Improving quality and safety and reduction of cost in the European organic and “low input” food supply chains. Subproject 5: Development of a framework for the design of “minimum” and “low input” processing strategies, which guarantee food quality and safety.

Summary

There are only a few aspects regulated in the EU regulation 2092/91 regarding the use of additives in organic food. But no other criteria’s are considered.
Project aims:
Work package 5.1
(i) identify and review the different underlying principles proposed for organic and other “minimum processing” and “low input” food processing
(ii) analyse current approaches and concepts in organic food processing
(iii) identify differences in processing standards/regulations in Europe in order to identify areas for harmonisation and revision and further development
Work Package 5.2
(i) To assess the applicability of ozone disinfection for organically grown lettuce in terms of of microbiological safety, sensory, physical and nutritional quality and shelf-life of lettuce.
If found to be applicable;
(ii) To optimise ozone treatment in terms of concentration, exposure time, temperature
(iii) To develop procedure for industrial application
Work package 5.3
(i) A review comparing the impact of food processing (organic, low input and conventional) on CLA content of dairy products. Based on the review, the impact will also be shown by product analysis of butter (organic and conventional).
(ii) Shelf life analyses to identify differences in product stability of CLA rich and conventional butter, with focus on oxidative stability and sensory quality as well as differences from a holistic view point based on specific complementary methods
(iii) Development and evaluation of novel processing procedures which maintain or increase the CLA content in dairy products (i.e. selecting CLA producing starter cultures or fractionation techniques)
Results, conclusion, state of the art:
WP 5.1
• Identification and formulation of the underlying principles used to determine organic and low input processing standards are diverse and insufficiently defined
• Determination of differences in organic processing standards and principles between countries and sector bodies
Determination of differences in expectations/needs between consumer and processor with respect to standards development
WP 5.2: A code of best practice will be elaborated for disinfection of organically grown lettuce.
WP 5.3
(i) Investigation of impact of processing on bio-active components as CLA of milk products
(ii) Establishing of methodology to assess oxidative stability of milk fat
(iii) Proposal for a CLA-enrichment process as a base for future industrial scale up
Establish scientific basis for nutritional claims
Involved organisations, project partners:
University of Kassel, Germany
University of Helsinki, Finland
Danish Research Center for Organic Farming, Technical University of Denmark
TUBİTAK MRC,Food Insititute, TURKEY
ALP Agroscope Liebefeld-Posieux Swiss Federal Research Station for Animal Production and Dairy Products
University of Newcastle UK
Literature:
-Codex Alimentarius (2004): Guidelines for the Production, Processing, Marketing and Labelling of Organically Produced Foods. www.codexalimentarius.net.
-EEC Regulation 207/93 of 29 January 1993 defining the content of Annex VI to Regulation EEC No 2092/91 on organic production of agricultural products and indications referring thereto no agricultural products and foodstuffs and laying down detailed rules for implementing the provisions of Article 5 (4) thereto. Official Journal of European Communities No L 25/5 02.02.1993.
-Hamm, U., Gronefeld, F., Halpin, D. (2004): The European market for organic food: Revised and Updated Analysis. Organic Marketing Initiatives and Rural Development (OMIaRD) series. Volume 5 University of Wales. Aberystwyth.
-Linstone, H.A. and Turoff, M. (eds.) (1975). The Delphi method: techniques and applications. Reading, Mass.: Addison-Wesley.
-Schmid, O., Beck, A. and Kretzschmar , U. (2004), Underlying Principles in Organic and "low- input food” Processing Literature Survey
-Padel, S., Seymour,C.,Foster, C. (eds.) (2003).Organic Marketing Initiatives and Rural Development. Results of a Delphi Survey. OMIaRD Project. QLK5-2000-01124