GOTHIATEK® limits for undesired components
The starting point for GOTHIATEK® is the requirement for maximum allowable levels – limits – of certain undesirable substances in Swedish snus. These substances are found or produced in nature and can occur in various types of crops. The GOTHIATEK® standard guarantees that Swedish Match snus products never exceed the limits for these substances.
In Sweden, snus and chewing tobacco are regulated by the Swedish National Food Agency Directive of snus and chewing tobacco (LIVSFS 2012:6). This directive regulates e.g. the content of undesired compounds and comprises limits for lead and aflatoxins. Since 2016 the Directive also regulates the contents of NNN plus NNK and B(a)P, for both of which WHO/TobREG1) recommends maximum limits in smokeless tobacco products since 2009.
The concentrations of the undesired components (constituents) are regularly analyzed in all products in quality control programs. The average content of each constituent in snus, manufactured by Swedish Match in 2023 is presented in the table below. The confidence interval at the 95 % level is presented within the brackets.
1) The WHO working group for tobacco regulation (WHO/TobREG).
In the table below, the limits and the average contents are based on snus, “as is”.
| Constituent | Limit | Content 2023 (Conf. interval, 95%) | Constituent | Limit | Content 2023 (Conf. interval, 95%) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nitrite (mg/kg) | 3.5 | <1 (<1 – 1.0) | Cadmium (mg/kg) | 0.5 | 0.30 (0.30 – 0.31) |
| NNN+NNK (mg/kg) | 0.95 | 0.47 (0.45 – 0.49) | Lead (mg/kg) | 1.0 | 0.14 (0.13 – 0.14) |
| NDMA (µg/kg) | 2.5 | <0.6 (<0.6 – 0.6) | Arsenic (mg/kg) | 0.25 | <0.05 (<0.05 – 0.05) |
| B(a)P (µg/kg) | 1.25 | <0.6 (<0.6 – 0.6) | Nickel (mg/kg) | 2.25 | 0.83 (0.82 – 0.85) |
| Aflatoxin B1+B2+G1+G2 (µg/kg) | 2.5 | <2.1 | Chromium (mg/kg) | 1.5 | 0.40 (0.39 – 0.41) |
| Ochratoxin A (µg/kg) | 10 | 1.5 (1.5 – 1.6) | Mercury (mg/kg) | 0.02 | <0.02 |
| Formaldehyde (mg/kg) | 7.5 | 2.5 (2.5 – 2.6) | Acetaldehyde (mg/kg) | 25 | 7.4 (7.2 – 7.7) |
| Crotonaldehyde (mg/kg) | 0.75 | <0.10 | Agrochemicals | According to the Swedish Match Agrochemical Management Program | Below Swedish Match internal limits |
Legends:
mg/kg = thousandth gram per kilogram product (based on moist snus)
µg/kg = millionth gram per kilogram product (based on moist snus)
Declaration of contents
A declaration of contents in accordance with food labelling shall be publicly available for all GOTHIATEK® products. Substances that are used in the manufacturing of each product shall be listed in declining order of weight. Flavor additives shall be listed as a common group. A list of flavor additives used in Swedish snus by GOTHIATEK® can be found on the page Ingredients in snus.
