Question for written answer
to the Commission
Aldo Patriciello (PPE)
10th September 2014
Subject: Traceability and indication of milk powder
In the last two decades the demand for ‘mozzarella’, that is to say, the product with a protected designation of origin, has increased enormously, and producers have consequently had to deal with a situation in which the demand for milk has exceeded supply.
In some European countries, therefore, the milk is made from milk powder (which is recycled and used several times) and then sold to producers.
This fact also implies that milk powder should be identifiable and traceable.
In the light of the foregoing, does not the Commission believe that, to avoid the continued use of recycled powdered milk, inspection and traceability procedures (as well as indication procedures) should be laid down for milk powder?
Answer given by Mr Borg on behalf of the Commission – 30th October 2014
Mozzarella benefiting from a protected geographical indication must respect very strict manufacturing requirements. As such, milk powder cannot be used in the production of such mozzarella products.
However, milk powder, produced in dairy plants approved under EC law, may be used in the manufacturing process of non-protected mozzarella.
Under Regulation (EC) No 178/2002, any food (including food ingredients) must be safe. If a food or food ingredient is not safe, it must not be used in any food manufacturing process.
The abovementioned Regulation also requires the traceability of any substance intended to be, or expected to be, incorporated into a food at all stages of production, processing and distribution. In that respect, it requires food business operators to be able to identify from whom and to whom a product has been supplied as well as to have systems and procedures in place that allow traceability information to be made available to the competent authorities upon request.
Finally, Directive 2000/13/EC does not require a list of ingredients in the case of cheese, provided that no ingredient has been added other than lactic products, enzymes and micro-organism cultures essential to manufacture, or the salt needed for the manufacture of cheese other than fresh cheese and processed cheese.
(Source: European Parliament website)
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Reblogged this on ugiridharaprasad.
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It is a growing concern amongst the food community and thus axiomatically a linear rise in the demand for traceability. I have come across multiple companies in the dairy division claiming traceability capabilities which they currently execute by filling logs on paper or on excel sheets. The method is not only outdates and tumulus, it is also extremely prone to human error.
Its high time larger plants manufacturing milk and milk products contemplate electronic and automatic traceability functions. Certain plant automation solutions like ProLeiT provide traceability as an added function without extra cost to plant equipment automation. They not only provide time based data logging but do so subscribing to the S88 principles, GMP specifications and FDA requirements, which translates into easier and more efficient verification processes.
We see ‘traceability’ as a very marketable capability for food manufacturers and hence its find its place in marketing texts on websites, but if you dig deep, the largest of companies spare a few still use the error prone methods to perform these functions. It’s time we translate the market requirement into real capabilities at all major food manufacturing sites and thereby incorporating to the trust quotient for the food manufacturers around the world.
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