Food ingredients allowed around the world

I have a question for all of you. I deal ,a lot , with importation and exportation issues. Sometimes a product can't be placed in some other country because one of the ingredients. For example SALP (Sodium Aluminum Phospahte) is allowed in America from Canada to Argentina, but is not allowed in Europe and some other countries in Middle East. This one is replaced by SAPP(Sodium Acid Pyrophosphate).

How can I place here in the forum a database that all the people from the food industry can use to place what is approved or not and ingredient replacement in their respective country. In addition what regulator agencies in each country can be contacted to aquestion those subjects. This information would benefit a lot of people who, like me, works with the same issue. How can I be sure that we have a moderator or someone who takes care that the information is placed with good intentions and not trying to misleading others.

I am willing to listen all your ideas because I think that a lot of people in this forum will benefit from this information.

I have a question for all of you. I deal ,a lot , with importation and exportation issues. Sometimes a product can't be placed in some other country because one of the ingredients. For example SALP (Sodium Aluminum Phospahte) is allowed in America from Canada to Argentina, but is not allowed in Europe and some other countries in Middle East. This one is replaced by SAPP(Sodium Acid Pyrophosphate).

How can I place here in the forum a database that all the people from the food industry can use to place what is approved or not and ingredient replacement in their respective country. In addition what regulator agencies in each country can be contacted to aquestion those subjects. This information would benefit a lot of people who, like me, works with the same issue. How can I be sure that we have a moderator or someone who takes care that the information is placed with good intentions and not trying to misleading others.

I am willing to listen all your ideas because I think that a lot of people in this forum will benefit from this information.

Many thanks for the quote,

What kind of database ?

Here most of the users follow CODEX and GCC standards, next to it SASO (saudi) and DM (dubai).

It sounds like an interesting project Rocio and would be helpful and save people time. My concern would be the accuracy of the data which is critical and also then the small matter of keeping it up to date and accurate. Who is going to do it and why would they want to do it?

Regards,
Simon

It sounds like an interesting project Rocio and would be helpful and save people time. My concern would be the accuracy of the data which is critical and also then the small matter of keeping it up to date and accurate. Who is going to do it and why would they want to do it?

Regards,
Simon

Well this is exactly the point. Don't you think that many global food ingredient food company's, chambers of commerce or places like this forum would't be interested in something like this? Yes accuracy will be an issue, but for example most of the people participating in this forum try to help others and learn or look for good answers, so most of us are trying to help (of course there is always someone...). I think we all knowing better than anybody our own countries can help others.

Well this is exactly the point. Don't you think that many global food ingredient food company's, chambers of commerce or places like this forum would't be interested in something like this? Yes accuracy will be an issue, but for example most of the people participating in this forum try to help others and learn or look for good answers, so most of us are trying to help (of course there is always someone...). I think we all knowing better than anybody our own countries can help others.

Hi Rocio,

I agree members will contribute but sometimes we need a spark to ignite the fire. How about you set up a template to show us what you have in mind, maybe fill it in with the data for Panama and then we can follow your lead.

What do you think?

Regards,
Simon

Dear Rocio,

Since I worked in seasoning & Ingredients company, I think this topic is hardly to missed. For a start, maybe you can visit this link:

http://www.food-info...redientlist.htm

It contains food ingredients guide and food glossary. Its very nice to read and to be discussed of course.


Regards,

Arya

Dear All,

Actually, at least for the European area, a several-page table of (permitted ingredient) vs (country) for many common items/industries was presented by FAO about 20yrs ago but rarely seen these days probably due to the lack of maintenance. It was in considerable demand at that time, particularly by the labelling community.

Thks Arya for this fascinating link. It's a noble effort indeed but it sadly failed both the 2 tests i applied to it -

1. Sodium tripolyphosphate (aka STPP) not listed (at least by this name) under S,T or P, probably the most well-known ingredient in the seafood industry .

2. No mention of vegetable-type allergens in the specific category, eg celery which is equally famous as I hv learnt from this forum. [added, slight correction, it does hv a brilliant article on mustard which I did not know about , the words revulsive and cataplasm certainly sound frightening and they are an intended application!]

Regardless, it's still a gold mine of data, just illustrates the nature of the data handling problem. Comprehensive lists of E-products with their allowed tolerances do exist elsewhere of course. Similarly GRAS and Food Codex compilations but none of these attempt to do a country-by-country breakdown AFAIK. Merck Index and others are also frequently in use in the general situation IMEX.

However, I do agree a database of the kind discussed would be of immense value, just need financing from some rich philanthropist, Bill Gates perhaps in exchange for Honorary Fellow of IFSQN.

Rgds / Charles.C

Dear Charles C.,

Very challenging... Let's see what can we make for a gift to the glorious world of food industries. Who knows, our database will be used by CODEX or FDA as their reference

By any mean of the "lost" ingredients, the authors seem acknowledged it. And that's why they add this sentences:

This list was started on February 28, 2008 and will be continuously updated. If you miss an ingredient or component in this list, please let us know and we will add the list.

I'll see if I can send your feedback to them. Frankly speaking, they have a forum too...


Regards,

Arya