Germany allows 'Marmelade' for non-citrus fruit spreads

Germany has officially redefined "Marmelade," allowing the term to be used for a wider range of fruit spreads, not just those made from citrus fruits. This change, effective immediately, aligns with a recent EU directive that revises the "breakfast directive."

Under the previous EU regulations, only products derived from citrus fruits could be legally called "Marmelade." All other fruit preserves, such as those made from strawberries or apricots, had to be labeled as "Konfitüre" or "Fruchtaufstrich" (fruit spread). The new rules stipulate that "Marmelade" made from citrus fruits must now be specifically labeled as "Zitrusmarmelade" (citrus marmalade), though the specific fruit name can be used instead.

The historical origin of the stricter "Marmelade" definition is traced back to British influence upon their entry into the European Economic Community. Traditionally, in Britain, "marmalade" exclusively referred to citrus preserves. This linguistic distinction was then enshrined in EU law. A proposal to revert to the broader definition was made in 2017, suggesting it could help "sweeten the bitter aftertaste of Brexit" for EU citizens.

In addition to the "Marmelade" clarification, the new regulation introduces enhanced transparency for honey consumers. When honey originates from multiple countries, all nations must now be listed on the packaging in descending order of their proportion by weight, along with the specific percentage each country contributes. This replaces previous, more general labels like "mixture of honey from EU and non-EU countries."