Etichetta: tracciabilità e rintracciabilità dei prodotti alimentari

A short but intense story

Food traceability was born as a food safety tool . The provenance of food does not in itself determine its quality, but rather it can be used to manage potential food safety issues.

EC Regulation No. 178 of 2002 establishes the so-called “traceability procedure”, a tool that allows consumers to make informed choices, defining it as ” the possibility of reconstructing and following the path of a food, a feed, a food-producing animal or a substance intended to be, or expected to be, incorporated into a food or feed through all stages of production, processing and distribution “.

Among the issues addressed is the need to prevent adulteration or counterfeiting of products: an example is extra virgin olive oil . The requirement to specify the place of origin of the raw material (olives) and the location of the mill on the label protects consumers from potential fraud, such as oil produced in Italy from foreign olives, or processed abroad by Italian companies. Traceability on the label, in this case, not only allows consumers to choose a 100% Italian product, but also allows the relevant authorities to verify that those labeling products with the PDO , PGI , or IGT designations are actually entitled to do so.

Traceability and tracking of food products

Contrary to what one might think, these terms are not exactly synonymous, yet they represent two sides of the same coin:

• Tracing
  refers to the ability to describe the path of a raw material or a production batch through its passage from one commercial entity to another within the production chain. Essentially, the flow of goods is accompanied by a flow of information, which is recorded and stored at each stage.
• Tracing
  , on the other hand, means being able to reconstruct a product’s entire journey backwards: from its final state to the starting raw materials.

All components of the food supply chain are involved in the traceability system, from product harvesting, through processors and distributors, to the final link: the consumer. Each change of ownership from one component to another must involve recording the incoming food or product, allowing the company marketing the finished product to trace the raw materials of origin. An example is feed used to feed livestock; animals that are subsequently slaughtered will be able to trace the type of diet they received throughout their lives.

The company marketing the final product is also required to “create” distinctive codes for each production batch released to the market, containing information on the production date and the ingredients used. Furthermore, the assignment of each batch to final distributors (e.g., supermarkets) is recorded. This way, in the unfortunate event that production batches are recalled from the market due to safety or quality issues, the recall can be as timely and effective as possible.

Labelling of fruit and vegetable products

According to European Union regulations, fruit and vegetable products sold wholesale must contain the following information, printed on the packaging and clearly visible:

• Identification : information about the packer and shipper of the goods;
• Nature of the product: name and commercial variety;
• Country of origin of the product, possibly production area;
• Commercial characteristics : category and possible size (maximum and minimum diameter);
• Official control mark (optional).

Not all of this information is visible to the consumer, unless purchasing in bulk or at retail outlets where the product is still in its transport packaging. At any fruit and vegetable store, however, it is necessary to specify the product’s provenance : simply look at the label or information panels to understand the origin of the fruit and vegetables we purchase.

Beef and traceability

The beef identification and traceability system in our country complies with EC Regulation No. 1760 of 2000. The current labeling system is established by the Ministerial Decree of February 25, 2005, ” Guidelines for controls on the labeling of beef ,” and concerns pre-packaged beef (i.e., the packages found in the refrigerated section of supermarkets). By law, products on sale must transparently display information to consumers, such as:

• Animal reference code ;
• “ Born in :” (Country of birth of the animal);
• “ Raised in :” (Country/ies of breeding and fattening);
• “ Slaughtered in :” (name and location of the slaughterhouse: “ Country of slaughter ” and “ Slaughterhouse approval number ”);
• “ Cut in :” (name and location of cutting: “ Country of cutting ” and “ Approval number of cutting laboratory ”).

If even just one of these items is not specified on the product label, it is an offence , punishable by law: cases must be reported to the competent authorities.

Additional information may include the name of the point of sale and its identification code; the product batch number ; the location and name of the farm(s) where the animal was raised and fattened; and the animal’s category, sex, and breed. The animal’s identification code , in particular, can be verified on the website of the Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale ( http://www.anagrafe.izs.it/ ) and allows you to follow the “history” of the bovine destined for our table step by step.

All this information therefore allows us to reconstruct the product supply chain and make fully informed food choices.

Poultry meat

We all remember the panic that erupted in 2004, when it seemed that the H5N1 avian flu would threaten the entire world population. Although it was actually more of a media frenzy than a real risk to the Italian population, in 2005 the government, under pressure, issued a Ministerial Order (” Veterinary Police Measures in the Field of Infectious and Diffuse Diseases in Farmyard Poultry “), which specified mandatory product labeling: not only for whole and cut meats, but also for poultry-based products (cordon bleu, cutlets, kebabs, etc.).

