25 years of European Union (EU) quality schemes for agricultural products and foodstuffs across EU Member States

Presence of Certain Foodborne Pathogens in Traditional Balearic Islands' Meat, Pastry, and Cheese Specialties Supported by European Union Quality Schemes, from 2018 to 2021

The cuisine of the Balearic Islands (Spain, southern Europe) has several products of a great tradition, recognized worldwide and covered by European Union quality schemes, such as Protected Designation of Origin (PDO) and Protected Geographical Indication (PGI). Among them, the most emblematic products are sobrasada de Mallorca (a type of raw curated pork meat), ensaimada de Mallorca (pastry product), and Mahón-Menorca cheese (cow's milk cheese). During 4 consecutive years (2018-2021), the presence/absence of Escherichia coli β-glucuronidase positive (henceforth as E. coli), Listeria monocytogenes, Salmonella spp., and Staphylococcus aureus in these products has been monitored, as well as the total yeast and mold count in ensaimada de Mallorca. The results of the microbiological analysis showed that sobrasada presented similar microbiological patterns to those of other raw curated meat products (some presence of E. coli and L. monocytogenes). Furthermore, the sobrasada de Mallorca made with white pork tended to be positive in E. coli compared to other sobrasada subtypes. In the case of ensaimada, only a reduced number of cases within filled ensaimadas (with higher moisture content) presented unacceptable mold and yeast counts (>500 colony-forming unit [CFU]/g). Finally, the Mahón-Menorca cheese presented a surprising microbiology pattern: higher E. coli contamination in the pasteurized milk cheese compared to its raw counterpart. This pattern was observed for all the years, being statistically significant in 2020. This study has detected good microbiological status in the three traditional products studied. However, worrisome issues in Good Hygienic Practices have been detected for some companies that produce pasteurized milk Mahón-Menorca cheese under the PDO quality label. The companies involved and even the competent authorities should address these problems to correct this deviation in food security.

Metabolomics as a marketing tool for geographical indication products: a literature review

Geographical indication (GI) is used to identify a product's origin when its characteristics or quality are a result of geographical origin, which includes agricultural products and foodstuff. Metabolomics is an “omics” technique that can support product authentication by providing a chemical fingerprint of a biological system, such as plant and plant-derived products. The main purpose of this article is to verify possible contributions of metabolomic studies to the marketing field, mainly for certified regions, through an integrative review of the literature and maps produced by VOSviewer software. The results indicate that studies based on metabolomics approaches can relate specific food attributes to the region’s terroir and know-how. The evidence of this connection, marketing of GIs and metabolomics methods, is viewed as potential tool for marketing purposes (e.g., to assist communication of positive aspects and quality), and legal protection. In addition, our results provide a taxonomic categorization that can guide future marketing research involving metabolomics. Moreover, the results are also useful to government agencies to improve GIs registration systems and promotion strategies.

Sustainable Local Exploitation and Innovation on Meat Products Based on the Autochthonous Bovine Breed Jarmelista

The Jarmelista autochthonous bovine breed has a sustainable production and is part of the culture of the Portuguese territory, representing a touristic attraction and originating a differentiated beef product that can only be found in a particular region of the country. However rural and livestock population evolution in Portugal’s inland has demonstrated a great regression with consequences for environment and nature conservation. In this context and considering that silvopastoral activity has shaped the natural areas of mountain territories since its beginning, rethinking the importance of such activity has become vital for the territory sustainability. In this perspective, this work presents an analysis of the adaptation and evolution of Jarmelista bovine breed production to current times, perceiving its limitations, challenges, and success potential, supported by a data collection of secondary and primary sources. Despite the natural, healthy, and sustainable value of this particular bovine meat, we observed that is still not recognised by the market or even by the producers. The inability of proving the Jarmelista beef added value within the value chain is the main cause of businesses and consumers sceptic and disbelief in the potential of its economic and tourism contribution. Several possibilities and actions were identified to contradict this path.

Certification Labels in Shaping Perception of Food Quality—Insights from Polish and Belgian Urban Consumers

Food quality is considered to be one of the most important determinants of food choice. Given the variety of food products and the overflow of information in the market, certification labels are intended to encourage consumers to select healthier and more sustainable product options. This study focuses on how urban consumers from Poland and Belgium perceive food quality and whether certification labels shape their views on it. Research material was collected using quantitative (Paper and Pencil Interviews (PAPI)) and qualitative (focus groups (FGs)) methods. The survey was conducted among people visiting sustainable food fairs, on a sample of 701 adults in the cities of Warsaw, Brussels and Ghent. This study confirms that consumers are interested in food quality when choosing food, but their perception varies depending on the place of residence and other socio-demographic characteristics (age, income, education, household structure). Certificates were important for consumers if their message clearly signals exceptional quality and is consistent with awareness of sustainability challenges. Consumers from Belgium (a country with a long-established market economy) reveal deeper knowledge and a more favourable approach to certification labels than Poles. The role of labelling in shaping consumers’ perceptions of food quality depends on their awareness, experience and understanding of sustainability issues. This, in turn, is determined by the cultural environment of consumers, which in the case of our study was the country of residence.

Food Labels (Quality, Origin, and Sustainability): The Experience of Czech Producers

Food labels allow producers to promote the unique selling points of their products and help consumers buy products with value-adding qualities. The aim of the present article is hence to explore Czech food producers’ expectations and experience with selected food labels. The selection was narrowed down to enterprises that had succeeded in the certification processes within the food labeling systems of European quality and origin labels (protected designation of origin (PDO), protected geographical indication (PGI), and traditional specialty guaranteed (TSG)), as well as schemes that fall under the remit of the Ministry of Agriculture of the Czech Republic, such as Klasa (Česká potravina/Czech food, Regionální potravina/regional food, and BIO). The research was made using an online questionnaire in January–February 2018, and was focused on determining possible discrepancies in expectations that the companies had before applying for quality/origin labels and their actual experience with the labelling systems, the benefits they had gained, and their overall experience with the labels. To compare the respondents’ expectations and their actual experience, both the non-parametric Wilcoxon test and t-test were used. The results show that the respondents positively evaluated the effects of marketing communication, but their expectations had been higher than what they experienced.

Back to the Roots: Revisiting the Use of the Fiber-Rich Cichorium intybusL. Taproots

Fibers are increasingly recognized as an indispensable part of our diet and vital for maintaining health. Notably, complex mixtures of fibers have been found to improve metabolic health. Following an analysis of the fiber content of plant-based products, we found the taproot of the chicory plant (Cichorium intybusL.) to be 1 of the vegetables with the highest fiber content, comprising nearly 90% of its dry weight. Chicory roots consist of a mixture of inulin, pectin, and (hemi-)cellulose and also contain complex phytochemicals, such as sesquiterpene lactones that have been characterized in detail. Nowaday, chicory roots are mainly applied as a source for the extraction of inulin, which is used as prebiotic fiber and food ingredient. Chicory roots, however, have long been consumed as a vegetable by humans. The whole root has been used for thousands of years for nutritional, medicinal, and other purposes, and it is still used in traditional dishes in various parts of the world. Here, we summarize the composition of chicory roots to explain their historic success in the human diet. We revisit the intake of chicory roots by humans and describe the different types of use along with their various methods of preparation. Hereby, we focus on the whole root in its complex, natural form, as well as in relation to its constituents, and discuss aspects regarding legal regulation and the safety of chicory root extracts for human consumption. Finally, we provide an overview of the current and future applications of chicory roots and their contribution to a fiber-rich diet.