Republic of Latvia

Cabinet
Regulation No. 585
Adopted 13 October 2015

Requirements for Quality, Classification, and Supplementary Labelling of Cocoa and Chocolate Products

Issued pursuant to Section 4, Paragraph four and Section 13,
Paragraph three, Clause 3 of the Law on the Supervision
of the Handling of Food

I. General Provisions

1. The Regulation prescribes the requirements for the quality, classification, and supplementary labelling of cocoa and chocolate products intended for human consumption.

2. The classification and quality indicators of cocoa and chocolate products are specified in Annex 1 to this Regulation.

II. Quality Requirements for Cocoa and Chocolate Products

3. Vegetable fats and other food ingredients may be added to the chocolate products referred to in Paragraphs 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 19, and 20 of Annex 1 to this Regulation. The addition of animal fats, except for milk fat, is prohibited.

4. Flour and also granular or powdered starch may be added to the chocolate products referred to in Paragraphs 19 and 20 of Annex 1 to this Regulation.

5. The content of vegetable fats, milk fat, and other food ingredients, and also the content of flour and granular or powdered starch in the case referred to in Paragraph 4 of this Regulation, may not exceed 40 per cent of the weight of the finished product.

6. Only those flavourings which do not mimic the taste of chocolate or of milk fat may be added to the products referred to in Paragraphs 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 19, and 20 of Annex 1 to this Regulation.

7. Vegetable fats referred to in Annex 2 to this Regulation, except for cocoa butter, may be added to the chocolate products referred to in Paragraphs 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 19, and 20 of Annex 1 to this Regulation. The content of vegetable fats shall not exceed five per cent of the weight of the finished product, calculated by deducting the weight of the food ingredients referred to in Paragraphs 3, 4, 5, and 6 of this Regulation from the weight of the finished product, without reducing the content of cocoa butter or total dry cocoa solids.

8. The vegetable fats referred to in Annex 2 to this Regulation are, separately or in a blend, cocoa butter equivalents if they meet the following requirements:

8.1. they are non-lauric vegetable fats and are rich in symmetrical monounsaturated triglycerides of the type POP, POSt and StOSt (P - palmitic acid, O - oleic acid, St - stearic acid);

8.2. they are miscible in any proportion with cocoa butter and their physical properties (melting point, crystallisation temperature, melting rate, need for tempering phase) are compatible;

8.3. they are obtained only by the processes of refining or fractionation which excludes enzymatic modification of the triglyceride structure.

9. Almonds, hazelnuts, and other nut varieties, either whole or broken, in such quantities that, together with the ground hazelnuts, they do not exceed 60 per cent of the weight of the finished product, may be added to the products referred to in Paragraphs 9 and 13 of Annex 1 to this Regulation.

10. Milk or dry milk obtained by evaporation may be added to the products referred to in Paragraph 9 of Annex 1 to this Regulation, provided that the dry milk solids content does not exceed five per cent of the weight of the finished product.

11. For the products referred to in Paragraphs 10, 11, 13, 16, and 17 of Annex 1 to this Regulation, the dry milk solids shall be obtained from:

11.1. partly or wholly dehydrated whole milk;

11.2. low-fat or skimmed milk;

11.3. cream or from partly or wholly dehydrated cream;

11.4. butter or other milk fat.

12. If chocolate is used for the manufacture of ice cream or similar frozen products, coconut oil may be used in the manufacture of chocolate.

13. Various types of sugar may be used in the manufacture of cocoa and chocolate products, provided that they conform to the laws and regulations regarding the requirements for various types of sugar and their labelling.

14. The minimum weight of the products referred to in Paragraphs 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 19, and 20 of Annex 1 to this Regulation shall be calculated by deducting the weight of the ingredients referred to in Paragraphs 3, 4, 5, and 6 of this Regulation from the weight of the finished product.

15. The minimum weight of the products referred to in Paragraphs 18 and 21 of Annex 1 to this Regulation shall be calculated by deducting the weight of the ingredients referred to in Paragraphs 3, 4, 5, and 6 of this Regulation and the weight of the filling from the weight of the finished product.

16. For the products referred to in Paragraphs 18 and 21 of Annex 1 to this Regulation, the content of chocolate shall be calculated in relation to the weight of the finished product, including the weight of the filling.

III. Requirements for the Labelling of Cocoa and Chocolate Products

17. Cocoa and chocolate products shall be labelled in accordance with the laws and regulations regarding the provision of food information to consumers and the labelling of prepackaged food. The information referred to in this Regulation shall be additionally indicated on the label.

18. The trade names referred to in Annex 1 to this Regulation shall be used when selling the respective products to a final consumer.

19. The trade names of the cocoa and chocolate products referred to in Annex 1 to this Regulation may also be used in the trade name of other products if the respective product cannot be confused with the products referred to in Annex 1 to this Regulation.

