European food groups support EU-harmonised methodology

European food and drink organisation FoodDrinkEurope and European Brands Association (AIM) has welcomed new harmonized methodology for comparing the quality-related characteristics of foods.

The new methodology was released by the European Commission’s Joint Research Centre (JRC).

Through the introduction of harmonised methodology, JRC intends to assess the facts and evidence behind the allegations of ‘dual quality’ of food in various parts of Europe.

Measures have been designed to assess the compositional and sensory characteristics of foods and are expected to serve as a ‘blueprint’ for the national authorities in their future tests.

The blueprint includes recommendations and principles, which ensure that the tests constructed on food products in the future are carried out in a robust manner. It will serve as the basis for a pan-European testing campaign, which is expected to begin next month.

The approach also includes principles of transparency, comparability and inclusiveness, which means that brand owners will be consulted throughout the various steps of the testing processes that includes product selection, data interpretation, sampling and testing.

FoodDrinkEurope and AIM have already expressed their willingness to support the pan-European testing campaign and has also agreed with the commission that urged member states to participate.