NATIONAL STANDARD
DEFINITIONS AND TECHNICAL CRITERIA FOR FOODS AND FOOD INGREDIENTS SUITABLE FOR VEGETARIANS OR VEGANS AND FOR LABELLING AND CLAIMS
Foreword
TCVN 13625:2023 corresponds to ISO 23662:2021;
TCVN 13625:2023 is developed by the National Technical Committee TCVN/TC/F3 General principles of food hygiene, appraised by the Directorate for Standards, Metrology and Quality and promulgated by the Ministry of Science and Technology.
Introduction
The purpose of this document is to provide the technical criteria for foods and food ingredients suitable for vegetarians [including vegetarians who consume eggs and milk (ovo-lacto-vegetarians), vegetarians who consume eggs (ovo-vegetarians) and vegetarians who consume milk (lacto-vegetarians)] or vegans for use by the food and beverage industry at a global level, as well as technical criteria for food labelling and claims.
The document specifies technical criteria to all food and beverage companies, applicable to all organizations, regardless of size or complexity. This document is intended for use in business-to-business communications, relationships in the global food supply chain, the international trade of food products, and food labelling and claims.
Conformity to this document helps to ensure a level-playing field and fair practices in business-to-business relationships, international trade, and food labelling and claims.
NOTE Legally required information, food labelling or claims, or other applicable legal requirements can apply.
DEFINITIONS AND TECHNICAL CRITERIA FOR FOODS AND FOOD INGREDIENTS SUITABLE FOR VEGETARIANS OR VEGANS AND FOR LABELLING AND CLAIMS
1 Scope
The document specifies the definitions and technical criteria to be fulfilled for foods and food ingredients to be suitable for vegetarians (including ovo-lacto-, ovo- and lacto-vegetarians) or vegans as well as for food labelling and claims.
It is applicable to business-to-business communication (B2B), to the food trade, and to food labelling and claims. The definitions and technical criteria apply only post-harvest/collecting.
It does not apply to human safety, environmental safety, socio-economic considerations (e.g. fair trade, animal welfare), religious beliefs and the characteristics of packaging materials.
2 Normative references
There are no normative references in this document.
3 Terms and definitions
For the purposes of this document, the following terms and definitions apply.
3.1.
animal
Any being belonging to the taxonomic classification, that is all vertebrates and all multi-cellular invertebrates
3.2
carrier
Substances used to dissolve, dilute, disperse or otherwise physically modify a food additive (3.5) or a flavouring, food enzyme, nutrient and/or other substance added for nutritional or physiological purposes to a food (3.4) without altering its function (and without exerting any technological effect themselves) in order to facilitate its handling, application or use
[SOURCE: EU Regulation 1333/2008 [5]]
3.3
claim
Any representation which states, suggests or implies that a food (3.4) has particular characteristics relating to its origin, nutritional properties, nature, production, processing, composition or any other quality
[SOURCE: CODEX CXG 1‑1979 [3]]
3.4
food
Any substance, whether processed, semi-processed or raw, which is intended for human consumption, and includes drinks, chewing gum and any substance which has been used in the manufacture, preparation or treatment of “food” but does not include cosmetics, tobacco or substances used only as drugs
[SOURCE: TCVN 7087:2013 (CODEX STAN 1-1985, with Amendment 2010) [3]]
3.5
food additive
Any substance not normally consumed as a food (3.4) by itself and not normally used as a typical ingredient (3.7) of the food, whether or not it has nutritive value, the intentional addition of which to foods for a technological (including organoleptic) purpose in the manufacture, processing, preparation, treatment, packing, packaging, transport or holding of such foods results, may be reasonably expected to result (directly or indirectly) in it or its by-products becoming a component of or otherwise affecting the characteristics of such foods.
NOTE 1: The term does not include contaminants or substances added to foods for maintaining or improving nutritional qualities.
