Food Law

Nitrites and Nitrates in food: european commission reduces limits

The use of nitrites and nitrates is widespread in the production of meat, sausages, cheeses and particularly perishable products, in which they are added with the aim of preventing the development and proliferation of micro-organisms harmful to human health, especially the C. Botulinum. In any case, nitrites and nitrates are not limited to being merely deterrent to microbial proliferation, [...]

Chemical contaminants in food: the new European regulation repealing EC Reg. 2006/1881

On 25 May 2023, the new Chemical Contaminants Regulation will enter into force, definitively repealing Regulation (EC) No 2006/1881. The general objective of the Regulation has remained unchanged and is to set maximum levels for the various contaminants potentially present in the individual product categories, so that foodstuffs listed in Annex I may not be placed on the market, or [...]

MOCA, food contact materials

Food Contact Materials: how active and intelligent packaging can improve food shelf life and reduce food waste

The Food Contact Materials sector (FCM) is particularly suited to technological innovation. The so-called "active" and "intelligent" packaging allows interesting applications in food packaging that promote a substantial increase in the commercial life of packaged food. Regulation (EC) 450/2009 defines specific rules for active and intelligent materials and objects in addition to the general rules of Regulation (EC) No. 1935/2004 [...]

Milk expiration

The "fresh" milk that the consumer can buy from the fridge can have a shelf life of about 20 days and maintain the organoleptic and sensory characteristics similar to those of fresh milk. To better understand why we start from the definition of milk, according to the EC Regulation n. 853/2004. Raw milk is defined as "milk produced by the [...]

Chemical food contaminants: MOAH and MOSH

Chemical food contaminants are defined as chemical substances not intentionally added to food and feed that may be present in them as a result of various steps in their processing or transportation. Chemical contaminants are: heavy metals; inhibiting substances; residues of previous plant protection products in primary production; chemical migration substances from contact surfaces and packaging materials that are not [...]

Organic, Biologico

Organic certification: the new Regulation will start from January 2022

In recent years, organic farming has aroused great interest in consumers and awareness of the potential benefits of the organic method has grown, especially of an environmental nature. More and more companies are modifying their products, working on their external perception, so as to make them reach the customer as part of a message that speaks of respect for [...]

USA export: food labeling

Food labelling in the USA is regulated by the FDA (CFR 21.101). The standard establishes a totally different type of labelling from that valid in the EU for the positioning of information and for its relative importance. Sometimes for marketing and communication needs companies tend to include in the labels of food products to be exported to the United States, statements, [...]

Vegan products: how to certify them to ensure the protection of companies and consumers

Whether it's for health, respect for animals, environmental protection, or the desire to experiment with new eating styles, we are facing an important change: people are tending to increasingly avoid eating meat and fish, and animal-derived foods, and prefer a "plant-based" diet. Meat production takes up 80% of agricultural land and contributes to about one fifth of all man-made greenhouse [...]

Packaged foods: how to increase shelf life

The UNI 10534-2005 standard defines shelf life as the period of time that corresponds, under certain storage conditions, to a tolerable decrease in food quality. It essentially defines the suitability for food use, contextualizing itself in a wider discourse that takes into consideration the chemical-physical, organoleptic, enzymatic and microbiological characteristics of the product. In the degradation process of a food [...]

Packaging and communication: information and indications for export

In almost every country in the world, Italian food products are synonymous with quality and excellence, and are particularly appreciated by consumers. For this reason, the foreign market has always been an excellent commercial channel for Italian companies. It is therefore necessary to remember that the label of a food for markets other than ours, has profound differences compared to [...]