Beer labels face a fishy proposal from EU
Bottles and cans of beer may soon have to include the warning "contains fish products" if a controversial European directive is given the green light.
A proposal currently being discussed in the European Parliament has included isinglass, a fish product essential to the brewing process, in a list of allergens that must be clearly labelled on packaging.
In a move that will hardly assist in the beer industry's quest to attract new drinkers, brewers will have to state clearly on bottles and cans of beer that the beer contains fish products. Fortunately, licensees will not have to label their beer pumps as the new ruling will not initially apply to draught beer.
Timothy Kirkhope, Conservative MEP for Yorkshire and the Humber, is calling for isinglass to be exempt from the proposed ruling.
He said: "Isinglass was discovered by ancient Egyptians, who used the sturgeon to improve their drinks. A safe listing of allergenic products in ingredients is important to safeguard public health - informed labelling gives customers the freedom to choose what they eat and drink. But this is a step too far. There is no evidence that isinglass is detrimental to health - it has been used in the industry for hundreds of years."
Mike Benner, head of communications at CAMRA, fears that, if passed, it would place a further unnecessary burden on smaller brewers.
"The impact on the consumer could be very damaging," he said. "The big brewers would be the only ones who could afford to put in new filtration equipment so there's a competitive element to this as well.
"It's bureaucracy gone mad. There's no evidence at all that isinglass is in fact an allergen and CAMRA would like it to be taken off the list until adequate research has been completed."
Brewers have used isinglass, otherwise known as finings, for centuries as the most efficient way of achieving clarification of cask-conditioned ales, improving head retention, stability and shelf life.
In the case of bitter, there is no simple alternative to using isinglass in clarifying beer.
"Britain is a proud producer of good quality beer," added Mr Kirkhope, "and the European Commission must ensure that this perfectly safe tradition continues and does not fall foul of a fish fallacy."
