歐盟食品「潔淨標示」(Clean Label)簡介

參考先進國家經驗,在歐盟地區,消費者只認「潔淨標示」(Clean Label)的食品,已成為主流趨勢。所謂的潔淨標示,簡單來說,就是添加物愈少愈好,除非不得已,不用添加物。為了方便消費者識別,歐盟採用E碼系統,將幾百種食品可以使用的添加物做正面列表。根據歐盟商標法,只要有用添加物,就必須標示。一種添加物只有一種編碼,消費者不必看懂添加物專有名詞,只需要看標示有多少種E編碼的添加物,愈少、愈天然,就愈「潔淨」(Clean)。
 
反觀我國,目前市面上約有數十種產品認證標章,除CAS、GMP認證之外,牛奶有鮮乳標章、羊奶有羊乳標章、蔬果有吉園圃標章…,這麼多的標章,都說是品質保證,讓人眼花撩亂、無所適從,遑論民眾能認得多少,又能記得多少?這些多元紛雜的食品藥物、農產品質認證已造成民眾對各類認證標章印象的模糊化,漸失去辨識效用。因此,積極整合產品衛生的標準與管理法規,實是當務之急。

在歐洲,消費者只認「潔淨標示」(Clean Label)的食品,已逐漸成為趨勢。不同於台灣通路商「我也是受害者」的無辜姿態,歐洲「潔淨標示」反而是通路發起,向食品製造業者施壓,進而造成改變的社會運動。

所謂潔淨標示,簡單來說,就是添加物愈少愈好,除非不得已,不用添加物。

如果要用,只用正面表列、E編碼的添加物(E-numbers)。只要有用,一定標示。假如一項食品的成分標示沒有E開頭的添加物,或是只有少少幾樣,就可以算得上是潔淨標示食品。

在台灣,隨便拿一種食品看它的成分標示,不是一長串消費者看不懂的拗口添加物專有名詞,就是只有「乳化劑、香辛料、食用色素」之類的極簡標示。

但在歐洲,為了方便消費者識別,歐盟採用E編碼系統,將幾百種食品可以使用的添加物做正面表列。

根據歐盟商標法,只要有用添加物,就必須標示。一種添加物只有一種編碼,比方E110就是食用色素「晚霞黃」(Sunset Yellow),消費者不必看得懂晚霞黃,只需要看標示上有多少種E編碼的添加物,愈少、愈天然,就愈「潔淨」(Clean)。

「潔淨指的不只是表面上的乾淨,重點是裡面盡量是單單純純的東西,強調減少不必要的成分,盡量以天然萃取的添加物取代人工的,」食品工業發展研究所企劃室主任簡相堂解釋。

潔淨標示食品趨勢起源自英國,逐漸擴大到整個歐盟。有趣的是,潔淨標示並非消費者運動的產物,而是由Marks & Spencer和Tesco等零售通路所發起。

他們列出減少添加物使用的食品及食品製造商的名單,慢慢的,除了像Asda這種訴求平價的通路之外,英國幾乎所有主要通路商都跟進,對食品業者造成很大的壓力,刺激業者朝減少使用添加物的方向努力。

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What is a clean label?

“There is no actual standard for clean label," says Lynch. “What the consumer does not want to see on the label determines whether it’s considered cleanly labeled or not. Any chemical-sounding name or anything that says ‘artificial’ is generally not considered a clean ingredient." She says that most ingredients with a name that implies extra processing aren’t clean-label ingredients.

Matthew Incles, market intelligence manager at U.K.-based Leatherhead Food Research, Leatherhead, Surrey, has a slightly different perspective. “Clean label is a phrase used by food and drink manufacturers to describe products made with ingredients that consumers understand," he says. “A clean label gives consumers sufficient information to enable them to make informed decisions regarding the contents of the product.

“According to this definition, a cleanly labeled product does not need to be manufactured with ‘natural,’ ‘additive-free’ or ‘found-in-the-cupboard’ ingredients, as some suggest," says Incles. “This is because the emphasis is on providing consumers transparent and clear information. For example, consumers might be perfectly happy to eat or drink products containing artificial ingredients. The point of clean labeling is therefore simply to inform shoppers to enable them to better express their consumption preferences."

But, as research shows, most consumers strive to avoid artificial or overly processed foods. According to HealthFocus International, St. Petersburg, FL, 77% of shoppers are interested in natural foods. But what does natural really mean to shoppers, and how important is it? These questions remain unanswered and are likely product-specific.

“Clean label is difficult to define since consumers have different interpretations," says Cathy Miller, technical applications director, Danisco USA, New Century, KS. “These interpretations differ among demographics, regions and products. Some consumers believe that if a product is natural or organic, then it is clean label. Others feel that different products are already considered to be more natural or healthier, such as whole-grain bread, yogurt, etc., and they are not as concerned about the label. Feedback that we have received indicates that consumers generally find highly processed foods more-suspect and read labels on these products more often, so they are the biggest target areas for cleaner labels."

Byron Madkins, senior director, product development and applications-colors, Chr. Hansen Inc., Milwaukee, WI, says: “Products considered clean label are typically not artificial and are free of artificial ingredients. Further, they are typically preservative-free, have mild to no processing, are cleanly extracted without the use of chemical solvents and are free of additives.

“The term additive is vague, however, and can include ingredients such as gums, stabilizers and antioxidants," adds Madkins. “But what we have found is that naturally derived or minimally processed additives are considered acceptable by most of our customers." He also finds that ingredients with long chemical names can drive consumers away, “especially if there are similar products that don’t have these ingredients listed on their ingredient panels. In addition, consumers are more educated about what certain ingredients and compounds are.  And if they don’t recognize an ingredient, they can quickly look for it on the Internet, something that was not really possible 20 years ago. And finally, many consumers see clean-labeled foods as safer for them, better for them, higher quality and even healthier." 

This is why Incles explains that a strong correlation exists between his definition of clean label and natural ingredients. “The limitation of the clean-label definition is that it relies on consumer knowledge and awareness of a vast array of ingredients, and understanding what they are, where they come from, how they are used, why they are used and what impact, if any, they have on human health," he says. “Because consumers have limited knowledge, manufacturers will encounter barriers—perceived or real—towards certain ingredients. In Europe, the most obvious is the perception that e-numbers are bad." However, e-numbers include ingredients like annatto, lecithin and pectin―and even oxygen―which generally don’t cause consumers to raise an eyebrow.

Tammi Higgins, director of brand marketing, Kalsec,  Kalamazoo, MI, says: “Even within a single company, the definition for clean can change depending upon the specific label that is under consideration. In general, the Whole Foods list of unacceptable ingredients is typically held as a standard for natural, clean and simple."

Wholesome is another descriptor that has become synonymous with clean label. “The term wholesome is often used to describe products that are not modified or considered additives by regulatory authorities," says Bob Allin, director-savory marketing, National Starch Food Innovation, Bridgewater, NJ.

---摘錄自網路新聞與文章

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