From: BillK (bill@wkidston.freeserve.co.uk)
Date: Mon Jun 23 2003 - 13:06:40 MDT
Mon Jun 23, 2003 04:50 am Alfio Puglisi wrote:
>
> Now, the EU is trying to bring the different food standards in a
> common one. For chocolate, they ruled that up to 5% of the total
> weight can be replaced with filler additives with different taste.
> Something that no one here wants to eat.
>
Ah, this is the famous 25 year-long UK - Euro Chocolate war.
As I understand the directive, it is not 5% of 'anything', but up to 5%
of certain specified vegetable fats, Which cuts down the choice a bit.
And I think that the labeling will show a distinction between 'pure'
chocolate and the 'up-to-5%-fat' chocolate.
From http://www.karlshamns.com/pdf/international-200005.pdf
Quote:
The main features of the directive are as follows
For domestically produced chocolate each member state is free to decide
about the use of up to 5% vegetable fat
Free movement of goods is secured. This means that also member states
that do not permit the use of vegetable fats in domestically produced
chocolate, must provide for unhindered imports of chocolate with
vegetable fat from other member states.
To secure information to the consumer labeling showing that the product
"contains vegetable fat" will be required in addition to the list of
ingredients.
A limited number of raw materials and processing methods are approved
for use in chocolate
End Quote.
From this I don't think Alfio has any need to worry. Just don't buy
foreign chocolate, or chocolate marked 'contains vegetable fat'.
Spain and Italy tried to ban British traditional milk chocolate from
being called chocolate when sold in Europe. Personally I prefer 'dark'
chocolate (black in color) as opposed to 'milk' chocolate (gray in
color). These are the marketing terms used in the UK.
And in the UK we also have 'white' chocolate which is so sickly that you
break out in spots immediately. Ever spooned down a can of condensed
milk as a kid? That's similar to the taste. Yummmmy!
BillK
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