Rice and pasta: mandatory indication of origin on the label

(Source: Finlogic, Labeling and Barcode Solutions)

The decrees (signed by the Ministers Maurizio Martina and Carlo Calenda in the past legislature) are now fully in force and include the obligation to indicate the origin of the raw material on the label for rice and pasta. In the wake of what has already happened for milk and derivatives, the experimentation is scheduled for two years.
The obligation to expressly indicate on the pasta and rice packaging the place of cultivation has a dual purpose: to aim for the maximum transparency of the information on the label to the citizens and protect Italian products, in order to enhance and protect the work of national producers. The Italian initiative in the name of transparency is involving the whole supply chain also in Europe: after 4 years the EU Commission has in fact presented a first draft regulation implementing the regulation on labeling.
A step forward that needs to be improved, starting with the mandatory and non-optional indication of the origin of raw materials.

How the labels change
The indications on the origin must be placed on the label in an evident point and in the same field of vision so as to be easily recognizable, clearly legible and indelible.

Wheat/pasta. The decree lays down that dry pasta packs produced in Italy must indicate the following on the label:
a) Country of cultivation of wheat (name of the country where the wheat is grown);
b) Country of milling (name of the country where the wheat is ground).
If these phases take place in the territory of several countries, the following indications may be used, depending on the origin: EU countries, NON-EU countries, EU and NON-EU countries;
c) if the wheat is cultivated for at least for 50% in a single country, such as Italy, the words “Italy and other EU and/or non-EU countries” may be used.

Rice. The provision states that the following must be indicated on the rice label:
a) “Country of rice cultivation”;
b) “Country of processing”;
c) “Country of packaging”.
If the three phases take place in the same country the wording “Origin of rice: Italy” can be used.
For rice as well, if these phases take place
in the territory of several countries, the following indications can be used, depending on the origin: EU countries, NON-EU countries, EU and NON-EU countries.

Food consumption in Italy: nutritionally correct

Italians’ ethical and balanced food spending emphasizes health. A brief summary of information gleaned from the second “Osservatorio Immagino” survey, conducted jointly by GS1 Italy and Nielsen.

The second edition of the Nielsen/GS1 Italy “Osservatorio Immagino” survey once again takes a snapshot of trends in the offer of consumer products sold in Italy as well as consumers’ shopping lists, identifying emergent trends and phenomena in the Italian mass market. In particular, the study observed changes in the nutritional profile of 40,000 products sold in pharmacy food, fresh, cold and beverage areas. Using these statistics, the researchers were able to define a meta-product (Figure 1), a “nutritional super-sandwich” illustrating average nutritional values. According to Immagino, Italians are buying more fiber (+2.3% in the year ending in June 2017), reaching 2% of the meta-product. The remainder is divided among 20.8% carbs (8.5% of which sugar), 8.6% fats (30% saturated fat) and 6.2% protein (the focus of a broad target of consumers, including athletes, and vegetarians/vegans seeking alternatives to animal proteins).

Informing and knowing. In a socio-economic scenario undergoing profound and rapid changes, highlighting the changing nutritional profile of Italians’ purchases means clarifying how we react to the stimuli of new lifestyles and food consumption habits. It also makes it possible to understand what the most advanced market paradigms are in order to respond to them with products developed ad hoc. «Only six months have passed since the first survey, but interest in nutritional information has continued to rise, and with it the pace with which new consumption trends and phenomena are emerging. Which of these will have a lasting effect? Which bubbles will burst? Osservatorio Immagino – explains Marco Cuppini, research and communication director GS1 Italy – has proven to be a useful tool for finding answers to these questions, but also for posing new questions.
The thousands of products surveyed by Immagino, in-store data scanners, families’ purchases and media use make it possible to perform big data analysis, which has less to do with quantity than with the potential of providing timely and useful information for businesses to innovate and take concrete action. In an age in which time passes more quickly than ever before, that’s no small matter».

Ideas to be glued

The Venetian web-printer Pixartprinting offers quality stickers and labels online, offering new decorations & finishings and a broader range of original materials and special papers, thanks to its constant investment in systems and equipment. The print and finishing solutions are hence guaranteed by a HP Indigo WS6800 system (which allows one to obtain accurate and bright colors of great visual impact) and by Smag Galaxie III, a modular digital finish unit for protective UV varnishing, diecutting and preparation of the product on roll, efficient for small runs.

The new ad hoc solutions for the wine industry are at an advanced stage of development: special papers and quality finishes for labels compatible with small-to-medium wine producers’ application technology, respecting the high production rates required.
As well as the excellent hexachrome printing (CMYK + orange and green), the roll format (33cm; 16,5cm; 11cm and 5,5cm) and a reliable delivery service, constitute the strongpoints of Pixartprinting’s label offer.

Unique codes for unique packagings

Amon codes, created by AmonCode, are unique and encrypted to guarantee maximum security and product control. They are similar to classic QR codes but more dynamic, featuring a secret ID key that makes them impossible to reproduce. This makes the code an extension of the product information label on which it is printed. When scanned using any QR code smartphone app, the code redirects to a dedicated webpage with multilingual information, registration forms, client account logins and much more.

Amon codes can be printed on flexible, rigid, corrugated and polylaminate materials. They are recommended for use with laser, inkjet and digital printing technologies.
AmonCode technology has been adopted by flexible packaging leader Sacchital, which has used it to valorize its packaging solutions, transforming every single packaging into an advanced and traceable unit, creating a powerful tool that can be adapted to any marketing strategy.

Messages in a tin (with a surprise)

Reveal Impact is the most recent result of the research of the Ardagh group into thermochromic inks for printing on aluminium cans.
The new solution for aluminium cans uses two different thermochromic inks, which both boast the same colour when cooled down. However, once the can gets warmer again, one colour disappears quicker than the other, revealing a hidden message: the surprise of the consumer is assured.

Reveal Impact does not therefore only serve to indicate the ideal temperature for drinking a beverage, but effectively supports targeted marketing, thanks to the ability to communicate personalized messages that make the drinking  experience unique and mysterious.

Organic for all

Energade BIO, San Benedetto Organic Bio, Thè Verde BIO with ginger and Goji berry infusion and San Benedetto Baby Bio are the new additions to San Benedetto’s offer of organic beverages. Carefully selected raw materials and strict protocols throughout the supply chain guarantee the attention to quality in these products, which are offered in practical formats.

The_Verde_Bio-min-PICCOLAIn particular, Energade BIO represents an unprecedented novelty in the world of sport drinks. With no artificial coloring or preservatives, it is available in a practical 0.5 l format in the flavors lemon-lime with aloe and red berries with goji berry. The range’s packaging has been restyled in order to convey greater dynamicity and highlight one of the advantages of the product, namely that these are natural mineral water products that refresh while also restoring the minerals one’s body loses during any physical activity.

As for the ice teas, San Benedetto has added to the slim personal 0.4 l bottle a new 0.65 l family format.

Finally, the packaging for San Benedetto Baby Bio (an organic line for children featuring 30% fruit pulp) offers fun new graphics. The little blue protagonists of the Sony Pictures film “Smurfs: The Lost Village” smile at the young user from 0.25 l bottles, a strong message for small children, who will delight themselves with the pull & push closure as they drink.