Danish rules for marketing organic products in large-scale kitchens 

The Danish food authorities have prepared rules for marketing of organic food products in large-scale kitchens, restaurants, cafés, hospitals, schools and larger businesses. The rules entered into force on 1st January 2009, the same day as large-scale kitchens were exempted from the EU regulations.

The rules ensure consumers relevant and easily understood information about the involvement of the large-scale kitchens with organic produce. At the same time they support the work of the large-scale kitchens in using more organic raw produce.

In terms of control requirements, the large-scale kitchens have only a minimum of paperwork, however without compromising the authorities’ possibility of conducting an effective control.

According to the new rules, the large-scale kitchens can use one of three ”organic labels” that show how large the amount of raw materials used are organic. The share is measured by cost (in kroner) or by weight (kilos) and is given in percentage intervals – 30-60%, 60-90% or 90-100%.

Large-scale kitchens with the 90-100% label will in addition be allowed to call themselves organic – e.g. ”organic restaurant”. Before they are registered as users of one of these labels, the large-scale kitchens must send a summary showing that their organic share of the raw materials used over the previous three months has been within the relevant percentage interval. The kitchen is then registered as user of the relevant label and the authorities subsequently carry out inspections in order to ensure that the conditions for using the label are complied with.

The new labels are coloured bronze, silver and gold, with the following appearance:

Apart from these labels, the large-scale kitchens can claim their use of certain organic raw produce – e.g. ”This kitchen uses only organic potatoes and carrots”. Such claims assume hat the large-scale kitchen exclusivelyuses the organic products mentioned in the claim. In addition, they can say that certain dishes are organic – e.g. ”organic spinach lasagne”. Such claims assume that the kitchen exclusively uses raw products as ingredients for the dish in their organic form.

Source: Danish Ministry of Food, Agriculture and Fisheries www.fvm.dk