Draft Sri Lanka Standard GUIDELINES FOR THE USE OF VEGETARIAN CLAIMS IN FOOD AND BEVERAGE SLS : Gr. Copyright Reserved SRI LANKA STANDARDS INSTITUTION 17. Victoria Place Elvitigala Mawatha Colombo 8 Sri Lanka.
Draft Sri Lanka Standard GUIDELINES FOR THE USE OF VEGETARIAN CLAIMS IN FOOD AND BEVERAGE FOREWORD This Sri Lanka Standard was approved by the Sectoral Committee on Agricultural and Food Products and was authorized for adoption and publication as a Sri Lanka Standard by the Council of the Sri Lanka Standards Institution on... Individuals may choose to follow a vegetarian or vegan diet for many reasons, such as animal welfare, social and religious beliefs, environmental sustainability and personal health and well-being. Many people today are becoming aware that a plant based diet is healthier and it may reduce the risk of diseases such as heart disease, certain cancers, arthritis and obesity. Numerous cultures throughout history have lived on plant based diets and were much healthier as vegetables and fruits protect against diseases. The purpose of this standard is to assist the manufacturers, importers, distributors, sellers and caterers to use the term vegetarian or vegan in a consistent manner, and for enforcement authorities to identify misleading labeling claims and assist consumers, by encouraging food processors and catering establishments to use these terms consistently. This specification is subject to the Food Act No. 26 of 1980 and the regulations framed thereunder wherever applicable. 1 SCOPE These guidelines recommend measures to be taken on the use of vegetarian claims in food or beverage in its ingredients, storage, handling, processing, cooking, display, serving, and transportation. 2 REFERENCES SLS SLS 143 Code of practice for general principles of food hygiene 467 Code of practice for labelling of prepackaged foods 1
3 DEFINITIONS For the purpose of this standard, the following definitions shall apply : 3.1 vegetarian food /beverage : Food /Beverage prepared from ingredients of multicellular plant, fungal, algae and bacterial origin excluding all ingredients of animal flesh and products obtained from the slaughter of an animal such as gelatin, animal fats and oils, caviar, roe etc. It may include honey, dairy food produced without slaughter of animals and any by- product and/ may include unfertilized eggs obtained from live animals. 3.2 product : A substance that can be used or prepared for use as food stuff or beverage or come in contact with the food stuff or beverage. 4 CLAIMS AND DECLARATIONS 4.1 Prepared or Processed Food or Beverage suitable for vegetarians may be declared as vegetarian food/beverage or as suitable for vegetarian or with the term vegetarian in an appropriate manner to imply that the food or beverage is suitable for consumption by vegetarians. 4.2 Claims that a foodstuff is suitable for vegetarian may specify the category of vegetarian by adding one or a combination of prefixes to the word vegetarian as given in sections 4.3 to 4.7: 4.3 Lacto - Vegetarian Food or Beverage which includes milk and milk products but excludes products prepared using animal rennet. 4.4 Ovo - Vegetarian Food or Beverage which includes unfertilized eggs and egg products. 4.5 Honey - Vegetarian Food or Beverage which includes honey. 4.6 Strict - Vegetarian Food or Beverage which excludes all ingredients and additives derived from animal origin. Such Food or Beverage may be declared as suitable for vegans or indicated with the term vegan in an appropriate manner to imply that the diet is suitable for consumption by vegans. 4.7 Pure - Vegetarian Food or Beverage which includes honey, milk and milk products. NOTE : Any nutrition or health claims made in Vegetarian Food shall comply with Codex Alimentarius Commission Guidelines - CAC GL 23-1997 - Guidelines for Nutrition and Health Claims. 2
5 REQUIREMENTS 5.1 The products should be manufactured, packaged, stored, handled, transported and distributed under general hygienic conditions as prescribed in SLS 143. 5.2 During storage, processing, cooking, handling, display, serving and transportation the product should not come into contact or contaminate with non vegetarian food. 5.3 Separate utensils, cutlery, gloves, spoons, other type of implements (woks, cutting boards, tongs, etc.) should be provided to handle the product. Color code may be used on utensils to avoid mix up. 5.4 If common fryers, grills, griddles etc. are used for preparing non- vegetarian products they should be thoroughly cleaned and should be filled with fresh, uncontaminated oil before the product is cooked. 5.5 If common machinery are used for preparing non- vegetarian products or products within the vegetarian category (4), should be thoroughly cleaned before shifting to the other category. 5.6 Adequate number of work surfaces should be available for the preparation of vegetarian product; alternatively work surfaces should be thoroughly cleaned before preparing vegetarian product. 5.7 Care should be taken when grilling or barbequing so that vegetarian products do not come into contact with non vegetarian products. Ensure that non vegetarian fat or oil does not splatter onto vegetarian products. 5.8 Incoming material requirements No raw material, ingredient or additive should be accepted by an establishment if that fails to satisfy 3.1 Where appropriate, specifications for raw material, ingredient or additive should be identified and applied. Where necessary, suitability for raw material, ingredient or additive should be established by laboratory tests. 5.9 Personal behavior Personnel who handle food should always thoroughly wash their hands when moving from handling non vegetarian food products to vegetarian products or products within the vegetarian category. Over clothes should always be changed when moving from non vegetarian to vegetarian products or products within the vegetarian category. 3
5.10 Cleaning programmes Cleaning programmes should ensure that no non vegetarian product will contaminate vegetarian product and products within the vegetarian category. 5.11 Packaging Packaging design and material should prevent vegetarian product from contamination with non vegetarian product and products within the vegetarian category. 5.12 Serving Separate serving plates and cutlery should be used for vegetarian products. 5.13 Transportation Vegetarian products should be adequately protected and separated from non vegetarian products and from products within the vegetarian category during transportation. 5.14 Recall procedures Manufacturers should ensure effective procedures are in place to deal with any non conformity and rapid recall of any implicated lots of finished product. 5.15 Training All personnel should be aware of their role and responsibility and have the adequate knowledge skills and attitude in protecting vegetarian food being contaminated with non vegetarian food or products within the vegetarian category identified as in 4. 6 PRODUCT INFORMATION AND CONSUMER AWARENESS 6.1 Product information All vegetarian food products should be accompanied by or bear adequate information to enable the next person in the food chain to handle, display, store and use the product correctly. In addition, it should carry the product category identified as in 4. 6.2 Labelling Packaged food or beverage should be labeled with the list of ingredients and clear instructions to enable the next person in the food chain to handle, display store and use the product correctly. (See SLS 467). 4
6.3 Consumer education Health education programmes should cover vegetarian foods. Such programmes should enable consumers to understand the importance of such products, follow any instruction accompanying products and make informed choices. 7 COMPLIANCE If a product meets the requirements of these guidelines in its ingredients, storage, handling, processing, cooking, display, serving, and transportation it should be labeled as vegetarian product category identified as in 4. ------------------------ 5