Until now, EU law stipulated that only products made from citrus fruits could be labeled as “marmalade.” Everything else had to be labeled as “confiture.” With the so-called EU Breakfast Directive, now transposed into national law, that changes: from now on, jam can be called jam again, regardless of the type of fruit.
The amendment also brings changes to the minimum fruit content: it rises from the previous 350 to 450 grams per kilogram, and to 500 grams for “extra” products. The goal is to reduce sugar content and promote a healthier composition. The background to the previous naming restriction was that the United Kingdom had pushed through the designation for orange marmalade in 1979. Austria had to implement the regulation after joining the EU in 1995, and an exception for local products existed from 2004.
New labeling rules apply to honey: for blends, all countries of origin and their percentage shares must now appear on the label. Previously, it was sufficient to indicate whether the honey came from the EU or not. Agriculture Minister Norbert Totschnig (ÖVP) welcomed the new regulation as a success against imported cheap honey. Simplified requirements apply for small packages up to 30 grams – here, two-letter country codes suffice.
Source: Tagesschau
