RESOLUTION OIV-OENO 567B4-2022

DISTINCTION BETWEEN ADDITIVES AND PROCESSING AIDS - Dimethyl dicarbonate

THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY,

IN VIEW OF ARTICLE 2, paragraph 2 b) ii of the Agreement of 3 April 2001 establishing the International Organisation of Vine and Wine,

CONSIDERING that In the framework of its competence, the objectives of the OIV is to contribute to international harmonisation of existing practices and standards and, as necessary, to the preparation of new international standards in order to improve the conditions for producing and marketing vine and wine products, and to help ensure that the interests of consumers are taken into account,

CONSIDERING the definitions of additives and processing aids issued from OIV resolution OIV-OENO 567A-2016,

CONSIDERING the different oenological substances adopted by the OIV and published in the International Code of Oenological Practices and International Oenological Codex,

CONSIDERING the works of the “Technology” Expert Group, and the OIV Task Force on additives in wines on the evaluation of the status as additives or processing aids of the substances adopted by the OIV,

CONSIDERING that this distinction will help further harmonisation between intergovernmental organisations and will facilitate international trade in wine,

CONSIDERING that the list below is not an exhaustive list of the additives and processing aids and that the OIV continues to review and consider the additives and processing aids proposed for use in winemaking,

CONSIDERING that the use of DMDC in beverages including wine as a microbial control agent is permitted in many economies. In wine, DMDC is typically added to the beverage during the processing stage before it is filled into packages.  DMDC breaks down in the presence of water to form primarily methanol and carbon dioxide. This breakdown occurs within hours in typical applications. There is no ongoing antimicrobial activity from DMDC, or the breakdown products, in a product sold through a normal commercial beverage distribution system. No residue of DMDC remains in the treated beverages ready for consumption however methanol and  traces of other DMDC breakdown products such as dimethyl carbonate (DMC), methyl ethyl carbonate (MEC) and methylcarbamate (MC) may be found in the finished product.

CONSIDERING that some countries, due to the presence in the treated wines of some breakdown products of DMDC, have legislated in their relevant laws that DMDC is an additive, whereas other countries, considering the absence del DMDC in the treated wines, have legislated that it is a processing aid,

DECIDES, on the proposal of Commission II “Oenology”, to add, in the table of classification of additives or processing aids of the International Code of Oenological Practices, a line related to DMDC as follows:

^[1] According to the national laws of different countries, DMDC is considered as an additive in some countries whereas in in other countries it is considered as a processing aid.