the EU will make it obligatory to point the nations of origin | EUROtoday

These new guidelines purpose to label “breakfast foods” (honey, fruit juice, jams, and many others.) in an effort to higher inform shoppers and fight fraud. “The percentages (in the composition) must be indicated for at least the four main countries of origin”, and if these 4 nations don’t signify greater than half of the product, specifies the Parliament.

Tracing the origin of honey

The Commission will probably be required to suggest “a unique identification code” permitting honey to be traced again to beekeepers, and a European platform will probably be established to gather knowledge, enhance controls and strengthen traceability. Professionals within the sector recurrently denounce the large imports of “adulterated” honey into Europe. The product is combined with one other substance, normally sugar syrup from rice or beets, which is less expensive than honey.

According to a European Commission investigation printed in March 2023, out of 320 samples of honey imported into the EU and just lately checked, round 46% have been strongly suspected of deviating from EU guidelines. In explicit, 74% of honeys originating from China have been thought of suspect. Once the proposed “breakfast foods” directives are adopted by the European Parliament and the Council of the European Union, EU nations will then have two years to use these new requirements.