Council Directive 88/344/EEC on the approximation of the laws of the Member States on extraction solvents used in the production of foodstuffs and food ingredients.

This Directive applies to extraction solvents used or intended for use in the production of foodstuffs or food ingredients. This Directive shall not apply to extraction solvents used in the production of food additives, vitamins and other nutritional additives, unless such food additives, vitamins or nutritional additives are listed in the Annex. However, the Member States shall ensure that the use of food additives, vitamins and other nutritional additives does not result in foodstuffs containing extraction solvent residue levels dangerous to human health. Where a Member State, as a result of new information made since the Directive was adopted, has detailed grounds for establishing that the use in foodstuffs of any substance listed in the Annex or the level of one or more of the components referred to in article 3 contained in such substances might endanger human health that Member State may temporarily suspend or restrict application of the provisions in question in its territory informing immediately the other Member States and the Commission. In Annex are listed the extraction solvents which may be used during the processing of raw materials, of foodstuffs.