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Fruit Jam, Jelly, Marmalade and Chestnut Purée

Here you can find the legislation and guidance for fruit jam, jelly, marmalade and chestnut purée.

EU legislation

Council Directive 2001/113/EC (OJ L 010, p67, 12.01.02) of 20 December 2001 relating to fruit jams, jellies and marmalades and sweetened chestnut purée intended for human consumption

Amended by:

Consolidated version of Council Directive 2001/113/EC as at 18th November 2013

National legislation

European Communities (Marketing of Fruit Jams, Jellies, Marmalades and Sweetened Chestnut Purée) Regulation, 2003 (S.I. No. 294 of 2003)

The purpose of Directive 2001/113/EC is to prescribe standards for the composition and labelling of fruit jams, jellies, marmalades and chestnut purée products. The Directive defines:

                  -  jam                               -  jelly                                              - marmalade
                  -  extra jam                     -  extra jelly                                   - chestnut purée

Definitions are also given for the following raw materials which may be used in the manufacture of these products:

        -  fruit            - fruit pulp          -  fruit purée          -  aqueous extracts of fruit          -  sugars


For the purposes of Directive 2001/113/EC, tomatoes, the edible parts of rhubarb stalks, carrots, sweet potatoes, cucumbers, pumpkins, melons and water-melons are considered as fruit.

The Directive also lays down labelling requirements for products which fall within its scope, which apply in addition to the general labelling requirements of Regulation (EU) No. 1169/2011 on the provision of food information to consumers. The specific requirements include:

  • The product names must be supplemented by an indication of the fruit or fruits used, in descending order of weight of the raw materials used. However, for products manufactured from three or more fruits, the indication of the fruits used may be replaced by the words ‘mixed fruit’ or a similar wording, or by the number of fruits used.
  • The fruit content of the product must be indicated by including the words "prepared with ..g of fruit per 100g".  The total sugar content must also be indicated by the words "total sugar content ..g per 100g". 
    Both these statements must appear in the same visual field as the product name and in clearly visible characters. The above sugar content statement does not need to be indicated if a nutrition claim is being made in accordance with the requirements of Regulation 1924/2006 on nutrition and health claim and nutrition labelling in Regulation (EU) No. 1169/2011
  • Where the residual content of sulphur dioxide is more than 10 mg/kg, its presence shall be indicated in the list of ingredients and highlighted