The mandatory information on the label must contain:

• Sales name (for example, “ chicken drumsticks ”) andnet or nominal quantity ;
• Origin of the meat (with indications of the country and province of breeding: for example, “ Breeded in Italy – PC ”);
• Company name and location of the production plant;
• Code of the breeding farm of origin;
• Date of slaughter or cutting;
• Identification code of the slaughterhouse or processing plant;
• Production batch ;
• Indication of the preferred term of consumption

The labelling of fish products

There are two specific European Union regulations (EC no. 104/2000 and no. 2065/2001) that govern the labelling of fresh fish products , implemented into Italian legislation with the Ministerial Decree of 27 March 2002. The products displayed for sale must bear information on the label such as:

• Commercial name of the species (for example, “ Sea Bream ”): according to the European regulation, each State must have a list that uniquely identifies fish species, regardless of names linked to local traditions.
• Scientific name of the species (e.g. “ Sparus aurata ”), optional information;
• Production method (product “ caught ”, “ caught in fresh water ”, “ farmed ”);
• Catch area : for products caught at sea, reference is made to the so-called “ FAO Zones ”, which can be consulted at the website http://www.fao.org/fishery/area/search/en ; for those caught in fresh water or farmed, the country of origin must be specified;
• Health stamp .

As regards frozen fish products , the following information must be shown on the packaging, some of which are common with fresh fish:

• Commercial or sales name , scientific name if applicable;
• Production method ;
• Capture area ;
• List of ingredients and species present (individual if the product is monospecies, or the complete list of species within, for example, fish soups). If a specific ingredient is highlighted on the packaging (for example, “ Lobster risotto mix “), the percentage of that ingredient in the total must be reported.
• Net or nominal quantity (in the case of pre-packaged products);
• Minimum shelf life (the classic wording “ best before… ”);
• Product storage instructions (required temperature and type of freezer), instructions for use, storage warnings (“ Once defrosted, the product must not be refrozen and must be kept in the refrigerator for no more than 24 hours ”);
• Production batch identification code ;
• Name and address of the manufacturer and production/packaging plant

Eggs and codes

Eggs are among the products for which consumers can obtain the most detailed information on the market . In fact, there is a requirement to stamp an alphanumeric code (made up of numbers and letters) on the shell that contains all the information relating to:

• Type of chicken farming ( organic eggs , free-range , free -range or cage-free );
• Country , municipality and province of breeding;
• Identification code of the specific farm of origin.

For further information, we recommend consulting the guide on “ How to choose and store eggs ”.

Honey labelling

The production and marketing of honey in Italy are regulated by Legislative Decree no. 179 of 2004, which requires the following mandatory information on labels:

• Sales name (for example, “ multi-flower honey ”);
• Net or nominal quantity ;
• Name , company name or registered trademark;
• Location of the manufacturer, packager or seller;
• Country of origin of the product;
• Production batch code ;
• Indication of the expiry date .

The honey’s country (or countries) of origin , i.e., where it was harvested, must be clearly indicated. This requirement stems from the widespread and fraudulent marketing, prior to the law, of products labeled as ” Italian honey ” but made with raw materials sourced abroad. Products containing foreign honeys must therefore be labeled according to their origin: ” Blend of honeys originating in the EC ,” ” Blend of honeys not originating in the EC ,” or ” Blend of honeys originating in and outside the EC ,” without, however, specifying the countries of origin on the label.

Absolutely prohibited on packaging are phrases or slogans that refer to hypothetical positive, therapeutic, or curative effects of the product, attributing to it characteristics that it does not possess, thus “deceiving” the consumer.

Olive oil labeling

In Italy, the provisions on labeling the origin of oils are contained in the Ministerial Decree of October 9, 2007, which, however, applies exclusively to virgin and extra virgin olive oils . What about other oils? Since they are considered inferior quality products, it was decided to turn a blind eye to their provenance and the origin of the olives used. For higher-quality oils, which are significantly more expensive , it was deemed that consumers had the right to know the harvesting and production area.

Therefore, in the case of virgin or extra virgin olive oils, the country (or countries) where the olives were harvested , grown , and pressed must be indicated on the label . These countries may be within the European Union or outside of Europe, and all must be clearly listed on the label in descending order according to the quantities used.

If the olives have been grown in a country other than the one where they were pressed , the wording “ Oil extracted in [Country where the mill is located] from olives grown in [Country or Countries where the olives are grown]” must be shown on the label .

