The Food Chamber of the Czech Republic, with the support of the Ministry of Agriculture, organized a project Increasing consumer awareness of food quality under the CQC scheme, No. 70/2024 press conference, where Eliška Fořtová spoke about the history of the Czech Guild Standards and the conditions of granting, opportunities for manufacturers and news. Jan Pivoňka talked about product testing, the methodology of evaluation (analytics, sensory) of PK ČR, cooperation with experts within the testing panel, sensory evaluation in the Food Pavilion of the Czech University of Technology and evaluation of tests for the year 2024. cechovninormy.cz and publications How do we know the quality Product testing as a way to improve guild standards.
Czech guild standards follow the tradition of Czechoslovak state standards, which were abolished during the 1990s. These are voluntary standards that go beyond the normal legislative requirements.
Producers who meet the conditions of the guild standards may label their products with the logo "Made according to the Czech Guild Standard".
The system was created in 2015 and is managed by the Czech Food Chamber and the Czech Food Technology Platform. It also cooperates with industry associations, unions and chambers, as well as with the Ministry of Agriculture, supervisory authorities and other experts to develop the content of the standards.
For the consumer, the "Made according to Czech Guild Standards" logo means a guarantee that the product comes from a verified source, contains quality ingredients and has been produced with respect to traditional practices and modern safety requirements.
Key parameters are food composition and production processes.
Compared to other brands of quality food, such as Klasa, the guild standards confirm that the company produces according to a specified technological process. Unlike, for example, the Klasa brand, which can be obtained by several products of the same type made according to different recipes, the Guild Standard is written in a clear way and specifies what should and can be used in a given product.
The standard also implies superior parameters that distinguish the food from other comparable foods placed on the market.
There are currently 1,685 products from 235 producers on the Czech market that are marked with the guild quality logo. 315 standards have been approved. The contract is for three years with automatic renewal for 1000 CZK product/year (for more products there is a discount).
In the framework of a project supported by the Ministry of Agriculture Increasing consumer awareness of food quality under the CNQ scheme PK ČR carried out 10 food tests this year. The results are published in the above-mentioned publication How we know quality Product testing as a way to improve guild standards and gradually also on the web cechovninormy.czwhere each test has its own chapter. These are the tests Chopped, water, mayonnaises and mayonnaise salads, egg pasta, steamed cheeses, fish fillets, flour, chilled pates, durable sticks a blueberry yoghurt.
The most important information is summarised at the end of the publication:
We found that blueberry yoghurt vary greatly in fruit and sugar content, and we recommend choosing those with a high proportion of blueberries and a low amount of sugar. U chilled pates it is essential to monitor the proportion of meat or liver and avoid unnecessary preservatives. U mayonnaises and mayonnaise salads the quality of the oil used, the quantity of eggs and the minimisation of additives are important. Flours varied according to their gluten content and suitability for specific purposes, with the choice of the right type of flour being crucial for its correct use.
Steamed cheese showed differences in the quality of processing and the presence of added substances, with the best products being the traditionally produced ones. U bottled water we recommend to follow a balanced mineral composition and purity. Fish fillet should contain a high proportion of meat (above 90 %) and a minimum of water. Meatloaf varied most in meat content, with quality products containing a minimum of substitutes. U durable sticks we recommend choosing those with low salt and fat content. Egg pasta varied according to the egg content, which significantly influenced their taste and texture - high-quality pasta has a higher proportion of eggs and semolina flour.
Testing has shown that reading labels consistently and focusing on the content of key ingredients helps consumers choose quality products.
Food labels are an essential source of information to help consumers choose quality and safe products. Under the legislation, they must contain the exact name of the product, the composition with all ingredients listed in descending order, allergens highlighted, nutritional information, weight or volume, best before or use-by date, storage and use conditions, country of origin and identification of the manufacturer or importer. For some products, special certifications may also be given, such as Made according to Czech guild standard or Guaranteed traditional speciality and others.
When reading labels, it is important to look at the ingredients and the proportion of key ingredients, such as blueberries in yoghurt or meat in fillets. Nutrition facts help to compare the fat, sugar, salt or protein content and reveal better quality products. High quality products are characterised by higher levels of key ingredients, such as meat, and, conversely, minimal additives. The use-by date and storage conditions ensure that the food is consumed at optimum quality. The country of origin, on the other hand, indicates whether the product is local.
Avoid products with a long list of additives and check that the name corresponds to the actual ingredients. If you can find certifications on the packaging, you can be more confident of a high quality standard. Reading labels allows you to choose foods that match your preferences and gives you better control over what you eat.
gnews - RoZ
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