The FSAI has just made it clearer to food business that they can only use the term "butter" if their product fulfils the ingredients criteria.
On Thursday it published guidelines to ensure that consumers are not misled and that when the term “butter” is used, it complies with the specific and general legislation governing its use.
According to Dr Pat O’Mahony, chief specialist in food technology in the FSAI, butter is defined as a churned-cream dairy product consisting primarily of milk fat, water, non-fat milk material and, if necessary, salt.
“Specific EU legislation is in place that establishes a common organisation of the markets in agricultural products,” Dr O’Mahony said. “A section of this legislation is dedicated to ‘milk and milk products’, whereby products like butter and other types of fat spread are clearly defined. The legal onus is on food businesses to ensure that they are compliant with all relevant legislation so that consumers can have trust in the product they are purchasing and make informed choices using reliable information.”
Dr O’Mahony added that the FSAI’s new guidelines make it easier for food businesses to avoid the apparent confusion that currently prevails in relation to what constitutes butter, as compared to the variety of other fat spreads on the market.
Moreover, general food labelling legislation, in place since 2011, prohibits the use of any labels or advertising that could mislead consumers. Therefore references to butter or the use of derived terms such as “buttery” or “butterly” on products which do not fulfil the criteria of butter could be considered a breach of this legislation.
Dr O’Mahony concluded that “it is natural that marketing specialists will use every means at their disposal to gain a competitive edge over their rivals”. However, he said this “must not be achieved at the expense of consumers’ trust”.
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The FSAI has just made it clearer to food business that they can only use the term "butter" if their product fulfils the ingredients criteria.
On Thursday it published guidelines to ensure that consumers are not misled and that when the term “butter” is used, it complies with the specific and general legislation governing its use.
According to Dr Pat O’Mahony, chief specialist in food technology in the FSAI, butter is defined as a churned-cream dairy product consisting primarily of milk fat, water, non-fat milk material and, if necessary, salt.
“Specific EU legislation is in place that establishes a common organisation of the markets in agricultural products,” Dr O’Mahony said. “A section of this legislation is dedicated to ‘milk and milk products’, whereby products like butter and other types of fat spread are clearly defined. The legal onus is on food businesses to ensure that they are compliant with all relevant legislation so that consumers can have trust in the product they are purchasing and make informed choices using reliable information.”
Dr O’Mahony added that the FSAI’s new guidelines make it easier for food businesses to avoid the apparent confusion that currently prevails in relation to what constitutes butter, as compared to the variety of other fat spreads on the market.
Moreover, general food labelling legislation, in place since 2011, prohibits the use of any labels or advertising that could mislead consumers. Therefore references to butter or the use of derived terms such as “buttery” or “butterly” on products which do not fulfil the criteria of butter could be considered a breach of this legislation.
Dr O’Mahony concluded that “it is natural that marketing specialists will use every means at their disposal to gain a competitive edge over their rivals”. However, he said this “must not be achieved at the expense of consumers’ trust”.
Related stories
US star chef promotes consumption of ‘grass-fed’ butter
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