Glossary of the food sector

First phase of marketing

The first transaction in the production and distribution chain following which a product is made available to third parties.

—Source: Reg. (EC) 1830/2003, Art. 3(11)

Fishery products

All marine or freshwater animals (except live bivalve molluscs, live echinoderms, live tunicates, and live marine gastropods, and all mammals, reptiles, and frogs), whether wild or farmed, and all edible forms, parts, and derivatives of such animals.

— Source: Regulation (EC) No 853/2004, Annex I, point 3.1

Flavoring substance

A defined chemical substance with flavoring properties.

—Source: Regulation (EC) 1334/2008, Art. 3(2)(b)

Flavors

Products:

i) not intended to be consumed in their original form, which are added to foods to impart or modify a flavor and/or taste;

ii) manufactured with or containing the following categories of substances: flavoring substances, flavoring preparations, heat-processed flavorings, smoke flavorings, flavor precursors, or other flavorings or flavor mixtures.

— Source: Regulation (EC) 1334/2008, Art. 3(2)(a)

Food

(Synonyms: "foodstuff" or "foodstuff") Any substance or product, whether processed, partially processed, or unprocessed, intended to be ingested, or reasonably expected to be ingested, by humans.

This includes beverages, chewing gum, and any substance, including water, intentionally incorporated into food during its production, preparation, or treatment. This includes water at the points where the values ​​must be respected as set out in Article 6 of Directive 98/83/EC and without prejudice to the requirements of Directives 80/778/EEC and 98/83/EC.

This does not include:

a) feed;

b) live animals, unless prepared for placing on the market for human consumption;

c) plants before harvest;

d) medicinal products within the meaning of Council Directives 65/65/EEC and 92/73/EEC;

(e) cosmetics within the meaning of Council Directive 76/768/EEC;

(f) tobacco and tobacco products within the meaning of Council Directive 89/622/EEC;

(g) narcotic or psychotropic substances within the meaning of the 1961 United Nations Single Convention on Narcotic Drugs and the 1971 United Nations Convention on Psychotropic Substances;

(h) residues and contaminants;

(i) medical devices within the meaning of Regulation (EU) 2017/745 of the European Parliament and of the Council.

—Source: Regulation (EC) 178/2002, Art. 2

Food (US term)

The term “food” means (1) articles used for food or drink for man or other animals, (2) chewing gum, and (3) articles used for components of any such article.

— Source: FFDCA Sec. 201(f) (21 USC 321(f))

Food additive

A substance not normally consumed as a food in itself and not used as a characteristic ingredient of foods, with or without nutritional value, whose intentional addition to foods for a technological purpose in the manufacture, processing, preparation, treatment, packaging, transport, or storage of such foods results, or may reasonably be expected to result, in the substance or its by-products becoming, directly or indirectly, a component of such foods. The following are not considered food additives:

i) monosaccharides, disaccharides, or oligosaccharides and foods containing such substances used for their sweetening properties;

ii) foods, whether dried or concentrated, including flavorings, incorporated during the manufacture of compound foods for their aromatic, flavorful, or nutritional properties combined with a secondary coloring effect;

iii) substances used in covering or coating materials that are not part of the foods and are not intended to be consumed with them;

(iv) products containing pectin and derived from dried apple pulp or citrus or quince peel, or from a mixture of these substances, by the action of dilute acid followed by partial neutralization with sodium or potassium salts ('liquid pectin');

(v) chewing gum bases;

(vi) white or yellow dextrin, roasted or dextrinized starch, starch modified by acid or alkaline treatment, bleached starch, physically modified starch, and starch treated with amylolytic enzymes;

(vii) ammonium chloride;

(viii) blood plasma, edible gelatin, hydrolyzed proteins and their salts, milk proteins, and gluten;

(ix) amino acids and their salts other than glutamic acid, glycine, cysteine, and cystine, and their salts not having a technological function;

(x) caseinates and casein;

(xi) inulin.

—Source: Regulation (EC) 1333/2008, Art. 3(2)(a)

Food additive (US term)

Any substance the intended use of which results or may reasonably be expected to result, directly or indirectly, in its becoming a component or otherwise affecting the characteristics of any food (including any substance intended for use in producing, manufacturing, packing, processing, preparing, treating, packaging, transporting, or holding food; and including any source of radiation intended for any such use), if such substance is not generally recognized, among experts qualified by scientific training and experience to evaluate its safety, as having been adequately shown through scientific procedures (or, in the case of a substance used in food prior to January 1, 1958, through either scientific procedures or experience based on common use in food) to be safe under the conditions of its intended use; except that such term does not include —

(1) a pesticide chemical residue in or on a raw agricultural commodity or processed food; or

(2) a pesticide chemical; or

(3) color additive; or

(4) any substance used in accordance with a sanction or approval granted prior to the enactment of this paragraph 5 pursuant to this Act, the Poultry Products Inspection Act (21 U.S.C. 451 and the following) or the Meat Inspection Act of March 4, 1907 (34 Stat. 1260), as amended and extended (21 U.S.C. 71 and the following);

(5) a new animal drug; or

(6) an ingredient described in paragraph (ff) in, or intended for use in, a dietary supplement.

