Today, February 25, at 10:30 AM, a hearing of crucial importance for organic food producers is taking place before the Munich Administrative Court. The court is to decide whether adding beetroot juice or powder to cured meats violates regulations prohibiting the use of unauthorized additives in products labeled as organic. The case concerns permanent coloring of products, traditionally achieved using nitrites.

Key Court Ruling

The Munich Administrative Court is to issue an important industry ruling today regarding the use of beetroot as an alternative colorant in organic cured meats.

Technological Dilemma

The producer wants to utilize a natural source of color and nitrates, which during the technological process can transform into nitrites that preserve the meat's color.

Previous Case Law

The Federal Administrative Court in Leipzig dealt with a similar issue in 2015, ruling that certain vegetable extracts in organic cured meats are unauthorized additives.

A legal dispute over the nature of beetroot in organic meat processing reached the Munich Administrative Court on Wednesday. An undisclosed business entity uses beetroot juice or powder in the production of cured meats labeled as organic. The food control authority challenged this practice, considering it the use of an unauthorized additive serving solely coloring purposes. The producer argues that beetroot is not an additive but a traditional ingredient that also contains natural nitrates. During thermal processing, these can transform into nitrites, serving a preservative function analogous to traditional curing salts. EU regulations on organic production, particularly Regulation (EU) 2018/848, introduce a restrictive list of permitted substances. This law has evolved over decades, and interpretative disputes between producers and supervisory authorities are not uncommon. In 2015, the Federal Administrative Court in Germany already ruled on a similar technology. Arguments from the producer's side focus on innovation and the search for natural alternatives to controversial additives. „"Es gebe mehrere Projekte, wie man zukünftig mit weniger oder sogar ganz ohne Nitrit sichere und optisch typische Wurstwaren herstellen könne. 'Hier ist eine Option die Zugabe von Gemüsepulvern.'"” — stern.de The industry representative body, Landesinnungsverband für das bayerische Fleischerhandwerk, supports the producer, emphasizing that it is a natural ingredient, not a synthetic additive. The court's ruling will set a precedent for the entire organic food sector in Germany and may influence the interpretation of regulations in other EU countries. The decision could pave the way for broader use of natural colorants or reinforce the conservative approach of supervisory authorities.