At first, food was hunted for but as societies developed people bought from a nearby market and after the industrial revolution and a new form of living people had to buy their food in impersonal superstores where there were aisles and aisles of food from all over the country and all over the world.
People at the time of trading and local markets certainly did not think to wonder about what it was they were eating because they trusted the people they bought the food from.
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The objective of the regulation is to ensure a high level of consumer protection, to simplify and modernize legislation, and to harmonize the national legislation currently in force. This regulation goes beyond labeling; it highlights consumer information, taking into account all elements of communication for the consumer.
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Last December, the new E.U. n°1169/2011 regulation, commonly referred to as INCO (Information to Consumers), was put in place to enhance food labeling. The regulation has already led to significant changes in what consumers know about the food they buy.
Being in compliance with regulation is essential for companies. As the regulatory volume increases considerably, food industries, food service and retailers must manage and follow efficiently data and documentation attached to products from R&D to the shelves through production, marketing, quality etc.
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The Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA) was signed on January 4, 2011. Some requirements are already in place but it globally seems to take more time than expected to implement the whole regulation due to FDA budget constraints. Once fully applied, it will radically change how most food and beverage companies do business.
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NSF International defines food fraud as: “the deliberate substitution, addition, tampering or misrepresentation of food, ingredients or packaging”. The 2013 horsemeat scandal and the Elliott report commissioned by the UK government at the end of 2014 made consumers realize the food they eat was not as safe and fresh as they think.
Food fraud is estimated to cost the world economy $48 billion annually and the University of Minnesota National Center for Food Protection and Defense has approximated that about 10 % of US food could be adulterated.
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It could be
extremely difficult to deal with various countries regulations when selling
globally. Even if norms and certifications tend to be international (ISO,
HACCP, OHSAS…) the majority of rules are still country specific. For example if
a Spanish company would like to expand into the USA, they would have to adapt
labeling, conform to US protocols, legal requirements, and specific regulations
about health and sanitary issues.
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