Natural, Traditional etc

[Andrew Lea]

The Food Standards Agency has issued guidance on the use of these and
similar terms. You will find it here
http://www.food.gov.uk/multimedia/pdfs/markcritguidance.pdf

In their words:

"�Natural� means essentially that the product is comprised of natural
ingredients, e.g. ingredients produced by nature, not the work of man or
interfered with by man. It is misleading to use the term to describe
foods or ingredients that employ chemicals to change their composition
or comprise the products of new technologies, including additives and
flavourings that are the product of the chemical industry or extracted
by chemical processes."

That definitely rules out saccharin then.

"The term �traditional� should demonstrably be used to describe a
recipe, fundamental formulation or processing method for a product that
has existed for a significant period. The ingredients and process used
should have been available, substantially unchanged, for that same
period. It is within consumer expectations for the product to have been
made in a factory."

They suggest in a footnote that a period of 25 years is long enough to
establish tradition. I suppose on that basis you could get away with
'traditional' for saccharin usage. It sticks in my craw, though.

Andrew



--
Wittenham Hill Cider Page
http://www.cider.org.uk

[David Llewellyn]

Andrew wrote:
"They suggest in a footnote that a period of 25 years is long enough to
establish tradition. I suppose on that basis you could get away with
'traditional' for saccharin usage. It sticks in my craw, though."

I have seen on several German cider/apfelwein labels, the term 'traditionell
geschwefelt', which of course means 'traditionally sulphited' or words to
that effect, referring I suppose to the fact that sulphur has been used in
wine-making for hundreds of years!
Maybe it sounds better than 'contains sulphites'.
Andrew, I wonder how that would sit in your craw!!!!
Regards,
David L.

[Andrew Lea]

David Llewellyn wrote:

> I have seen on several German cider/apfelwein labels, the term 'traditionell
> geschwefelt', which of course means 'traditionally sulphited' or words to
> that effect, referring I suppose to the fact that sulphur has been used in
> wine-making for hundreds of years!
> Maybe it sounds better than 'contains sulphites'.
> Andrew, I wonder how that would sit in your craw!!!!

Neat. I wonder if it means they mean sulphur candles not KMS??

Personally I am much more relaxed about use of sulphite than saccharin.
First because it does a really good job and is (almost) an essential for
cider and wine-making in my view, far more so than any synthetic
sweetener; second because it has been documented for use in cider for
350 years and probably used in wine for far far longer; third because
although unpleasant it is quite 'natural' as anyone who has visited a
sulphur spring can attest (mind you so are arsenic and atropine but I
wouldn't put those in my cider). But other people come from places
different to mine.

[David Llewellyn]

> I have seen on several German cider/apfelwein labels, the term
'traditionell geschwefelt', which of course means 'traditionally sulphited'
or words to

> that effect.

Neat. I wonder if it means they mean sulphur candles not KMS??

Apparently KMS, because the cider is made in fibreglass and stainless steel
tanks.

David L.