— Source: FFDCA Sec. 201(s); 21 USC 321(s)

Food business

Any public or private entity, whether profit-making or not, that carries out any of the activities related to any of the stages of food production, processing, and distribution.

—Source: Reg. (EC) 178/2002, Art. 3(2)

Food Business Operator (FBO)

The natural or legal person responsible for ensuring compliance with food law within the business under their control.

—Source: Reg. (EC) 178/2002, Art. 3(3)

Food Code definition of "ready-to-eat food" (US term)

(1) "Ready-to-eat food" means FOOD that:

(a) Is in a form that is edible without additional preparation to achieve FOOD safety, as specified under one of the following: ¶ 3-401.11(A) or (B), § 3-401.12, or § 3-402.11, or as specified in ¶ 3-401.11(C); or

(b) Is a raw or partially cooked animal FOOD and the consumer is advised as specified in Subparagraphs 3-401.11(D)(1) and (3); or

(c) Is prepared in accordance with a variance that is granted as specified in Subparagraph 3-401.11(D) (4); and

(d) May receive additional preparation for palatability or aesthetic, epicurean, gastronomic, or culinary purposes.

(2) "Ready-to-eat food" includes:

(a) Raw animal FOOD that is cooked as specified under § 3-401.11 or 3401.12, or frozen as specified under § 3-402.11;

(b) Raw fruits and vegetables that are washed as specified under § 3-302.15;

(c) Plant FOODS that are cooked for hot holding, as specified under § 3-401.13;

(d) All TIME/TEMPERATURE CONTROL FOR SAFETY FOOD that is cooked to the temperature and time required for the specific FOOD under Subpart 3-401 and cooled as specified under § 3-501.14;

(e) Plant FOOD for which further washing, cooking, or other processing is not required for FOOD safety, and from which rinds, peels, husks, or shells, if naturally present are removed;

(f) Substances derived from plants such as spices, seasonings, and sugar;

(g) A bakery item such as bread, cakes, pies, fillings, or icing for which further cooking is not required for FOOD safety;

(h) The following products that are produced in accordance with USDA guidelines and that have received a lethality treatment for pathogens: dry, fermented sausages, such as dry salami or pepperoni; salt-cured MEAT and POULTRY products, such as ham ham, country cured ham, and Parma ham; and dried MEAT and POULTRY products, such as jerky or beef sticks; and

(i) FOODS manufactured as specified in 21 CFR Part 113, Thermally Processed Low-Acid Foods Packaged in Hermetically Sealed Containers.

(3) "Ready-to-eat food" does not include:

(a) Commercially PACKAGED FOOD that bears a manufacturer's cooking instructions; and

(b) FOOD for which the manufacturer has provided information that it has not been processed to control pathogens.

— Source: FDA Food Code 2022, §1-201.10

Food condition of basic materials

For the purposes of the definitions in [Regulation (EC) 1334/2008, Art. 3, Editor's note] paragraph 2, letters (d), (e), (g) and (j), source materials known to be used in the production of flavourings are considered foods within the meaning of this Regulation [Regulation (EC) 1334/2008, Editor's note].

— Source: Regulation (EC) 1334/2008, Art. 3(3)

Food contact substance (MOCA FDA) (US term)

Any substance intended for use as a component of materials used in manufacturing, packing, packaging, transporting, or holding food, if such use is not intended to have any technical effect in such food.

— Source: FFDCA Sec. 409(h)(6)

Food defense (US term)

Measures to protect food against intentional adulteration designed to cause public health harm.

— Source: FSMA; 21 CFR 121

Food enzyme

Product obtained from plants, animals, or microorganisms, or products derived therefrom, as well as a product obtained through a fermentation process involving microorganisms:

i) containing one or more enzymes capable of catalyzing a specific biochemical reaction; and

ii) added to foods for a technological purpose at any stage of their manufacturing, processing, preparation, treatment, packaging, transport, or storage.

—Source: Regulation (EC) 1332/2008, Art. 3(2)(a)