Pushing back boundaries

The European Commission – there’s no ignoring it. In early 2015 the new EU regulation for F-gases, no. 517/2014, was implemented in the whole of Europe. That has major consequences. The regulation will result in a significant reduction in the levels of substances which make a high contribution to global warming (including many F-gases) and some substances are even being banned completely. The refrigerant R404A will no longer be allowed for many stationary systems as of 2020. The EU has set ambitious targets: by 2018 the industry must have reduced the total volume of F-gases by 37%, and by 2030 the levels may be only 21% of the current 2015 levels.
A transition to the use of natural refrigerants calls for innovation; the design of compressors must be changed and the system technology must be adapted. Ammonia (NH3) is known to be toxic, hydrocarbons are flammable and CO2 remains under very high pressure, so the transition also has consequences for safety demands. Stricter certification will be required for employees, documentation and administration.

Two auditors from the European Commission’s Food and Veterinary Office (FVO) visited The Netherlands in the past two weeks to assess traceability within companies in the post-slaughtering process. All types of meat (including meat preparations and meat-based products) were included from a tracking and traceability perspective. The entire chain, from the original producer and importer through to the retailer, was involved in the study.

Stringent controls are necessary, it would seem, because things still go wrong too often. The Food Fraud Network Activity Report 2014 recently published by the European Commission reveals that most of the fraudulent cases investigated by the EU Food Fraud Network (FFN) in 2014 related to meat products. Of the 60 cases, the number one problem related to incorrect labelling (25%). 22% of the cases involved falsified certificates and/or documentation. The FFN was set up in 2013 as a result of the horsemeat scandal and comprises 28 national organisations which collaborate internationally to combat food fraud.

We too are continuing to push back boundaries by looking beyond national borders: as of 9 June 2015, the magazine Vakblad Voedingsindustrie has been restyled online, and all articles are now also available in English.

Judith Witte
 
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