[SOURCE: TCVN 7087:2013 (CODEX STAN 1-1985, with Amendment 2010) [3]]
3.6
food business operator
FBO
Organization or individual responsible for ensuring that the requirements of food law are met within the food business under their control
[SOURCE: EU Regulation 178/2002 [4]]
3.7
ingredient
Substance, including a food additive (3.5), used in the manufacture or preparation of a food (3.4) and present in the final product although possibly in a modified form
[SOURCE: TCVN 7087:2013 (CODEX STAN 1-1985, with Amendment 2010) [3]]
3.8
label
Tag, brand, mark, pictorial or other descriptive matter, written, printed, stencilled, marked, embossed or impressed on, or attached to, a container of food (3.4)
[SOURCE: TCVN 7087:2013 (CODEX STAN 1-1985, with Amendment 2010) [3]]
3.9
labelling
Written, printed or graphic matter that is present on the label (3.8), accompanies the food (3.4) or is displayed near the food, including that for the purpose of promoting its sale or disposal
[SOURCE: TCVN 7087:2013 (CODEX STAN 1-1985, with Amendment 2010) [3]]
3.10
processing aid
Any substance or material, not including apparatus or utensils, and not consumed as a food ingredient by itself, intentionally used in the processing of raw materials, foods (3.4) or its ingredients (3.7), to fulfil a certain technological purpose during treatment or processing, and which may result in the nonintentional but unavoidable presence of residues or derivatives in the final product.
[SOURCE: TCVN 7087:2013 (CODEX STAN 1-1985, with Amendment 2010) [3]]
4 Technical criteria for foods and food ingredients suitable for vegetarians and vegans
4.1 General
Foods and food ingredients shall be considered suitable for vegetarians (including ovo-lacto-, ovo- and lacto-vegetarians) or vegans provided the technical criteria given in 4.2 to 4.5 are fulfilled.
4.2 Foods and food ingredients suitable for ovo-lacto-vegetarians
These are foods and food ingredients (including additives, flavourings, enzymes and carriers) or processing aids that are not products of animal origin and in which, at no stage of production and processing, use has been made of food ingredients (including additives, flavourings, enzymes and carriers) or processing aids that are of animal origin, except for the following and/or their components or derivatives:
- milk or dairy products or colostrum;
- eggs or egg products obtained from living animals;
- honey or bee products (e.g. beeswax, propolis);
- products derived from the wool of living animals (e.g. lanolin).
In the case of compound food ingredients, each food ingredient shall meet the technical criteria of this document to be suitable for ovo-lacto-vegetarians.
To avoid the unintended presence of non-ovo-lacto-vegetarian substances, all stages of production, processing and distribution shall be designed to take the appropriate precautions in conformity with good manufacturing practices (GMPs).
If the same production line is shared with non-ovo-lacto-vegetarian products/ingredients, thorough cleaning or comparable measures in conformity with GMPs shall be carried out before starting the production of ovo-lacto-vegetarian products. This extends to all associated machinery, equipment, utensils and surfaces. Appropriate precautions in conformity with GMPs shall be taken before ovo-lacto-vegetarian products are prepared, produced or packaged.
Food business operators (FBOs), companies working on their behalf or companies over which the FBO has effective control shall not have carried out tests of any kind on animals for the final product available to the consumer bearing an ovo-lacto-vegetarian claim.
However, for single ingredient foods and individual ingredients including processing aids, FBOs, companies working on their behalf or companies over which the FBO has effective control shall not have carried out tests of any kind on animals, except when required by public authorities’ regulatory procedures.
4.3 Foods and food ingredients suitable for ovo-vegetarians
These are foods and food ingredients (including additives, flavourings, enzymes and carriers) or processing aids that are not products of animal origin and in which, at no stage of production and processing, use has been made of food ingredients (including additives, flavourings, enzymes and carriers) or processing aids that are of animal origin, except for the following and/or their components or derivatives:
- eggs or egg products obtained from living animals;
- honey or bee products (e.g. beeswax, propolis);
- products derived from the wool of living animals (e.g. lanolin).
In the case of compound food ingredients, each food ingredient shall meet the technical criteria of this document to be suitable for ovo-vegetarians.
To avoid the unintended presence of non-ovo-vegetarian substances, all stages of production, processing and distribution shall be designed to take the appropriate precautions in conformity with GMPs.
If the same production line is shared with non-ovo-vegetarian products/ingredients, thorough cleaning or comparable measures in conformity with GMPs shall be carried out before starting the production of ovo-vegetarian products. This extends to all associated machinery, equipment, utensils and surfaces. Appropriate precautions in conformity with GMPs shall be taken before ovo-vegetarian products are prepared, produced or packaged.
FBOs, companies working on their behalf or companies over which the FBO has effective control shall not have carried out tests of any kind on animals for the final product available to the consumer bearing an ovo-vegetarian claim.
However, for single ingredient foods and individual ingredients including processing aids, FBOs, companies working on their behalf or companies over which the FBO has effective control shall not have carried out tests of any kind on animals, except when required by public authorities’ regulatory procedures.
