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Since July 1, a bag of BBQ chips placed on the EU market can no longer get its smoke from the smoke flavourings Europe used to authorize. In the US, the same bag still can.
The EU did not renew eight primary smoke products after EFSA could not rule out genotoxicity for any of them (Implementing Regulation (EU) 2024/2067). Snacks and every other food category lost them on July 1, 2026. Meat, cheese and fish have until July 1, 2029. US labels still carry smoke flavor, with a labeling rule of their own (21 CFR 101.22(h)(6)).
The smoky taste survives the ban because it was never one ingredient. Much of it comes from phenols released when wood lignin burns, and guaiacol (2-methoxyphenol) is the one in BBQ chips and smoked sausage you know without knowing its name.
Primary smoke products are liquid smoke, condensed from burnt wood with everything else the fire released. EFSA assessed that whole package.
Guaiacol is one defined molecule, on the EU Union list as FL 04.005 and FEMA GRAS 2532.
The label follows the route. In the EU only a real smoke flavouring may be called one, and a smoky note built from other flavourings is declared as “flavouring”.
Guaiacol alone will not taste like a campfire. Wood smoke carries a family of phenols, and one molecule covers part of it.
If a smoky product of yours ships to Europe, the brief now has to say which route carries the smoke, and your US and EU versions may stop being the same recipe.
Explore our flavor catalogue: https://aromatech-portfolio.vercel.app/index.html
