Glossary
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Hygroscopicity
Hygroscopicity is the tendency of a product to absorb moisture from the surrounding air. Dried fruit, powders, sugars and honey…
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Ice Crystal Size
Ice crystal size is a key determinant of frozen food quality. Fast freezing creates many small crystals that do little…
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ICP-MS Analysis
ICP-MS, inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry, measures trace elements and heavy metals such as lead, cadmium, arsenic and mercury at…
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Identity Check
An identity check verifies that the consignment matches its documentation, including seals, markings, lot numbers and the nature and quantity…
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IFS Food
IFS Food is a GFSI-benchmarked standard for auditing food manufacturers and private-label packers, widely required by retailers in Germany, France…
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Import Duty
Import duty is the customs charge levied on goods entering the EU, calculated as a percentage of customs value or…
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Incoming Goods Inspection
Incoming goods inspection is the verification of raw materials or delivered goods against specification at receipt: checking documents, temperatures, packaging…
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Incoterms 2020
Incoterms are the eleven standardised trade terms published by the International Chamber of Commerce (current edition: Incoterms 2020) that define…
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Ingredients List
The ingredients list enumerates all ingredients of a food in descending order of weight as recorded at the time of…
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Inspection Belt
An inspection belt is a moving conveyor where trained operators manually remove defective fruit, foreign matter and plant debris. Belt…
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Integrated Pest Management
Integrated pest management combines monitoring, biological control, cultural practices and targeted chemical treatment to keep pests below damaging thresholds. It…
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Intermodal Transport
Intermodal transport moves cargo in the same loading unit, typically a container, across road, rail and sea without handling the…
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Inventory Management
Inventory management plans and controls stock levels so that customer demand is met without excessive capital tied up in goods.…
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Inventory Turnover
Inventory turnover measures how many times stock is sold and replaced over a period. High turnover indicates efficient stock movement,…
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IQF (Individual Quick Freezing)
IQF, or Individual Quick Freezing, is a freezing method in which individual pieces of fruit, berries or vegetables are frozen…
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Irradiation
Food irradiation treats product with ionising radiation to reduce microorganisms and pests. In the EU it is authorised only for…
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ISO 14001
ISO 14001 is the international standard for environmental management systems. It requires organisations to identify and control their environmental impact,…
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ISO 22000
ISO 22000 is the international food-safety management standard combining HACCP principles with prerequisite programmes and management-system requirements. The current edition…
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ISO 9001
ISO 9001 is the international standard for quality management systems, applicable to any organisation. It focuses on consistent processes, customer…
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Juice Clarification
Juice clarification removes suspended solids, pectin and haze-forming compounds to produce a clear, stable juice. It typically combines enzymatic depectinisation,…
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Juice Concentrate
Juice concentrate is produced by evaporating water from juice, typically to 65–70 °Bx for fruit juices. It reduces transport and…
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Juice Pasteurization
Juice pasteurization heats juice to a defined temperature and time sufficient to inactivate spoilage microorganisms and enzymes while limiting flavour…
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Juice Yield
Juice yield is the volume or mass of juice obtained from a given quantity of raw fruit, expressed as a…
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Julienne Cut
Julienne is a thin strip cut, typically around 3 by 3 millimetres in cross-section, used for carrots, celery, peppers and…
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Kernel Sorting
Kernel sorting separates shelled nut kernels by size, colour and integrity, removing shell fragments, discoloured and damaged pieces. It combines…
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Kjeldahl Method
The Kjeldahl method determines protein content by digesting a sample with acid, distilling the released ammonia and titrating it, then…
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Kosher Certification
Kosher certification confirms that a product complies with Jewish dietary law under the supervision of a recognised rabbinical authority. For…
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LC-MS/MS Analysis
LC-MS/MS couples liquid chromatography with tandem mass spectrometry and is the workhorse for non-volatile and thermolabile analytes. It is used…
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Lead Time
Lead time is the period between placing an order and receiving the goods. In frozen fruit and honey trade it…
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Lectins
Lectins are carbohydrate-binding proteins present in raw legumes that can cause digestive upset or toxicity if consumed in active form,…
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Legal Name
The legal name is the name laid down in Union or national provisions for a food, such as the reserved…
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Less than Truck Load
Less than truck load describes shipments too small to fill a trailer, which are consolidated with other cargo. For temperature-controlled…
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Letter of Credit
A letter of credit (L/C) is a payment instrument in which the buyer’s bank undertakes to pay the seller upon…
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Letter of Intent
A letter of intent records the parties’ preliminary understanding of a planned transaction before the definitive contract is signed. It…
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Life Cycle Assessment
Life cycle assessment is a structured method for evaluating the environmental impacts of a product from raw material production through…
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Liquidated Damages
Liquidated damages are a pre-agreed sum payable on breach, commonly for late delivery, calculated per day or per week of…
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Listeria monocytogenes
Listeria monocytogenes is a pathogenic bacterium that can grow at refrigeration temperatures and is a key risk for ready-to-eat chilled…
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Lot Marking
Lot marking identifies the batch to which a prepacked food belongs, preceded by the letter L unless otherwise distinguished, as…
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LTL (Less than Truck Load)
LTL, or Less than Truck Load, describes a shipment that does not fill a full truck or container and therefore…