This Week in Healthcare — Brussels (#29, 2026)
Food additive curdlan authorised; EU acts on N-nitrosamines, chlorinated paraffins, quinolizidine alkaloids monitoring; Council discusses health policy.
October 19, 2026 to October 25, 2026
Food additive curdlan authorised; EU acts on N-nitrosamines, chlorinated paraffins, quinolizidine alkaloids monitoring; Council discusses health policy.
📋 In This Week's Newsletter
• ⚖️ EU Legislation
• 🤝 EU Council
• 📚 What We're Reading This Week
EU Legislation (Official Journal)
Commission Regulation (EU) 2026/2298 authorises curdlan as food additive
Commission Regulation (EU) 2026/2298 of 16 October 2026 amends Annex II to Regulation (EC) No 1333/2008 and the Annex to Commission Regulation (EU) No 231/2012, authorising the use of curdlan (E 424) as a gelling agent, firming agent, stabiliser and thickener in a broad range of foods. The authorisation follows the European Food Safety Authority's 2024 opinion (EFSA Journal 2024;22:e8985) concluding no safety concerns at proposed use levels. Curdlan is produced by fermentation from Rhizobium radiobacter biovar 1 strain NTK-u. The Regulation enters into force twenty days following publication in the Official Journal.
Commission Recommendation (EU) 2026/2329 on monitoring N-nitrosamines in food
Commission Recommendation (EU) 2026/2329 of 21 October 2026 urges Member States and food business operators to monitor the presence of N-nitrosamines, particularly the 10 carcinogenic types, in food products including cured meats, processed fish, dairy, and alcoholic beverages. Based on EFSA’s 2023 assessment, the Recommendation calls for harmonised sampling and sensitive analytical methods, with data to be submitted to EFSA. The aim is to collect reliable occurrence data and identify measures to reduce N-nitrosamine levels.
Commission Recommendation (EU) 2026/2335 on monitoring chlorinated paraffins in food
Commission Recommendation (EU) 2026/2335 of 21 October 2026 requests Member States and food business operators to monitor chlorinated paraffins (PCAs) in food through 2029. The approach differentiates analysis by chain length, with stricter requirements for products exceeding specified thresholds. Data are to be submitted to EFSA for risk assessment purposes.
Commission Recommendation (EU) 2026/2353 on monitoring quinolizidine alkaloids in lupins and feed
Commission Recommendation (EU) 2026/2353 of 16 October 2026 requests Member States, with feed business operators, to monitor specific quinolizidine alkaloids in lupins, lupin-derived feed, and compound feed until 2029. The Recommendation specifies analytical methods and reporting requirements, referencing EFSA’s 2019 risk assessment.
EU Council
Employment, Social Policy, Health and Consumer Affairs Council discusses health and equality
On 19 October 2026, ministers adopted a recommendation on housing exclusion and approved conclusions on equality as a driver for economic growth. The Council also discussed expectations for the forthcoming Quality Jobs Act.
What We're Reading This Week
- Polish parliament liberalises abortion law – but conservative president likely to veto changes: Poland’s parliament approves abortion law reforms, but the president’s expected veto threatens to stall expanded reproductive rights.
