EU Organic Certification

panarese-group-eu-organic-certification-logo

As with the USDA Organic certification, EU Organic also guarantees the organic nature of the coffee and cocoa grown by the Panarese Group. This certification has just completed the first decade of life, it was established in 2010.

Purpose of the EU organic log

The EU organic logo gives a coherent visual identity to EU organic products. This will make it easier for consumers to identify organic products.

This organic logo can only be applied to products that have been certified by an authorized control body or agency which in turn verifies that all the strict conditions for production, treatment, transport and storage have been met. The EU ORGANIC certification can only be recognized for products that contain at least 95% organic ingredients.

Next to the EU organic logo is also reported:

  • a code number of the control body;
  • the place where the agricultural raw materials that make up the product were grown.

Controls in practice: elimination of contaminants

Panarese Group, in all cultivation and life cycles of its products, avoids contact with all contaminants in order to guarantee 100% organic products, always passing all the rigorous controls to which it is always subjected.

Contaminants are substances that may be present following the various stages of cultivation, processing, packaging, transport or storage. Threshold limits for different contaminants require avoiding negative impact on food quality and risks to human health. The different forms of contamination are:

  • Pesticides: European Union legislation on maximum residue levels (MRLs) of pesticides sets the MRLs of pesticides allowed in products of animal and plant origin intended for human consumption. Products containing more pesticides than permitted are withdrawn from the EU market;
  • Mycotoxins: molds and fungi are another specific point of attention. For roasted coffee beans and ground roasted coffee, the maximum level of Ochratoxin A (OTA) is set at 5 μg / kg while the maximum is set at 10 μg / kg for soluble coffee (soluble coffee);
  • Salmonella: severe form of contamination and occurs occasionally as a result of incorrect harvesting and drying techniques. Coffee beans are considered low risk products with regards to salmonella contamination. No specific microbiological criteria have been set for coffee in current EU legislation. Food safety authorities, however, can withdraw imported food products from the market or prevent them from entering Europe when Salmonella is found. Irradiation is a way to combat microbiological contamination, but this is not allowed under EU legislation for coffee.

Quality classification

Quality is the result of many factors in the production and processing of coffee. The most important are:

  • the place of origin of the product;
  • the specific coffee variety (Robusta or Arabica and Arabica sub-variety: Bourbon, Castillo, Geisha and others);
  • adequate sowing and agronomic management;
  • the collection and post-collection processes;
  • the industrialization of the grain.

The attributes of a green coffee are related to its physical and intrinsic quality, factors such as:

  • the moisture content;
  • color;
  • the greenish wrinkling;
  • the size of the grain;
  • the number of defects.

they could lower the value and quality of the coffee; their absence could result in a premium coffee (specialty coffee).

The sensory attributes of roasted coffee are also linked to the extraction process. These quality attributes may vary depending on the main organoleptic qualities used to evaluate the drink which are:

  • Aroma;
  • Flavor;
  • Acidity;
  • Body.

Each of these attributes is reflected in both intensity (how much) and quality (how good), which are based on cupping protocols. Overall ratings provide a concise rating based on a scale of 50 to 100; the higher the score, the better the quality.

The Organization for Standardization (ISO) also provides specific standards for coffee quality, such as ISO 10470 (Green coffee – Defect reference chart) requires that an accurate description of the physical properties of coffee be provided:

  • which and number of defects;
  • at what altitude was the coffee grown;
  • etc.