentage by mass, or (ii) in grams per serving as quantifi ed
in the label provided that the number of servings is stated.
7.3 Labelling of non-retail containers
Information required in Section 7 of this Standard and Sections 4.1 to 4.8 of the
General Standard for the Labelling of Prepackaged Foods (CODEX STAN 1-1985) and, if
necessary, storage instructions, shall be given either on the container or in accompanying
documents, except that the name of the product, lot identifi cation and the name
and address of the manufacturer or packer shall appear on the container. However,
lot identifi cation and the name and address of the manufacturer or packer may be
replaced by an identifi cation mark, provided that such a mark is clearly identifi able on
the accompanying documents.
8. METHODS OF SAMPLING AND ANALYSIS
See CODEX STAN 234-1999.