As regards Italian products, only oils with a protected designation of origin ( DOP , IGT , IGP ) can show the geographical area of ​​cultivation or where the mill is located on the label.

The origin of fresh milk

According to the legislation in force in our country, it is mandatory to specify the place of origin and provenance only for products belonging to the categories ” fresh pasteurized milk ” and ” high quality fresh pasteurized milk “.

All other dairy products, such as long-life milk, yogurt, and cheese, are exempt from this requirement, and the designation of origin is only indicated on the packaging on a voluntary basis. This means that the 3.5 million liters of milk and dairy products such as curds, casein, and semi-finished products ( Source: Coldiretti ) that cross our borders every day can easily become part of the products we consume daily, putting the true Made in Italy label at risk . This is a serious regulatory shortcoming: there are no guarantees for consumers purchasing these foods, and the recent “blue mozzarella” scandal is just the latest case of products from abroad that are of poor quality, if not harmful to health.

The advice is, of course, to prefer fresh milk and, if possible, dairy products and derivatives from local producers . Besides ensuring safe and controlled quality, this will avoid funding unfair competition from low-cost foreign products that jeopardize the survival of Italian farmers.

The traceability of tomato puree

The Ministerial Decree of February 17, 2007, requires that the growing area of ​​the tomatoes used to make tomato puree be indicated on the label . By “tomato puree,” remember, the law defines “the product obtained by directly pressing fresh tomatoes ,” thus excluding preserves made from rehydrated tomato paste.

Therefore, the packaging must indicate the growing area of ​​the fresh tomatoes used to make the passata, thus protecting consumers against the risks of fraud and adulteration, and also protecting the Italian sector from the aggressiveness of low-cost foreign products.

On paper, this is an effective measure, but in practice it has enormous flaws . All canned goods other than tomato puree, such as sauce mixes, tomato paste, and so on, are exempt from the requirement to declare their origin. Many consumer and producer associations are fighting for mandatory labeling for these other products as well, but the battle is ongoing.

Finally, a word of caution. Advertising is often misleading, promoting tomato pulp as a higher-quality product than passata. People might be tempted to buy it by the presence of chopped tomatoes, while when it comes to passata, they often wonder what goes into it. Yet, while passata has a clear and unequivocal legal definition, there’s no certainty about what goes into the pulp. Currently, in Italy, there are no regulations for the production of this preserve, which can also be made from frozen raw materials . And, of course, it’s foreign : just think that in 2009, 82,000 tons of tomatoes were imported from China .

GMOs (Genetically Modified Organisms) and their labelling

In 2003, the European Union issued a regulation (no. 1830) containing the provisions necessary to ensure the traceability and labelling of GMOs: not only that of the organisms as such, but also of feed and food obtained from GMOs.

Therefore, producers are required to specify on the label that the products they sell are GMOs , or contain them ; below this wording, the alphanumeric code corresponding to these GMOs must be shown. It is worth remembering that there are GMOs whose use is authorised by the European Union, and each of which has been assigned a unique code for the purpose of monitoring their potential effects on human health and the environment. When purchasing, it is impossible to go wrong: the wording “ This product contains genetically modified organisms ” or “ This product contains [name of the organism] ” must be clearly visible on the packaging; the stickers indicating “ GMO- free ” products are equally clearly visible .

However, there is a possibility that GMOs may be accidentally present in food. If this is not the manufacturer’s intention, but is due to unavoidable technical issues, there is an exemption from declaring on the label the presence of GMO traces less than 0.9% of the product. What does this mean? That there is never a 100% guarantee that you are consuming GMO-free foods…

Problems still to be solved

While there are mandatory origin declaration requirements for fruit and vegetables, eggs, honey, beef and poultry, fresh milk, seafood, tomato puree, and extra virgin olive oil, transparent labeling for other products such as goat , mutton , rabbit , and pork, and all their derivatives, remains unregulated. Even for other products such as shelf-stable milk , cheeses (non-PDO), pasta , bread , and preserved vegetables (processed fruit and vegetables, and tomato products other than puree), there is no real requirement, and the presence of a designation of origin for a product is solely the result of a voluntary choice by the companies marketing it.

From a legislative perspective , therefore, much can and must still be done to better protect consumers. And it’s not difficult to imagine that, with a little effort and determination, these results can be achieved: just think of the labeling of poultry meat, which was approved in record time.

One piece of advice is to favor products from companies that deliberately embrace transparency and , even if not legally required, include all the necessary traceability information on their labels. This way, you can prioritize certified, quality production systems , which can therefore guarantee safe products with a controlled origin.