FACTS SA
ALL IMAGES COURTESY OF UNSPLASH
AN UMBRELLA VIEW OF THE PLANT-BASED MOVEMENT
The rapidly growing plant-based trend offers opportunities for the hospitality and restaurant trade; however, some attention needs to be paid to understanding the regulatory framework and meal preparation challenges. Food and Allergy Consulting and Testing Services (FACTS SA) share their insights.
THE MOVE TO PLANT-BASED MEALS
There has been a clear increase in consumer interest in plant-based products and meal options, and it is expected that this interest will grow steadily in the foreseeable future. This growing movement presents opportunities and challenges for the food and hospitality industry – some of those challenges being identified in the area of preparation practices. The unintentional addition, during preparation, or deliberate addition (in terms of adulteration at supplier level) of animal materials to food can lead to two major problems: the presence of undeclared animal species; and more specifically, food claimed to be suitable for vegans – and to an extent, vegetarians – containing animal substances.
34
To address these problems as separate entities and thus reduce the different risks involved, it is necessary to take a step back and gain perspective – a view from above of how the picture fits together.
ANIMAL SPECIES CONTROL
Species control includes the identification and control of animal substances to prevent the presence of undeclared animal species in food at every stage of the preparation process, from harvesting through to presenting and packaging the meals. The addition of undeclared meat species to food and meat products is not an uncommon occurrence. In South Africa, in recent years, multiple incidents of species substitution and mislabelling of meat and fish products have been recorded. Occurrences
of this nature not only constitute consumer fraud, violate religious faiths and raise ethical concerns, but can result in food safety risks.
Intentional presence of undeclared animal species
Due to their high cost, food products such as meat and fish are highly prone to substitution or adulteration, and such practices are often relatively simple to get away with. The flesh of many meat and fish species differs only subtly in appearance and texture, making it difficult to identify the species used by visual inspection only. Another type of substitution of meat ingredients involves the use of cheaper ingredients from the same declared species, but from different body parts (typically offal, connective tissue, or blood);
