An industry body, the Food and Drink Federation (FDF), is offering best practice on assessing and protecting culinary dried herbs and spices.
The FDF points out that the global market for herbs and spices has diverse supply chains and products being sourced from a variety of businesses ranging from large scale producers to smallholders.
Many herbs and spices grow wild and are farmed on a village or subsistence scale and there are often many intermediaries in the supply chain from farmer, collector to middle-man before arrival at the origin processor or shipper.
There is (as with any other food and drink) the risk of adulteration and substitution, given that many herbs and spices are materials that may be of high intrinsic value. Food businesses need to ensure that they have controls and mitigation measures in place to prevent or detect product vulnerabilities.
As with any raw material and its supply chain, the emphasis should always be on prevention rather than detection of issues, according to the guidance. As each herb and spice is unique, this document concentrates on identifying and assessing general vulnerabilities.
A Joint Industry Working Group comprised of representatives of the British Retail Consortium, Food and Drink Federation, and Seasoning and Spice Association, in liaison with the Food Standards Agency and Food Standards Scotland developed the guidance.
To download the 19-page guidance visit the FDF website: https://www.fdf.org.uk/herbs-spices-guidance.aspx.
It’s been welcomed by Belfast Prof Chris Elliott, pictured, the author of the official Elliott Review on the Integrity and Assurance of Food Supply Networks, after the horse meat scandal; featured in the September 2015 print issue of Professional Security magazine. Visit: the BRC website.
What they say
In a foreword to the document, Catherine Brown, chief executive of the Food Standards Agency, said: “No process can guarantee that food businesses are not the target of fraudulent activity but the use of this document can make it less likely. Therefore, I encourage small and large food businesses alike to study the contents of this guidance as it could prevent future public health risks, give us the confidence that the foods we eat are what they say they are as well as protecting the reputation of this important and complex food sector.”
Kerina Cheesman, Policy and Food Integrity Manager at the FDF, said: “Culinary dried herbs and spices are widely used ingredients. This guide, developed in partnership with regulators, draws on industry expertise to provide food businesses across the supply chain with practical guidance so that they can confidently play their part in assuring the integrity of these ingredients.”
