General Information on the FiBL List of Products for Organic Processing for the Organic Food Industry in Germany
The FiBL List of Products for Organic Processing is a list of commercially available technological, sensory and nutritional ingredients and processing aids that can be used in organic food processing. Compiled by the Research Institute of Organic Agriculture (FiBL), the list is designed to deliver greater clarity and certainty, both in the use of these substance in the organic food sector and in the production of such substances. This will serve to maintain the high quality standard in the sector. It will further give the producers of processing aids and of technological, sensory and nutritional ingredients and additives a reliable basis on which to develop and produce products that are suited for organic processing. The substances on the FiBL List of Products for Organic Processing include technological processing aids, microorganisms and ingredients such as oils, fats, spices and herbs.
Using market opportunities
In the booming organic market with its modern clientele, there is a steadily increasing demand for ready to use, finished products and convenience products. As a consequence, not only the use and significance of additives, but also the uncertainty regarding their permissibility, are markedly increasing in the organic food industry.
In addition to minimizing market risks for organic producers, the FiBL List of Products for Organic Processing also offers market opportunities for suppliers of additives, processing aids and technological ingredients: Consumers are displaying heightened awareness regarding additives, and not just in the organic sector. Irradiation and genetic engineering are sources of concern in the "conventional" food sector as well. The FiBL List of Products for Organic Processing will thus serve as both a purchasing aid and a quality-oriented profiling tool in all sectors of the food industry.
Listing and evaluation by FiBL Germany
With the FiBL List of Products for Organic Processing, a standardized system for evaluating commercially available, approved conventional ingredients will be developed and established. The requirements of EC law on organic agriculture will be the basis for doing so. The listing and the prior evaluation of the products will be carried out by the Research Institute of Organic Agriculture (FiBL).
The regular publication of a list containing all commercial products approved for organic food processing in the areas of technological ingredients, additives and processing aids is designed to strengthen the self-regulatory systems of organic food processors. Companies will receive information on compliant, organically certified substitutes. This will minimize the risk of using unapproved products in organic food production.
More transparency
Organically certified foods with technological activity and other approved substitute technologies (e.g., organic baker’s yeast, organic pectin) will be included in the list. With standardized, unambiguous specifications, there will be more transparency among all market participants. The distortions of competition, uncertainties and risks caused in the past by the application of different standards for evaluating commercial products will be reduced.
Evaluation in "all directions"
Along with the technologically active substances, commercial additives and processing aids also contain undeclared processing aids (e.g., carriers or coatings). However, it is then only possible to decide whether a commercial product is compliant by evaluating the whole product, including all processing aids contained therein and the manufacturing technologies employed. Along with checking for compliance with the ban on irradiation, compliance with the ban on GMOs for ingredients that do not require listing and the use of nanoparticles will also be checked.
The target groups for the list of approved additives are:
- organic product processors (from on-farm processing and small trades to the food industry)
- organic farming associations and
- inspection bodies.
The compilation and publication of the list of approved additives will be funded with listing fees and list sales. The German Federal Organic Farming Scheme BÖL is co-financing the development of the evaluation system.
Publication of the FiBL List of Products for Organic Processing 2010 for the organic food industry is planned for May 2010.
Producers may designate approved and listed products with the following wording: "Listed in the 20XX FiBL List of Products for Organic Processing for the Organic Food Industry in Germany" (wherein the year (20XX) must always refer to the actual listing; other wording on the listing and copying of the FiBL logo are prohibited).
