+390677209020 | +39 0267380552 info@direnzo.biz | sedemilano@direnzo.biz

Lingua

Indication of the origin of a primary ingredient of a food

The Commission implementing regulation (EU) 2018/775, laying down rules indicating the country of origin or place of provenance of the primary ingredient of a food, applies as of 1 April 2020.

Therefore, as of that date, all foods, including food supplements, shall include the indication of the country of origin or place of provenance of the primary ingredient on the label.

By ‘primary ingredient’ is meant an ingredient or ingredients of a food representing more than 50% of that food or usually associated with the name of the food by consumers and for which in most cases a quantitative indication is required.

The indication of the country of origin or place of provenance of the primary ingredient shall be mandatory where the country of origin or the place of provenance of a food is given and where it is not the same as that of its primary ingredient.

According to the REGULATION (EU) 2018/775, foods placed on the market or labelled prior to the date of application of this Regulation may be marketed until the stocks are sold off.

But recently the Italian Ministry of Economic Development with the memorandum Letter 23 April 2020, n. 0108129 has provided for temporary supporting measures for companies in sight of the current health emergency due to COVID-19 with reference to the new food labelling provisions.

Urgent measures relating to the containment and management of the epidemiological emergency due to COVID-19 have in fact led to the limitation or closure of supporting activities for the food sector and a slowdown in the production and supply of packaging for foods.

Packaging and label stocks that are available to companies following contracts stipulated before April 1st 2020, will therefore be allowed to be disposed of by the end of 2020.

The stocks of labels received by companies following contracts stipulated before April 1 can be disposed of until the end of 2020 even if they do not comply with the new provisions relating to the indication of the country of origin or the place of origin of the primary ingredient of a food.

Written By: Valentina Generoso