4.4 Foods and food ingredients suitable for lacto-vegetarians
These are foods and food ingredients (including additives, flavourings, enzymes and carriers) or processing aids that are not products of animal origin and in which, at no stage of production and processing, use has been made of food ingredients (including additives, flavourings, enzymes and carriers) or processing aids that are of animal origin, except for the following and/or their components or derivatives:
- milk or dairy products or colostrum;
- honey or bee products (e.g. beeswax, propolis);
- products derived from the wool of living animals (e.g. lanolin).
In the case of compound food ingredients, each food ingredient shall meet the technical criteria of this document to be suitable for lacto-vegetarians.
To avoid the unintended presence of non-lacto-vegetarian substances, all stages of production, processing and distribution shall be designed to take the appropriate precautions in conformity with GMPs.
If the same production line is shared with non-lacto-vegetarian products/ingredients, thorough cleaning or comparable measures in conformity with GMPs shall be carried out before starting the production of lacto-vegetarian products. This extends to all associated machinery, equipment, utensils and surfaces. Appropriate precautions in conformity with GMPs shall be taken before lacto-vegetarian products are prepared, produced or packaged.
FBOs, companies working on their behalf or companies over which the FBO has effective control shall not have carried out tests of any kind on animals for the final product available to the consumer bearing a lacto-vegetarian claim.
However, for single ingredient foods and individual ingredients including processing aids, FBOs, companies working on their behalf or companies over which the FBO has effective control shall not have carried out tests of any kind on animals, except when required by public authorities’ regulatory procedures.
4.5 Foods and food ingredients suitable for vegans
These are foods and food ingredients (including additives, flavourings, enzymes and carriers) or processing aids that are not products of animal origin and in which, at no stage of production and processing, use has been made of food ingredients (including additives, flavourings, enzymes and carriers) or processing aids that are of animal origin.
In the case of compound food ingredients, each food ingredient shall meet the technical criteria of this document to be suitable for vegans.
To avoid the unintended presence of non-vegan substances, all stages of production, processing and distribution shall be designed to take the appropriate precautions in conformity with GMPs.
If the same production line is shared with non-vegan products/ingredients, thorough cleaning or comparable measures in conformity with GMPs shall be carried out before starting the production of vegan products. This extends to all associated machinery, equipment, utensils and surfaces. Appropriate precautions in conformity with GMPs shall be taken before vegan products are prepared, produced or packaged.
FBOs, companies working on their behalf or companies over which the FBO has effective control shall not have carried out tests of any kind on animals for the final product available to the consumer bearing a vegan claim.
However, for single ingredient foods and individual ingredients including processing aids, FBOs, companies working on their behalf or companies over which the FBO has effective control shall not have carried out tests of any kind on animals, except when required by public authorities’ regulatory procedures.
5 Labelling and claims
Prepackaged food shall not be described or presented on any label or in any labelling in a manner that is false, misleading or deceptive or is likely to create an erroneous impression regarding its character in any respect [2],[3].
If the food and/or food ingredients (including additives, flavourings, enzymes and carriers) or processing aids are labeled as "vegetarian product", "vegan product", "suitable for vegetarians (including ovo-lacto-, ovo- and lacto-vegetarians)”, or “suitable for vegans”, or any other similar words, they must meet the technical criteria given in 4.
The unintended presence of non-vegetarian or non-vegan substances should not be an obstacle to labelling a product as vegetarian (including ovo-lacto-, ovo- and lacto-vegetarians) or vegan, provided that appropriate precautions in conformity with GMPs have been taken. The allergen cross-contact claims applicable to non-vegetarian and non-vegan ingredients should not be an obstacle to claiming a product as vegetarian (including ovo-lacto-, ovo- and lacto-vegetarians) or vegan.
The terms “vegetarians” (including ovo-lacto-, ovo- and lacto-vegetarians)” or “vegans” or any other similar terms must be indicated in the same field of vision as the trade name of the product.
Bibliography
[1] Codex Alimentarius. Codex Alimentarius Commission Procedural Manual. 27th Edition. Joint FAO/ WHO Food Standards Programme. FAO, Rome, Italy, 2019
[2] CODEX CXG 1-1979, General Guidelines on Claims
[3] TCVN 7087:2013 (CODEX STAN 1-1985, with Amendment 2010), Labelling of Prepackaged Foods
[4] Regulation (EC] No 178/2002 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 28 January 2002 laying down the general principles and requirements of food law, establishing the European Food Safety Authority and laying down procedures in matters of food safety. Official Journal L. 31,1.2.2002, p.1-24
[5] Regulation [EC] No 1333/2008 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 16 December 2008 on food additives. Official Journal L. 354, 31.12.2008, p. 16-33.