Development of a framework for the design of minimum processing strategies which guarantee food quality and safety - Principles, concepts and recommendations for the future

Principles of processing of organic and ‘low input’ food have been analysed in the EU funded QLIF project. A literature survey showed that some of the principles are generally accepted (e.g. the use of certified organic ingredients, a certified production chain and minimal use of additives), others are shared broadly (e.g. more careful processing methods, naturalness) and some principles are in discussion mainly in the private sector (e.g. environmental management concepts, social requirements, regional focus). Recent studies showed that consumer associate organic food with the following dimensions/attributes: health, high quality, the use of natural raw materials, welfare orientated animal husbandry as well as environmentally friendly land use and processing techniques. The challenge will be to consider such wider consumer perceptions and expectations, in particular when revising the EU regulation No 2092/91 on organic food and farming. In the current draft for revised regulation, agreed generally by the EU Council on 19-20 December 2006, some of these elements are included, but not all. How detailed such aspects should be regulated in implementation rules is seen quite differentiated by processors and non-processors which were asked in a Delphi Survey, depending on the different areas. At the EU regulatory level, the top priority mentioned was the minimal use of additives, followed by minimal and careful processing. Quality/sensory aspects, however, were not seen as primary objectives at the EU level, because companies should have the chance to develop individual sensorial profiles for their products. However, regarding the minimum use of additives this is clearly perceived to be an EU level issue. There is also a tendency to prefer additives of certified organic origin, both among ‘processors’ as well as ‘non-processors’ points of view. The challenge in the future will be to develop regulations with the right balance between authenticity, health orientation and convenience to maintain the confidence of consumers and credibility of the products in the use minimum and careful processing strategies permitted under organic farming standards

Standardisierung der Steigbildmethode für die Unterscheidung von Proben aus verschiedener Herkunft

With the Steigbild technique patterns are produced on thin-layer chromatographic paper and evaluated as a fingerprint of the sample as a whole. To be applied in routine analysis the method has to be standardised according to international standard norms. The operating procedures were documented and a method for the visual evaluation was standardised. Then several factors of influence were tested and the reproducibility was investigated. The method is able to differentiate patterns from samples from different farming treatments and processing steps. Farm pairs of organic and conventional farm management can be distinguished as statistical significant and classified according to the farming system for carrot and wheat samples. This represents a significant step forward beyond the state of the art

GemüseSelbstErnte: Weiterentwicklung und Transfer sowie Ermittlung des Beitrags zur Gesundheitsförderung

Ziel des Projekts „GemüseSelbstErnte – Weiterentwicklung und Transfer sowie Ermittlung des Beitrags zur Gesundheitsförderung“ war es das Konzept der GemüseSelbstErnte bekannt zu machen und weiter zu entwickeln (Transfer). Zusätzlich wurden die Verbundeffekte für die Direktvermarktung quantifiziert und die Auswirkungen auf das Ernährungsverhalten der Nutzer überprüft (Forschung). Transfer Der Kenntnisstand von Erzeugern, Beratern und Verbrauchern über die GemüseSelbstErnte konnte mit einer intensiven Öffentlichkeitsarbeit, die zwei Messeauftritte (u.a. auf der IGW 2004), acht Vorträge, elf Fachartikel und drei Workshopangebote mit insgesamt 36 Teilnehmern umfasste, deutlich verbessert werden. 170 Personen forderten Informationsmaterial an. Außerdem wurden verschiedene Materialien erstellt: - ein Leitfaden für Erzeugerbetriebe, - ein zehnminütiger Schulungsfilm und drei Internetclips, - eine Beschreibung des Konzepts im Internetportal oekolandbau.de und - ein Handbuch für Nutzer mit Informationen zu jeder Gemüsekultur Angestoßen durch das Projekt starteten zwei neue Betriebe eine GemüseSelbstErnte in 2003, denen sich weitere sechs Betriebe in 2004 anschließen wollen. Forschung Mit der Einschränkung, dass es sich um ein einjähriges Vorhaben handelte, lassen sich folgende Ergebnisse festhalten: Der zusätzliche Umsatz in der Direktvermarktung während der GemüseSelbstErnte-Saison betrug auf zwei untersuchten Betrieben durchschnittlich 3.900 €. Dabei bestehen Potenziale zur Ausweitung dieser Umsätze. Bei den Untersuchungen zum Ernährungsverhalten der Nutzer wurde deutlich, dass diese sich oftmals bereits vor dem Einstieg in die GemüseSelbstErnte mit einem überdurchschnittlich hohen Gemüseanteil ernährten. Durch die Teilnahme steigt jedoch die Vielfalt der verzehrten Gemüsearten. Ausschlaggebende Motive für eine Teilnahme an der GemüseSelbstErnte sind die Versorgung mit frischem Gemüse in guter Qualität und die Kontrolle der Erzeugung

Klassifizierung von pflanzlichen Produkten aus ökologischem und konventionellem Anbau durch Messung sekundärer Pflanzenstoffe

The content of secondary plant compounds in plants is influenced by various environmental factors. Cultivation and fertilization are factors which are characteristic for the farming system organic or conventional. Within a german governmental funded project (BÖL02OE170/F) carrot, maize and wheat samples from different farming systems (defined trials and farm pairs) are differentiated and classified using their polyphenolic and carotenoid contents and profiles, respectively. The samples from organic farming could be differentiated from samples which were conventionally grown as statistical significant for carrot and wheat samples in a two year repetition. The samples could be classified by both, polyphenolic as well as carotenoid profiles. The sum parameters only can not be applied for the differentiation and classification of the samples. Factors like cultivar and site have a strong influence on the classification. Therefore for the classification of the carrot samples according to the farming systems land site must be included

Definition, Sicherung und Kommunikation Ökologischer Produktqualität - Betrachtungen am Beispiel des Tafelapfels

Organic production standards are used by actors along the organic production and supply chain as measures for quality assurance and tools for communication and differentiation of organic product and process quality. The results of a literature review show that the main aspects of organic product quality are not considered by the most significant standards for organic production in Germany and hence, these standards are not appropriate measures for the above mentioned purposes

Authentizität und Sicherheit von Möhrenproben im Rahmen des CORE-Organic QACCP Projektes

Consumer demand for healthy, safe and high quality food is increasing. Against this background, the demand for organically grown food has been growing rapidly. Organic farming contains the whole food chain from field to fork. An analyse system to optimise the process needs to be established (QualityAnalysisCriticalControlPoint). The aim of the transnational CORE-Organic QACCP project is a chain analysis which addresses the link between farm and fork and backwards from fork to farm. The objective is to improve product related quality management in farming and processing. The results presented here are dealing with food authenticity on farm level through biocrystallization measurements and food safety through pesticide residue and nitrate determination