European Union Quality Research Articles

The Role of Promoting Agricultural and Food Products Certified with European Union Quality Schemes.

This study delves into the effectiveness of digital marketing strategies in promoting local agricultural and food products in Romania, certified with European Union quality schemes. By examining consumer profiles, preferences, and their awareness of EU quality labels, the research uncovers the motivations driving purchasing decisions and the influence of digital marketing on these choices. Utilizing quantitative methods, including a comprehensive survey across 903 respondents, the study identifies four distinct consumer segments: Eco-Advocates, Les Connaisseurs, Price-Sensitives, and Traditionalists. These segments exhibit unique behaviors and attitudes toward certified products. The research highlights the potential of digital marketing to significantly alter consumer behavior toward EU-certified products, underscoring the importance of tailored communication strategies. It contributes to the understanding of consumer segmentation in the context of European Union quality schemes, providing valuable insights for policymakers, marketers, and producers. The findings advocate for enhanced digital marketing efforts to increase awareness and appreciation of these certified products, thereby supporting the broader objectives of quality and certification in the European agricultural and food product sector.

The reform of EU geographical indications: A look at the newly approved Regulation

<abstract> <p>The European Union's quality policy is an example of a public policy that attempts to deliver public benefits to the entire European society. It's a crucial pillar of the Farm to Fork strategy for the transition to a sustainable European food system. The European Commission presented on March 2022 a legislative proposal on EU geographical indications for wine, spirits, and agricultural products (including PDO, PGI and GI), as well as traditional specialities guaranteed and optional quality terms for agricultural products, amending Regulations (EU) No 1308/2013, 2017/1001, and 2019/787 and repealing Regulation (EU) No 1151/2012 and was approved in April 2024. It aims to increase the dissemination of geographical indications and traditional specialities guaranteed, reduce the time required for their registration and strengthen their protection.</p> </abstract>

Presence of Certain Foodborne Pathogens in Traditional Balearic Islands' Meat, Pastry, and Cheese Specialties Supported by European Union Quality Schemes, from 2018 to 2021.

The cuisine of the Balearic Islands (Spain, southern Europe) has several products of a great tradition, recognized worldwide and covered by European Union quality schemes, such as Protected Designation of Origin (PDO) and Protected Geographical Indication (PGI). Among them, the most emblematic products are sobrasada de Mallorca (a type of raw curated pork meat), ensaimada de Mallorca (pastry product), and Mahón-Menorca cheese (cow's milk cheese). During 4 consecutive years (2018-2021), the presence/absence of Escherichia coli β-glucuronidase positive (henceforth as E. coli), Listeria monocytogenes, Salmonella spp., and Staphylococcus aureus in these products has been monitored, as well as the total yeast and mold count in ensaimada de Mallorca. The results of the microbiological analysis showed that sobrasada presented similar microbiological patterns to those of other raw curated meat products (some presence of E. coli and L. monocytogenes). Furthermore, the sobrasada de Mallorca made with white pork tended to be positive in E. coli compared to other sobrasada subtypes. In the case of ensaimada, only a reduced number of cases within filled ensaimadas (with higher moisture content) presented unacceptable mold and yeast counts (>500 colony-forming unit [CFU]/g). Finally, the Mahón-Menorca cheese presented a surprising microbiology pattern: higher E. coli contamination in the pasteurized milk cheese compared to its raw counterpart. This pattern was observed for all the years, being statistically significant in 2020. This study has detected good microbiological status in the three traditional products studied. However, worrisome issues in Good Hygienic Practices have been detected for some companies that produce pasteurized milk Mahón-Menorca cheese under the PDO quality label. The companies involved and even the competent authorities should address these problems to correct this deviation in food security.

