Glossary of the food sector

Food Information

Information concerning a food made available to the final consumer through a label, other accompanying materials, or any other means, including modern technology or verbal communication.

— Source: Regulation (EU) 1169/2011, Art. 2(2)(a)

Food information regulations

Union provisions governing food information, in particular labelling, including general rules applicable to all foods in particular circumstances or to certain categories of foods and rules that apply only to specific foods.

— Source: Regulation (EU) 1169/2011, Art. 2(2)(b)

Food ingredient with flavoring properties

A food ingredient, other than flavourings, which may be added to foods for the primary purpose of adding or modifying their flavour and which contributes significantly to the presence of certain naturally occurring undesirable substances in foods.

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

Food integrity

The state of a food that guarantees its authenticity, safety, absence of adulteration, and production in compliance with applicable regulations, quality standards, and ethical norms. Integrity ensures that the product is indeed what it claims to be, free from fraud, falsification, or the intentional or inadvertent addition of unauthorized substances. [Summary definition of various principles and guidelines found in different parts of the Codex Alimentarius]

— Source: Codex Alimentarius Commission, Procedural Manual, 28th edition

Food law (food regulation)

The body of laws, regulations, and administrative provisions relating to food in general and food safety in particular, both within the Community and at national level; it includes all stages of production, processing, and distribution of food, as well as feed produced for or fed to food-producing animals.

— Source: Regulation (EC) 178/2002, Art. 3(1)

Food legislation

Laws, regulations, and administrative provisions relating to food in general, and food safety in particular, both at Community and national level; this includes all stages of production, processing, and distribution of food, including feed produced for or fed to food-producing animals.

— Source: Regulation (EC) No 178/2002, Art. 3(1)

Food legislation

(Synonym: "food law") The laws, regulations, and administrative provisions relating to food in general, and food safety in particular, both at Community and national level; this includes all stages of production, processing, and distribution of food, including feed produced for or fed to food-producing animals.

— Source: Regulation (EC) No 178/2002, Art. 3(1)

Food safety criterion

A criterion that defines the acceptability of a product or batch of food, applicable to products placed on the market.

—Source: Reg. (EC) 2073/2005, Art. 2(c)

Food simulant

Test medium that mimics the food product; the behavior of the food simulant simulates migration from materials intended to come into contact with food.

— Source: Reg. (EU) 10/2011, Art. 3(12)

Food supplement

Foodstuffs intended to supplement the normal diet and which constitute a concentrated source of nutrients or other substances having a nutritional or physiological effect, whether single or combined, in dosage forms, i.e., in forms such as capsules, pastilles, tablets, pills, and similar forms, powders in sachets, liquid ampoules, dropper bottles, and other similar forms of liquids and powders intended to be taken in small individual quantities.

— Source: Directive 2002/46/EC, Art. 2(a)

Food supplier for communities

[Each supplier, Editor's note] as defined in Article 1, paragraph 2, of Directive 2001/13/EC.

—Source: Regulation (EC) 1829/2003, Art. 2(16); Directive 2000/13/EC

Food with no added sugars

Food:

i) without added monosaccharides or disaccharides;

ii) without added products containing monosaccharides or disaccharides used for their sweetening properties.

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

Foods intended for special medical purposes

Dietary foods intended for special medical purposes, as defined in Directive 1999/21/EC.

— Source: Regulation (EC) 2073/2005, Art. 2(i)

Foreign Supplier Verification Program (FSVP) (US term)

Program requiring importers to verify that food imported into the United States has been produced in a manner that provides the same level of public health protection.

— Source: FSMA; 21 CFR 1 Subpart L

Fresh fish products

Unprocessed fishery products, whole or prepared, including products packaged under vacuum or in a modified atmosphere, which, for preservation purposes, have not undergone any treatment other than refrigeration intended to ensure their preservation.

— Source: Regulation (EC) 853/2004, Annex I