Glossary
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Aerobic Plate Count
Aerobic plate count is a microbiological method that estimates the total number of viable aerobic microorganisms in a food sample,…
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Aflatoxin
Aflatoxin is a toxic and carcinogenic mycotoxin produced mainly by Aspergillus moulds on nuts, dried fruit and grains under warm,…
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Aflatoxin Testing
Aflatoxin testing meaning the quantification of aflatoxins B1, B2, G1 and G2 in food samples is a mandatory compliance step…
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Aflatoxins in Nuts
Aflatoxins in nuts are toxic fungal metabolites produced by Aspergillus moulds that contaminate kernels during cultivation, harvest or storage, and…
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Agroecology
Agroecology is the application of ecological principles to the design and management of farming systems, supporting biodiversity, nutrient cycling and…
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Air Freight
Air freight is the transport of cargo by aircraft, offering the fastest transit times of any mode but at significantly…
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Air-Blast Freezing
Air-blast freezing is a method in which cold air, typically at −30 to −40 °C, is blown at high velocity…
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Allergen Control
Allergen control is the set of documented measures a food business uses to prevent unintended presence of allergenic substances in…
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Allergen Labelling
Allergen labelling meaning refers to the mandatory emphasis of the fourteen listed allergens within the ingredients list of prepacked food,…
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Alveograph
The alveograph is a dough test that inflates a sheet of dough into a bubble until it bursts, reporting strength…
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Ambient Storage
Ambient storage is the holding of product at uncontrolled or passively controlled room temperature, without active refrigeration, making it suitable…
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American Foulbrood
American foulbrood is a highly contagious bacterial disease of bee brood caused by Paenibacillus larvae, notifiable in most producing countries,…
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Anaerobic Digestion
Anaerobic digestion is a biological process that breaks down organic waste in sealed, oxygen-free vessels to produce biogas for energy…
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Antinutritional Factors
Antinutritional factors are naturally occurring compounds in pulses, including phytates, tannins, lectins and trypsin inhibitors, that reduce nutrient bioavailability or…
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Apiary
An apiary is a managed site where beehives are kept for honey production or pollination services, and its location, hygiene…
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Arbitration Clause
An arbitration clause is a contract provision that requires disputes to be resolved by a private arbitral tribunal rather than…
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Aroma Recovery
Aroma recovery is the process of capturing volatile flavour compounds that evaporate during juice concentration and returning them to the…
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Aseptic Bag-in-Box
Aseptic bag-in-box is a packaging format in which a sterilised liquid or puree is filled into a sterile multilayer flexible…
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Aseptic Processing
Aseptic processing is a food preservation method in which a liquid or semi-liquid product is sterilised by brief high-temperature treatment…
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Ash Content Testing
Ash content testing determines the total mineral residue remaining after a food sample is incinerated at high temperature, indicating refinement…
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ASTA Colour Value
ASTA colour value is a spectrophotometric measure of the carotenoid pigment intensity in paprika and related spices, expressed on a…
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Automated Storage and Retrieval
Automated storage and retrieval is a system of software-controlled cranes, shuttles or conveyors that stores and retrieves pallet or tote…
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Backhaul
Backhaul is the return journey of a transport vehicle after completing its primary delivery, and in food logistics it is…
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Baker’s Honey
Baker’s honey is the EU legal designation for honey that does not meet the composition standards for table honey, typically…
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Batch Management
Batch management is the practice of recording and tracking goods in defined production or receipt groups, each assigned unique identifiers…
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Bee Colony
A bee colony is the social unit of honey bees inhabiting one hive, comprising a queen, tens of thousands of…
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Bee Feeding
Bee feeding is the practice of supplying colonies with sugar syrup or fondant when natural forage is insufficient, preventing starvation…
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Bee Forage
Bee forage is the collective range of nectar- and pollen-bearing plants available to colonies within foraging distance of an apiary,…
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Bee Pollen Collection
Bee pollen collection is the apiary practice of fitting entrance traps to hives so that pollen pellets are stripped from…
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Bee Swarming
Bee swarming is the natural process by which a honey bee colony divides, with the original queen departing with a…
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Beehive
A beehive is the manufactured structure housing a bee colony, most commonly a movable-frame design such as the Langstroth or…
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Beetroot Powder
Beetroot powder is a dehydrated, milled ingredient produced from raw or cooked beetroot, used as a natural colourant and flavour…
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Beetroot Processing
Beetroot processing is the sequence of washing, cooking, peeling and cutting operations that converts raw beetroot into trade formats such…
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Belt Freezing
Belt freezing is a continuous IQF method in which product travels on a mesh conveyor belt through an insulated tunnel…
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Best Before Date
Best before date is the date until which a prepacked food retains its specific sensory, nutritional and microbiological properties when…
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Bill of Lading
A bill of lading is a document issued by a sea carrier that confirms receipt of cargo, evidences the contract…
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Biodiversity
Biodiversity is the variety of living organisms within an ecosystem, including plants, animals and microorganisms, and its preservation is increasingly…
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Bioeconomy
Bioeconomy is an economic model based on renewable biological resources, including food production and the conversion of agricultural biomass and…
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Blanching
Blanching process is a brief heat treatment in hot water or steam applied to vegetables and some fruits before freezing…