Ethnobotanical Knowledge on Herbs and Spices in Bulgarian Traditional Dry-Cured Meat Products

Artisan food production, with its unique flavors, is a source of knowledge about sustainable use of natural resources. This is because it reflects the skills of local communities in utilizing these resources (e.g., wild and cultivated plants and autochthonous breeds) under specific environmental conditions for a long period of time. Therefore, the use of local ingredients and the reduction in food miles make traditional food a safer, healthier and more ecofriendly choice for consumers. In the present research, we examined the herbal ingredients in Bulgarian dry-cured meats and discuss their contribution to the flavor and durability of the products. A combination of field data, collected through semi-structured interviews in local communities, and an analysis of the available literature was used to reveal the typicity of 24 artisanal/homemade meat products available mostly in their place of origin. We compared the obtained data to 16 industrial products branded as “traditional”, with 6 of them registered under the European Union quality schemes. The recorded ingredients of plant origin (dry and fresh) belonged to 16 taxa. Most diverse spice mixtures were used in products made of pork meat and in products originating from the southern, and hence warmer, regions of the country. The herbs and spices were combined freely except for Alliums, which were not mixed, and only one species was used per product. Most of the spices used in the artisanal dry meats were sourced from home gardens (some specifically cultivated for that purpose). Those collected from the wild, e.g., Origanum vulgare subp. hirtum (Link) Ietsw., were gathered sustainably in small quantities. The number of spices used in industrial dry meat products was limited to two–three, and was provided by cultivated sources, without exploiting natural populations. Manufacturing of all artisanal products was seasonal to avoid the cold winter weather, a measure which was necessary for the natural air-drying of the meat. The long-lasting effects of the abolishment of artisanal production under Communism, the adaptation of traditional products for industry, and the current challenges and perspectives surrounding artisanal production of meat products were discussed.

Consumer Perception and Understanding of European Union Quality Schemes: A Systematic Literature Review

Food, agriculture, and labeling, affecting the environment are well connected concepts, the balance between them being determined not only by pedological and climatic factors or the development level of agricultural techniques, but also by national governments and international organizations’ food processing, trade policies and regulations. In this context, the European Union (EU) encourages the use of different food quality schemes: “Protected Designation of Origin” (PDO), “Protected Geographical Indication” (PGI), and “Traditional Specialty Guaranteed” (TSG) to protect producers of special-quality foods and assist consumers in their purchasing decisions. This review examines existing studies on the impact of these labels on customers behavior. A total of 32 studies were found and systematized. The papers were selected if they featured unique empirical research on consumer perceptions of any of PDO, PGI and TSG labels. Using the search strategy, a literature analysis was performed based on papers extracted from Web of Science, Springer Link, Emerald Insights, and Science Direct. Although these papers highlight quite diversified findings, the internationally used labels play an increasing role in contemporary society and pandemic conditions caused by COVID-19, thus making the quality schemes relevant in consumer decision-making processes.

An investigation into Italian consumers’ awareness, perception, knowledge of European Union quality certifications, and consumption of agri-food products carrying those certifications

The present study investigated Italian consumers’ awareness, perception, knowledge of European Union (EU) quality certifications: Protected Designation of Origin (PDO), Protected Geographical Indication (PGI), Traditional Specialty Guaranteed (TSG), and organic as well as the consumption of agri-food products carrying those certifications. A total of 212 consumers responsible for food purchases took part in a web-based survey between June and December 2019, inclusive. Descriptive statistics were calculated in relation to the data collected, followed by a factor analysis to reduce data dimensionality, and a cluster analysis on the latent variables generated, to identify similarities and differences among respondents. Awareness, perception, knowledge and consumption of agri-food products carrying EU quality labels has increased among consumers in recent years. The results related to the consumer’s knowledge of quality-certified products showed that more than half of respondents were able to spontaneously quote examples of PDO (76%), PGI (56%) and organic food products (73%) while only 33% of participants could name at least one TSG product. The general awareness of the guarantees offered by PDO and PGI certifications was also assessed in relation to production processes, the natural and human factors of a particular environment and the reputation and quality of a particular region. Cluster analysis showed that consumers with the highest education were most likely to value EU quality certifications and support their local economies. The information obtained have practical implications for marketing and communication of European certified food products at national and international level.

