Glossary of the food sector

Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP)

Quality assurance aspects that ensure that materials and articles are consistently manufactured and controlled to ensure compliance with applicable regulations and quality standards appropriate to their intended use, without posing a risk to human health or causing unacceptable changes to the composition of the food product or a deterioration in its organoleptic characteristics.

— Source: Regulation (EU) 2023/2006, Art. 3(a)

Good phytosanitary practice

The practice of selecting, calibrating, and scheduling treatments involving the application of plant protection products to specific plants or plant products, in accordance with their authorized uses, so as to ensure acceptable efficacy with the minimum necessary amount, taking due account of local conditions and the possibilities of cultural and biological control.

— Source: Reg. (EU) 1107/2009, Art. 3(18)

GRAS (Generally Recognized As Safe) (US term)

Any substance that is intentionally added to food is a food additive, that is subject to premarket review and approval by FDA, unless the substance is generally recognized, among qualified experts, as having been adequately shown to be safe under the conditions of its intended use, or unless the use of the substance is otherwise excepted by the definition of a food additive.

Under sections 201(s) and 409 of the Act, and FDA's implementing regulations in 21 CFR 170.3 and 21 CFR 170.30, the use of a food substance may be GRAS either through scientific procedures or, for a substance used in food before 1958, through experience based on common use in food Under 21 CFR 170.30(b), general recognition of safety through scientific procedures requires the same quantity and quality of scientific evidence as is required to obtain approval of the substance as a food additive. General recognition of safety through scientific procedures is based upon the application of generally available and accepted scientific data, information, or methods, which ordinarily are published, as well as the application of scientific principles, and may be corroborated by the application of unpublished scientific data, information, or methods.

Under 21 CFR 170.30(c) and 170.3(f), general recognition of safety through experience based on common use in foods requires a substantial history of consumption for food use by a significant number of consumers.

— Source: FFDCA Sec. 201(s); 21 CFR 170.3

Greaves

The protein residues from the melting process [of the fat parts, Editor's note], after partial separation of fat and water.

—Source: Reg. (EC) 853/2004, Annex I

Greenhouse

A closed, static, and accessible environment used for crop production, featuring a typically translucent outer covering that allows for a controlled exchange of matter and energy with the surrounding environment and prevents the release of plant protection products into the environment. For the purposes of this Regulation, closed environments used for plant production whose outer covering is not translucent (e.g., for mushroom or endive production) are also considered greenhouses.

— Source: Reg. (EU) 1107/2009, Art. 3(27)

Growing vegetables in soil

Production on living soil or on soil mixed or fertilized with materials and products permitted in organic production, in combination with subsoil and rock substrate.

— Source: Reg. (EU) 2018/848, Art. 3(70)