GREAT ICE CREAM WRITTEN IN THE LABEL

Our craft products are born from an art combining the skill of master ice-cream makers, continuous research and a tradition cultivated and handed down from generation to generation. Communicating how we work, the choices we makes and the procedures we follow that lead to making quality ice-cream and pastries is essential in our sector.

In the last decade in particular, the awareness and knowledge of consumers regarding exactly what they eat and the range of foods available to purchase have increased significantly. Information available to all non-experts is communicated through an instrument that has undergone significant changes during its evolution, becoming ever more exhaustive and full of interesting data: the product label.

A food label has the task of telling the story of the product from its beginnings on. In reading it, in addition to the product name, we can identify its ingredients and relevant quantities, any allergens, nutritional values, storage and use information, provenance, expiry date, and more. It is therefore much like an identity card.

 

Food labelling is currently regulated at a European level by the provisions of EU Regulation 1169/2011, which has simplified and superseded many previous laws and regulations. Francesca Trainotti, from our quality office, explains the evolution of the process leading to this new legislative achievement, “Before there were many national laws relating to specific categories or themes. The current regulation standardizes legislation across the European Community with the objective of protecting the final consumer. Galatea has always been committed to fully complying with the legislation by adapting our recipes accordingly”.

The label is the perfect ally of the purchaser, but also of the producer, by stating all the characteristics of the product, without leaving any room for doubt. Its fundamental purpose is to provide information clearly and exhaustively, facilitating a totally informed and safe purchase. At Galatea, from the very beginning, we have actively supported and promoted transparency in everything we do, even way before the guidelines and mandatory regulations were introduced and became as detailed as they are today. We consider it a simple act of honesty towards those who choose to place their trust in us and a clear statement of the fact that there is absolutely nothing to hide in what we do. For this reason, in 2006, we were one of the very first to adopt ‘clean labels’, making all useful data easily understandable and eliminating the use of ambiguous terms.

A readable label facilitates the choice of the right food for the well-being of the consumer. It also helps master ice-cream and pastry makers create a relationship of trust with the consumer and maintain perfect regulatory compliance. In order to promote labelling best practices and knowledge, Galatea has made a series of courses available to all food sector operators, in order to analyze the current legislation and learn all the necessary tools for mastering its full practical application.