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he market for organic foods in 1999; Schmid et al., 2006). While it more and more products have
Europe is growing at a steady is not disputed that the production become complex, multi-step proc-
pace (Hamm et al., 2004; process of organic foodstuffs meets essed products. They are the
Willer and Yussefi, 2006; process-oriented quality expecta- so-called convenience products like
Hughner et al., 2007; Figure 1). In tions (Kretzschmar et al., 2007), deep-frozen pizza or ready-to-eat
Europe, Germany is the largest mar- product-oriented quality claims of items such as breakfast cereal and
ket for organics, followed by France, organic food are under discussion soup. In the organic movement, it is
the United Kingdom, and Italy (Alföldi et al., 1998; Siderer et al., supposed that the impact of intensive
(Figure 2). 2005; Dangour et al., 2009a, b; processing, which is involved in the
Increasingly, consumers are Lairon, 2009). production of the aforementioned
deciding in favor of organic produce Organic food and its process- and foodstuffs, might threaten product
because they believe it is naturally product-related aspects are quality (Woodward and Meier-
produced (e.g., minimally proc- described in the guidelines of the Ploeger, 1999). The gap between
essed), safe, and healthy and that it International Federation of Organic consumer expectations and how reg-
contributes to a form of production Agricultural Movements (IFOAM, ulations may fulfill them underlines
that is sustainable for the environ- 2006) and in the European regula- the importance of this topic (Beck et
ment and society (Torjusen et al., tion on organic production and al., 2006; Schmid et al., 2006;
2004; Siderer et al., 2005; Midmore labeling of organic products Niggli and Leifert, 2007).
et al., 2006). These consumer (European Commission No. If consumers are supposed to pay
expectations can be divided into two 834/2007). The European for a “plus” in organic product qual-
elements: “process-quality,” which Commission (EC) regulations on ity, it is a challenge to first define and
considers the way a product is pro- organic production focus on practi- second to prove this “plus.” With this
duced and processed and how it cal agronomy but are very limited in article, it is our aim to identify
affects the environment, and “prod- relation to processing. Only limited potential food claims, to verify
uct quality,” which consists of food additives or processing agents whether they can be guaranteed by
measurable properties of the food are allowed but no recommendations the EC organic regulation, and to
itself (Alföldi et al., 1998; for processing techniques are given. discuss possible criteria for testing
Woodward and Meier-Ploeger, In the developing organic market, their evidence. A second aim is to
pg 38 03.10 • www.ift.org
Healthful options for an organic breakfast.
Photos in this feature are courtesy of Directorate General for Agriculture and Rural Development of the European Commission
identify research needs in organic people” (IFOAM, 2006). The aim is 834/2007, Article 3,b). The term
food quality. to “produce sufficient quantities of “vital” may describe a possible qual-
high-quality food, fiber, and other ity aspect, but neither definitions nor
Organic Food Quality Definitions products” (IFOAM, 2006; Halberg limitations are reported. In the EC
We focus first on the impact of et al., 2006; Niggli and Leifert, regulation No. 834/2007, organic
organic production on organic food 2007). In section 6.3 of the guide- production is defined as “a produc-
product quality; process-related lines, the general principles for tion method in line with the
quality will be examined when regulating processing methods are preference of certain consumers for
research on farm management is dis- defined in this way: “Organic food is products produced using natural
cussed. Further, our focus is on processed by biological, mechanical substances and processes” (EC No.
nutrient content and not on the con- and physical methods in a way that 834/2007, (1)), but the term “natu-
tent of undesired substances, e.g., maintains the vital quality of each ral” is not defined in this regulation.
residues or mycotoxins. A wide ingredient and the finished product” Furthermore, the expected impact
range of original papers, review arti- (IFOAM, 2006). of the agricultural production proc-
cles, and research studies document In the existing regulations, ess on the food is not described.
that the system of farm management organic quality is defined as food Processing methods, which are
and food production (regulated in production based on organic stand- allowed by the regulation, should
the EC No. 834/2007) results in a ards; organics are processed without “guarantee that the organic integrity
high level of biodiversity (McNeely the use of a genetically modified and vital qualities of the product are
and Scherr, 2001; Lakner, 2004), organism (GMO) and ionic radia- maintained through all stages of the
the preservation of natural resources tion, with limited use of additives production chain” (EC No.
(Köpke et al., 2005), and the appli- and processing aids, and without the 834/2007, (19)). Here, the terms
cation of high animal welfare use of chemical processing tech- “organic integrity” and “vital quali-
standards (Rymer et al., 2006). niques (like modified starch, fat ties” are not further defined or
The IFOAM guidelines define hydrolyses, etc.). These guidelines described. In the objectives and prin-
the purpose of the organic produc- do not define the general term “qual- ciples for organic production, the
tion method, which is “to optimize ity” but they define the goal to aim is defined as “producing prod-
the health and productivity of … produce high quality (EC No. ucts of high quality” (Article 3,b). »»
03.10 • www.ift.org 39 pg
Furthermore, the food responds “to are also allowed to be applied must be extracted from the EC
consumer demand for goods pro- within EC No. 834/2007. organic regulation, the IFOAM
duced by the use of processes that In EC No. 834/2007, organic guidelines, marketing strategies of
do not harm ... human health” food is defined by referring to the the involved companies, consumer
(Article 3,c). This seems to be con- EC food regulation No. 178/2002. studies, and research findings
nected to food safety aspects, and In this regulation, food is defined as (Kerbage et al., 2006; van de
we wonder why it is mentioned “any substance or product, whether Vijver, 2007).
especially for organic production. processed, partially processed, or Based on the existing guidelines
The specific principles that are unprocessed, intended to be or rea- and consumer expectations on
applied to the processing of organic sonably expected to be ingested by organic products, we hypothesize
food exclude substances and humans” including “drink, chewing that there is a need for a clear defi-
processing methods “that might be gum, and any substances, including nition and strategy that can
misleading regarding the true water, intentionally incorporated complement the process-oriented
nature of the product” (Article 6,c). into the food during its manufac- regulations in order to meet con-
In addition, it is specified that the ture, preparation, or treatment” sumers’ needs and expectations of
processing should be done with (EC No. 178/2002, Article 2). organic food as high quality and
care (Article 6,d). With the exclu- Quality is defined as “the totality of vital (Cooper et al., 2007; Niggli
sion of two processing methods features and characteristics of a and Leifert, 2007).
(GMO, ionizing radiation) and sev- product or service that bear on its
eral food additives (Annex VIII of ability to satisfy stated or implied Possible Organic Food Claims
the regulation No. 889/2008), it needs” (ISO 9000, 2005). To sum- In general, nutrition and health
seems that all other processing marize the findings, there is no claims made on food and, there-
technologies available and applied specific definition of organic food. fore, also including organic food,
in the market are not regulated, As there is no specific quality defi- are regulated within EC No.
and, as the terms “true nature” as nition or concept for organic food, 1924/2006. Evidence-based studies
well as “care” are not defined, they the stated or implied definition have to be carried out before health
Figure 1. Size of the European market for organic food and drink. From Research Institute for Organic Agriculture (FiBL)
promotion can start. The studies
can apply methods to measure food
ingredients (nutrients, health-
20,000
related compounds) and energy.
18,000 The health claim regulation refers
17,901 to EC No. 90/496. Here, food
16,000 nutrients are listed that may be
SALES IN EUROS (millions)
pg 44 03.10 • www.ift.org
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