WP5: Synthesis

Task 5.1 Organic regulations

Influence of the organic regulations on porduct sensory quality

In the Ecropolis project an analysis was made in which way the requirements of regulations and private standards for organic food and farming have on the sensory product quality.
The focus was on the most significant identified main differences in regulations and standards:
- the use or non-use of ingredients in particular with flavour and colour compounds;
- the use or non-use of specific thickeners in particular for milk-products and vegetable/fruit products;
- the use or non- use of nitrate/nitrites in meat products;
- the use or non-use of natural flavours (e.g. for yoghurts, juices or bakery products);
- the use of organic yeast (mainly for bakery products);
- the exclusion of some processing methods like high-temperature processing of oils or of milk
The analysis was made for natural and strawberry yoghurts, sunflower oil, cookies, salami, tomato sauce and apples.
The outcome of this work was a number of factor-matrices for different product groups investigated in the project that relates the influence of the different international and national organic standards on the sensory quality of the foodstuff.
Generally the analysis showed that on the level of the EU regulation/ governmental regulation of Switzerland for organic production, generally no regulatory impact through the EU regulation on sensory properties of yoghurt was detectable in any participating country.

Franziska Espig et al, July 2011

deliverable 5.1 organic regulations.pdf


Task 5.2 Consumer needs

Report with edited sensory date and linkage to consumer needs and acceptance - impact of regulations and standards
(for integration in OSIS)

As this report contains the background materials for Deliverable 5.1 as well as for Deliverable 5.4 the conclusions are kept short.
Generally the analysis showed that on the level of the EU regulation/ governmental regulation of Switzerland for organic production, generally no regulatory impact through the EU regulation on sensory properties for most of the product groups was detectable in the participating countries (CH, DE, FR, IT, NL, PL).
Some requirements, which are regulated in private standards, revealed a clear impact on sensory properties. 
The comparison of the sensory analysis with consumer testing with branded and not branded samples showed that there was in some countries and for some product groups sometimes a positive influence of the organic logo/indication on the preference of consumers.

Franziska Espig et al, July 2011

deliverable 5.2 consumer needs

Task 5.3 Improvement Potential

Report on improvement potential for optimized sensory quality of organic food to meet consumer expectations

In this report the possibilities of product improvement based on the results from the previous analysis are shown. There are different ways to approach product improvement potential. In this project the challenge was to juggle six countries and six different product categories. To show the SMEs and SME-AGs what kind of analysis can be done out of the data, Correlations, Flow Charts, Penalty Analysis, Internal Preference Mapping and External Preference Mapping were used to identify the product improvement potential. Due to the fact that the raw data is coming from WP3 the same restrictions that were mentioned in D 3.1 hold good for this report.

Annette Bongartz, Kirsten Buchecker et al., July 2011

deliverable 5.3 improvement potential.pdf

Task 5.4 Recommendations for a research agenda

Report on the recommendations for a research agenda and strategic options for sensory quality communication for different target groups

This report outlines strategic options for sensory quality communication and product development policies for different target groups. It provides recommendations for a research agenda for sensory quality product development and marketing.
One of the key findings in the Ecropolis Project was that there is still a high  potential to develop further the sensory quality of different organic products.
There are two areas, where strategic options can be developed:
a) The product development;
b) The sensory quality communication strategies.
From a commercial point of view, integration of the range of sensory quality attributes in the product development and marketing shows a high potential in the market place. It will improve the added value of the organic products. The research and development ideas outlined in this report could provide the basis for achieving this in a much better way.

Otto Schmid, October 2011

Deliverable 5.4. Recommendations research-agenda.pdf


Task 5.5 Synthesis technical implementation OSIS

Synthesis of technical implementation of OSIS results to be used in training

The project data folder OSIS collects all the sensory data generated by the six sensory laboratories participating in the project Ecropolis with the chosen products (WP3). OSIS contains also the information of the consumer tests conducted with these products in the six partner countries CH, DE, FR, IT, NL and PL. Furthermore the results of the production method analysis of the tested products that explains the sensory differences between organic and conventional production (WP1 and WP5) and the information about the influence (on sensory properties of food) of the EU legislation and private standards of organic growers associations that define permitted ingredients and processing methods. are another important part of the OSIS data. 

Lukas Baumgart, Frank Wörner, December 2011

Deliverable 5.5 Synthesis technical implementation OSIS


For more information about this work package, click here