3 replies to this topic

[Luya]

Hello everyone,
Do we need to include the enzyme used as a processing aid in cake production and the sunflower oil used for mold release in the product specification? These steps are already shown in the process flow diagram, and since they are considered processing aids, they are not declared on the label. However, I am not fully sure whether they should be mentioned in the specifications.

Could you please advise?

[Miri]

The specification is really just between you and your customer.  I don't think your specification should contradict your label/ingredient statement.  You've got those two substances documented elsewhere, so it's not like you are hiding them.  

[GMO]

Disclaimer, it's probably 20 years since I wrote a spec but I would imagine on your spec you have your ingredients list as a mixing bowl and your on pack declaration in two different places.  I'd include anything going into mixing bowl and include the ingredients listing as intended on pack as on pack.  So I would include processing aids but only in information that won't appear on pack.

Honestly though, I'd give the customer a call and ask.  I can't see how the question would be treated negatively.

[SHQuality]

Just because you don't have declare processing aids on the product label, doesn't mean you can leave them off a specification. 

I would definitely include them in a section with processing aids.

 

That way, if your customer disagrees with your interpretation that it is a processing aid, they can declare it if they want to and you won't cause any problems through lying by omission. By the way, I would not consider those enzymes to be processing aids. They are still present in the product afterward and they were added to the mix on purpose as either an additive or part of an ingredient.