20. If the products referred to in Paragraphs 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, and 21 of Annex 1 to this Regulation are sold in assortments, the trade names of specific products may be replaced by "Assorted Chocolate Pralines", "Chocolate Praline Mix", "Assorted Chocolates", "Assorted Filled Chocolates" or similar names, and the labelling may include a single list of ingredients for all respective products.

21. The labelling of the products referred to Paragraphs 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 19, and 20 of Annex 1 to this Regulation shall indicate the total dry cocoa solids content by including the words: "Cocoa content: at least ...%".

22. For the products referred to in Paragraphs 3 and 5 of Annex 1 to this Regulation, the labelling shall indicate the cocoa butter content.

23. The trade names "Chocolate", "Milk Chocolate", and "Couverture Chocolate" may be supplemented by information on product quality criteria or a product description if the product meets the following requirements:

23.1. chocolate contains not less than 43 per cent of total dry cocoa solids, while the total cocoa solids contain not less than 26 per cent of cocoa butter;

23.2. milk chocolate contains not less than 30 per cent of total dry cocoa solids and not less than 18 per cent of dry milk solids obtained from the products referred to in Paragraph 11 of this Regulation, while dry milk solids contain not less than 4.5 per cent of milk fat;

23.3. couverture chocolate contains not less than 16 per cent of dry non-fat cocoa solids.

24. If chocolate products contain also the vegetable fats referred to in Annex 2 to this Regulation, the labelling shall be supplemented by a conspicuous and clearly legible statement: "Contains cocoa butter and other vegetable fats". This statement shall appear next to the trade name of the product, in the same field of vision as the list of ingredients, and clearly separated from that list. The lettering of the statement shall be at least as large as that of the list of ingredients.

25. The names of the products referred to in Paragraph 5 of Annex 1 to this Regulation may be accompanied by the term "Fat-reduced" if the product is fat-reduced in accordance with Paragraph 3 of Annex 1 to this Regulation.

IV. Closing Provision

26. Cabinet Regulation No. 661 of 25 November 2003, Requirements for Classification, Quality, and Labelling of Cocoa and Chocolate Products (Latvijas Vēstnesis, 2003, No. 168), is repealed.

Informative Reference to European Union Directives

The Regulation contains legal norms arising from Directive 2000/36/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 23 June 2000 relating to cocoa and chocolate products intended for human consumption.

Prime Minister Laimdota Straujuma

Minister for Agriculture Jānis Dūklavs

 

Annex 1
Cabinet Regulation No. 585
13 October 2015

Trade Names, and also Classification and Quality Indicators of Cocoa and Chocolate Products

1. Cocoa butter - fat obtained from cocoa beans or parts of cocoa beans, containing not more than 1.75 per cent of free fatty acids (expressed as oleic acid) and not more than 0.5 per cent of unsaponifiable matter (except for press cocoa butter where it shall not be more than 0.35 per cent). The unsaponifiable matter shall be determined using petroleum ether.

2. Cocoa, cocoa powder - a powdered product obtained by converting into powder cocoa beans which have been cleaned, shelled, and roasted, and which contains not less than 20 per cent of cocoa butter on a dry matter basis and not more than 9 per cent of water.

3. Fat-reduced cocoa, fat-reduced cocoa powder - a powdered product obtained by converting into powder cocoa beans which have been cleaned, shelled, and roasted, and which contains not less than 20 per cent of cocoa butter on a dry matter basis.

4. Powdered chocolate, chocolate in powder - a product consisting of a mixture of cocoa powder and sugar, containing not less than 32 per cent of cocoa powder.

5. Drinking chocolate, sweetened cocoa, sweetened cocoa powder - a product consisting of a mixture of cocoa powder and sugar, containing not less than 25 per cent of cocoa powder.

6. Chocolate - a product obtained from cocoa products and sugar, containing not less than:

6.1. 18 per cent of cocoa butter on a dry matter basis;

6.2. 35 per cent of total dry cocoa solids;

6.3. 14 per cent of total dry non-fat solids.

7. Chocolate vermicelli or chocolate flakes - a product presented in the form of granules or paste, containing not less than:

7.1. 12 per cent of cocoa butter on a dry matter basis;

7.2. 32 per cent of total dry cocoa solids;

7.3. 14 per cent of total dry non-fat solids.

8. Couverture chocolate - a product obtained from cocoa products and sugar, containing not less than:

8.1. 31 per cent of cocoa butter on a dry matter basis;

8.2. 35 per cent of total dry cocoa solids;

8.3. 2.5 per cent of total dry non-fat solids.

9. Nut chocolate ("Gianduja" or any other product with a name derived from the word "Gianduja") - a product obtained from chocolate and finely ground hazelnuts (100 g of the product contain 20-40 g of hazelnuts), added in accordance with Paragraph 11 of this Regulation and containing not less than:

9.1. 32 per cent of total dry cocoa solids;

9.2. 8 per cent of total dry non-fat solids.