Implementation of the EU Quality Policy: Case Study, Slovakia

The European Union Quality policy promotes original and traditional agricultural and food products of high quality at the EU level. It aims at protecting the names of specific products to promote their unique characteristics, linked to their geographical origin, traditional know-how and local culture. In May 2020, the European Commission launched the EU-wide public consultation on its promotion policy for agricultural and food products to get feedback from citizens and stakeholders on the effectiveness, efficiency and relevance of the current measures, as well as their coherence with EU action in other areas and the added value of this kind of policy being implemented at the EU level. The article is focused on the evaluation effectiveness of the implementation of the EU Quality Policy in Slovakia, covering the territory of the whole country and the aim of this evaluation is to assess the level of awareness in Slovakia regarding the EU Quality policy implementation and the positive and negative experiences with its implementation at the national level. The evaluation period covers all 17 years of its implementation from its introduction in June 2003. Special attention is given to what needs to be done to improve its implementation in Slovakia and to increase the number of Slovak products holding this prestigious label. The main issue that came out of the evaluation process is very poor information on EU Quality Policy implementation in Slovakia. Currently, there is only a website run by the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development of the Slovak Republic. There is not much motivation for producers to have an interest in the registration process. Therefore, priority should be given to overcoming this.

Satellite Formaldehyde to Support Model Evaluation.

Formaldehyde (HCHO), a known carcinogen classified as a hazardous pollutant by the United States Environmental Protection Agency (U.S. EPA), is measured through monitoring networks across the U.S. Since these data are limited in spatial and temporal extent, model simulations from the U.S. EPA Community Multiscale Air Quality (CMAQ) model are used to estimate ambient HCHO exposure for the EPA National Air Toxics Assessment (NATA). Here, we employ satellite HCHO retrievals from the Ozone Monitoring Instrument (OMI)-the NASA retrieval developed by the Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory (SAO), and the European Union Quality Assurance for Essential Climate Variables (QA4ECV) retrieval-to evaluate three CMAQ configurations, spanning the summers of 2011 and 2016, with differing biogenic emissions inputs and chemical mechanisms. These CMAQ configurations capture the general spatial and temporal behavior of both satellite retrievals, but underestimate column HCHO, particularly in the western U.S. In the southeastern U.S., the comparison with OMI HCHO highlights differences in modeled meteorology and biogenic emissions even with differences in satellite retrievals. All CMAQ configurations show low daily correlations with OMI HCHO (r = 0.26 - 0.38), however, we find higher monthly correlations (r = 0.52 - 0.73), and the models correlate best with the OMI-QA4ECV product. Compared to surface observations, we find improved agreement over a 24-hour period compared to afternoon-only, suggesting daily HCHO amounts are captured with more accuracy than afternoon amounts. This work highlights the potential for synergistic improvements in modeling and satellite retrievals to support near-surface HCHO estimates for the NATA and other applications.

Utilization of Food Quality Labels Included in the European Union Quality Schemes

The paper deals with European Union quality schemes of Protected Designation of Origin, Protected Geographical Indication and Traditional Speciality Guaranteed labels. This paper aims to analyse the share of PDO, PGI and TSG labels in EU countries, selected product categories and their structure, and explains the relationships between country of product origin and number of registered product names. Secondary data from the Database of Origin and Registration are used. As the results show, the highest number of product names is registered under the PDO label, followed closely by the PGI label. The dominant country is Italy followed by other Mediterranean countries such as France, Spain, Portugal and Greece.

The impact of obtaining a European quality sign on origin food producers

A unique Europe-wide research study was conducted among all the producer organisations having a European Union quality sign (protected designation of origin, protected geographical indication, trad...

