The importance of knowing the DNA of food

INNOLIVA considers it essential to respect the rules of labeling and encourages the consumer to be more demanding 

Madrid, June 9, 2016. 

Experts point to the Mediterranean Diet as the dietary pattern that, accompanied by physical exercise, can serve as a guide to lead a healthy lifestyle. However, there is still an important barrier between consumers and food: labeling. Despite the efforts, the information about the product consumed is not entirely clear. But where is the problem? Lack of information or lack of knowledge?

Labeling is mandatory for all food products intended to be delivered without further processing to the final consumer and must “not mislead the buyer regarding the characteristics of the food”, according to the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Environment. In fact, one of the main objectives of labeling is to guarantee information to the consumer, as well as protection “against abusive practices and facilitate the proper choice of food”. In addition, it aims to ensure “the loyalty of commercial transactions.”

As a general rule, this information must contain the name of the food, the list of ingredients, reference to certain substances or products that cause allergies or intolerances, quantities of the ingredients highlighted on the label, net quantity of the food, date of minimum duration or expiration, identification of the company, country of origin or place of origin, indications about the special conditions of conservation and use, the way of use, the batch and the nutritional information. But it is not enough to give these data, but the regulation establishes that the information is “easily understandable”, appears in a “prominent place”, is “easily visible, clearly legible and indelible” and that, moreover, is not “disguised by other indications or images. ”

In the case of olive oil, for example, the International Olive Council determines that the packages that are sold directly to the buyer must have the name of the product, where the specific type of denomination of the product, the net content, the name and address of the manufacturer, the country of origin, the indication and denomination of origin and the identification of the lots. If it is in bulk, the product must contain the name, the net content, the name and address of the distributor and the country of origin, as well as a clarification on the oil category.

Many requirements that consumers do not even know they have the right to claim and, among them, the condition that is “easily understandable”, that does not end up being a reality. Whose fault is it? For INNOLIVA, as in almost all cases, the responsibility is shared. While consumers demand clearer and more understandable information, producers opt for more training.

INNOLIVA, which rigorously complies with the regulations on labeling, considers the promotion of food education to be fundamental and advises consumers that, when consuming any product, they should pay particular attention to the table of nutritional information, which is crucial to know the amount of calories, fats, sugar and salt that the product has and, in the case of oil, it is also essential the indication on what type of olive juice we are acquiring.
“We must continue working so that the correct labeling is an extended practice”, insist also from the Navarre company.

For this reason, INNOLIVA asks the relevant institutions to reach out to consumers and provide them with more information, while the producers are required to comply with the regulations, also with regard to “clarity”. Likewise, it recommends that consumers give to a practice as simple as reading the labels of the products the importance that it has because, in the end, they will be the only ones favored or harmed.

About Innoliva

The company, which has its head office in Pamplona (Spain), owns more than 5,000 hectares of irrigated olive groves, located in Spain and Portugal, where the Mediterranean climate gives the olive tree the ideal environment for the development and maturation of the fruit; and it favors the obtaining of Extra Virgin Olive Oils with excellent sensory qualities.

With its production system, they guarantee the integral traceability of the entire process: from the olive tree to the final customer.

They make their Extra Virgin Olive Oil cold in the shortest time possible from the entrance of the olive in the oil mill. And they take care of the oil already produced to maintain their excellent sensory and healthy qualities as long as possible.

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