Key takeaway
What This Development Means
EU THC limits will apply to hemp leaves for water infusion and ready-to-drink hemp-leaf infusions from 1 January 2027. Businesses should update testing, specifications, labels and market checks while accounting for transitional stock and stricter national rules.
What Products Do The EU Hemp THC Limits Cover?
The limits cover hemp leaves intended for preparing water infusions and ready-to-drink hemp-leaf infusions, including blends containing other ingredients. They regulate combined delta-9-THC and delta-9-THCA expressed as THC equivalents. Other hemp foods, extracts or cannabinoid products may fall under separate contaminant, novel-food or national requirements.
What Must Businesses Complete Before January 2027?
Businesses should identify covered products, validate testing and specifications, revise leaf-infusion labels and check national restrictions in destination markets. They should document when existing stock was lawfully placed on the market, review supplier evidence and train quality, regulatory, procurement and artwork teams before the rules apply.
Source basis: European Commission, Commission Regulation (EU) 2026/1828 (29 July 2026)
New EU hemp THC limits will apply from 1 January 2027 to hemp leaves intended for water infusion and ready-to-drink hemp-leaf infusions. Commission Regulation (EU) 2026/1828, published on 29 July, creates contaminant limits and mandatory warnings that affect growers, ingredient suppliers, laboratories, drink manufacturers, importers, retailers and packaging teams across the European Economic Area.
What The EU Hemp THC Limits Require
The regulation sets a maximum of 40 mg/kg for the sum of delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol and delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinolic acid in hemp leaves for water infusion, expressed as delta-9-THC equivalents. The corresponding limit for ready-to-drink hemp-leaf infusions is 0.02 mg/kg, including drinks that are not exclusively based on hemp leaves.
The Commission cites an acute reference dose of 1 microgram of delta-9-THC per kilogram of body weight. It says previous exposure estimates indicated that this level could be exceeded and that current exposure remains a potential food safety concern.
Hemp Infusion Labels And Transition Arrangements
The EU hemp THC limits also introduce three statements in the principal field of vision. The label must say that the leaves are only for preparing a water infusion, that infants and young children should not consume the drink, and that fatty ingredients such as milk or cream must not be added during steeping.
The last instruction reflects the lipophilic nature of THC and THCA. The Commission says adding fat during steeping can significantly increase migration from the leaves into the drink. More restrictive national rules may still apply in individual Member States.
Food lawfully placed on the market before 1 January 2027 may remain available until its minimum durability or use-by date.
Practical Action For Food And Drink Businesses
Businesses should map affected products and ingredients, confirm analytical methods and sampling plans, and assess whether supplier specifications support the EU hemp THC limits. Packaging and artwork teams should reserve compliant label space, while importers and distributors check national restrictions and evidence for products already on the market.
Testing, technical files, contracts and release procedures should be updated before the application date. Companies should also distinguish hemp leaves and infusions from other hemp-derived foods, which may be subject to different limits or novel-food requirements.
Summary
EU hemp THC limits will apply from 1 January 2027, introducing thresholds for infusion leaves and ready-to-drink products plus prominent preparation warnings. Food, beverage, laboratory, packaging, import and retail teams should update specifications, testing, labels and market checks while accounting for transitional stock and stricter national rules across European markets.
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