Lycopene: authorised novel food in the EU
Lycopene is on the Union list of authorised novel foods (Implementing Regulation (EU) 2017/2470). Conditions of use and maximum levels by food category: 9 entries, quoted below.
- Regulation
- Implementing Regulation (EU) 2017/2470, Annex, Table 1
- Listed as
- Lycopene
- Text version
- Consolidated text of 10 August 2026
- Version
- Consolidated text of 10 August 2026
- Official source
- Implementing Regulation (EU) 2017/2470, Annex, Union list of novel foods
Conditions of use and maximum levels
Table 1, column "Conditions under which the novel food may be used", as written:
- Fruit/vegetable juice-based drinks (including concentrates): 2,5 mg/100 g
- Drinks intended to meet the expenditure of intense muscular effort especially for sportsmen: 2,5 mg/100 g
- Total diet replacement for weight control as defined in Regulation (EU) No 609/2013 and meal replacements for weight control: 8 mg/meal
- Breakfast cereals: 5 mg/100 g
- Fats and dressings: 10 mg/100 g
- Soups other than tomato soups: 1 mg/100 g
- Bread (including crispy breads): 3 mg/100 g
- Foods for special medical purposes as defined in Regulation (EU) No 609/2013: In accordance with the particular nutritional requirements of the persons for whom the products are intended
- Food supplements as defined in Directive 2002/46/EC: 15 mg/day
Additional specific labelling requirements
The designation of the novel food on the labelling of the foodstuffs containing it shall be ‘Lycopene’
Specification (Table 2)
Table 2 of the Annex, row with the same name, as written:
Description/Definition:
Synthetic lycopene is produced by the Wittig condensation of synthetic intermediates commonly used in the production of other carotenoids used in food. Synthetic lycopene consists of ≥ 96 % lycopene and minor quantities of other related carotenoid components. Lycopene is presented either as a powder in a suitable matrix or an oily dispersion. The colour is dark red or red-violet. Antioxidative protection has to be assured.
Chemical name: Lycopene
CAS No.: 502-65-8 (all-trans lycopene)
Chemical formula: C40H56
Formula weight: 536,85 Da
Source and version
Implementing Regulation (EU) 2017/2470, Annex, Union list of novel foods, Table 1. Consolidated text of 10 August 2026. The text above is copied from that document without change except that amendment markers are removed. It is not advice and it does not decide whether a particular product is covered.
Want the whole list as one table?
If we publish the Union list as one table (name, food category, maximum level), we write to you once. We use the email for nothing else.