10. Milk chocolate - a product obtained from cocoa products, sugar, and milk or milk products. The name "Milk Chocolate" may be supplemented by words "vermicelli", "flakes", "couverture", or "nuts", as specified in Paragraphs 11, 12, and 13 of this Annex. In the labelling of the products referred to in Paragraphs 10, 11, 12, and 13 of this Annex, the word "milk" may be replaced by "cream" or "skimmed milk", as specified in Paragraphs 14 and 15 of this Annex. This product shall contain not less than:

10.1. 25 per cent of total dry cocoa solids;

10.2. 14 per cent of dry milk solids;

10.3. 2.5 per cent of total dry non-fat solids;

10.4. 3.5 per cent of milk fat;

10.5. 25 per cent of total fat (cocoa butter and milk fat).

11. Milk chocolate vermicelli or milk chocolate flakes - a product presented in the form of granules or flakes, containing not less than:

11.1. 20 per cent of total dry cocoa solids;

11.2. 12 per cent of dry milk solids;

11.3. 12 per cent of total fat (cocoa butter and milk fat).

12. Milk chocolate couverture - a product obtained from cocoa products, sugar, and milk or milk products, containing at least 31 per cent of total fat (cocoa butter and milk fat).

13. Nut-milk chocolate ("Gianduja" or any other product with a name derived from the word "Gianduja") - a product obtained from chocolate, milk, and finely ground hazelnuts (100 g of the product contain 15-40 g of hazelnuts), added in accordance with Paragraph 11 of this Regulation and containing not less than 10 per cent of dry milk solids.

14. Cream chocolate - a product obtained from cocoa products, sugar, and cream, containing not less than 5.5 per cent of milk fat.

15. Skimmed milk chocolate - a product obtained from cocoa products, sugar, and skimmed milk, containing not less than one per cent of milk fat.

16. Family milk chocolate - a product obtained from cocoa products, sugar, and milk or milk products, containing not less than:

16.1. 20 per cent of total dry cocoa solids;

16.2. 20 per cent of dry milk solids;

16.3. 2.5 per cent of total dry non-fat solids;

16.4. 5 per cent of milk fat;

16.5. 25 per cent of total fat (cocoa butter and milk fat).

17. White chocolate - a product obtained from cocoa butter, sugar, milk or milk products, containing not less than:

17.1. 20 per cent of cocoa butter on a dry matter basis;

17.2. 14 per cent of dry milk solids;

17.3. 3.5 per cent of milk fat.

18. Filled chocolate, chocolate with filling, chocolate-coated product (e.g., marshmallow in chocolate, cherries in chocolate) - a product the outer part of which consists of one of the products referred to in Paragraphs 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, and 17 of this Annex. The outer chocolate portion of products shall constitute not less than 25 per cent of the weight of the finished product. The trade name shall not apply to products, the inside of which consists of bakery products, pastry, biscuit, or edible ice.

19. Chocolate a la taza - a product obtained from cocoa products, sugar, and flour or starch from wheat, rice or maize, containing not less than eight per cent of flour or starch and not less than:

19.1. 18 per cent of cocoa butter on a dry matter basis;

19.2. 35 per cent of total dry cocoa solids;

19.3. 14 per cent of total dry non-fat cocoa solids.

20. Chocolate familiar a la taza - a product obtained from cocoa products, sugar, and flour or starch from wheat, rice or maize, containing not less than 18 per cent of flour or starch and not less than:

20.1. 18 per cent of cocoa butter on a dry matter basis;

20.2. 30 per cent of total dry cocoa solids;

20.3. 12 per cent of total dry non-fat cocoa solids.

21. A chocolate (praline) - a product in single-mouthful size, consisting of filled chocolate or a single chocolate or a combination or a mixture of products referred to in Paragraphs 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, and 17 of this Annex, provided that chocolate constitutes not less than 25 per cent of the weight of the finished product.

Minister for Agriculture Jānis Dūklavs

 

Annex 2
Cabinet Regulation No. 585
13 October 2015

Vegetable Fats Used in the Manufacture of Chocolate Products

No.	Vegetable fat (international trade name)	Plants from which the fats listed can be obtained (scientific name in Latin)
1.	Illipe, Borneo tallow, or Tengkawang	Shorea spp.
2.	Palm oil	Elaeis guineesis; Elaeis olifera
3.	Sal	Shorea robusta
4.	Shea	Butyrospermum parkii
5.	Kokum gurgi	Garcinia indica
6.	Mango kernel	Mangifera indica

Minister for Agriculture Jānis Dūklavs

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Translation © 2025 Valsts valodas centrs (State Language Centre)