Archive
Quality Control
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Does exported grain need to be fumigated?
Not always, but usually. Fumigation is not a blanket legal requirement for grain entering the European Union; it is a risk-management measure…
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How do you read a grain quality certificate?
Start at the bottom of the page rather than the top. The results matter less than who took the sample, how, and…
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How do you verify honey authenticity?
You verify it with a coherent file of several tests, not with one certificate, because no single method covers every kind of…
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Grain and Oilseed Export from Ukraine: Documentation and Certificates
The full documentary chain for a Ukrainian grain or oilseed consignment into the EU: phytosanitary certificate, fumigation record, quality and weight certificates,…
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How long should vegetables be blanched before freezing?
There is no single correct time. Blanch duration in water at 90 to 100 degrees Celsius runs from roughly 30 seconds for…
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How are frozen vegetables graded?
Frozen vegetables are graded on four axes at once: size or calibre, defect count, colour and uniformity, and the proportion of extraneous…
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How is the best before date set for frozen vegetables?
The food business operator sets it, and must be able to justify it. Regulation (EU) No 1169/2011 requires a date of minimum…
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What are the most common defects in frozen vegetables?
The defects that generate real claims fall into three groups by cause: field and variety defects, process defects, and cold chain defects.…
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Sourcing Frozen Vegetables from Ukraine: Crop Calendar, Plant Types and Supplier Due Diligence
A practical sourcing guide for Ukrainian frozen vegetables: the harvest and campaign calendar by crop, the difference between IQF, block, dicing and…
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FSSC 22000 vs ISO 22000: Why One Is Accepted by Retailers and the Other Is Not
ISO 22000 is a management system standard; FSSC 22000 is a certification scheme built on ISO 22000 plus a sector prerequisite specification…