The perception of EU quality signs for origin and organic food products among Polish consumers

The paper aims to examine the perception of European Union quality signs for origin (protected designation of origin, protected geographical indication, traditional speciality guaranteed) and organic food products among Polish consumers and to test selected hypotheses concerning the associations between the perception of quality signs and consumer attitudes toward the consumption of origin and organic food products as well as their willingness to pay a higher price for such products than for conventional food. A survey was conducted in a representative sample of 1000 Polish consumers. It was carried out with the use of computer assisted web interview methodology. The respondents underlined the role of quality signs in positioning origin and organic products in the segment of premium prices, building competitive advantage on the basis of the differentiation strategy, and emphasising authenticity. We confirmed the relationship between the frequency of origin and organic food purchase and the role attributed...

Analysis of quality labels included in the European Union quality schemes

We analysed the use of European Union schemes of Protected Designation of Origin, Protected Geographical Indication and Traditional Speciality Guaranteed labels in the European Union market according to selected criteria including type of label, country of origin, and product classes. The first part of the paper deals with the definition of food quality, quality labels, and European Union quality scheme specification. The second part includes the discussion of marketing research results. Secondary data from the Database of Origin and Registration are used. The sample consists of 1146 labels registered in this database as to the 28<sup>th</sup> of March 2013. The frequency of label utilisation is analysed according to country, type of label, and product classes, while the cluster analysis is also applied. Pearson’s chi-squared test of independence is used to determine if significant differences exist between the frequency of using the labels and the above-mentioned criteria.  

Comparison of European Union quality labels utilization in Visegrad Group countries.

The paper focuses on European Union quality system known as Protected Designation of Origin, Protected Geographical Indication and Tradional Speciality Guaranteed used in agricultural and food products sector. The aim of the paper is to analyse and compare the utilization of these labels by Visegrad group countries. Firstly, the literature review dealing with the topical area is given. Further, the European Union quality scheme is specified and the comparison of Visegrad group countries according to selected criteria is provided. Empirical part of the paper involves marketing research results analysis and discussion. Data comes from the Database of Origin and Registration. The sample consists of all 93 product names registered as Protected Designation of Origin, Protected Geographical Indication and Traditional Speciality Guaranteed in the database by Visegrad group countries to the 30th April 2013. The frequency of using the labels is analysed according to type of label, country of origin and product class. Pearson´s chi-square test of independence and Pearson's and Cramer's contingency coefficients were used in order to confirm if significant differences do exist between variables.

Contested Origins

Since 1996, the European Commission's “origin foods” program has awarded protective labels to typical regional products. This ostensibly serves the purpose of maintaining traditional artifacts and local practices against the homogenizing effects of the globalized economy. Because the program emphasizes the link of an artifact to a group's history and territory, conflicts over market shares often refer to truth claims that engage authenticity and cultural identity. Two products from the Republic of Cyprus serve as cases-in-point. Loukoumi, a candy also known as Cyprus delight, was the first product to be awarded an European Union quality label in Cyprus, while the application for halloumi, a cheese traditionally made from goats and sheep milk was hotly contested and is still pending. Research shows that in Cyprus, the European Union program is deployed to the advantage of large-scale industrial producers and facilitates the homogenization of regional diversity in favor of an ethnicized national heritage.

Polypyrrole actuators working at 2–30 Hz

“Soft actuators” based on the conducting polymer polypyrrole (PPy) may be especially suitable for use in combination with human limbs. A research project under the European Union Quality of Life program (DRIFTS, Dynamically Responsive Intervention for Tremor Suppression, http://www.drifts.org/) focuses on the development of practical tremor suppression orthoses prototypes [M. Manto, M. Topping, M. Soede, J. Sanchez-Lacuesta, W. Harwin, J. Pons, J. Williams, S. Skaarup, L. Normie, IEEE Eng. Med. Biol. 22 (2003) 120]. One of the choices of actuation mechanism is to use conducting polymers. The main challenge is to provide significant forces at the frequencies relevant to tremor in upper limbs: 2–16 Hz. Forces in the range of 0.1–1 kg are required. It has earlier been shown that utilizing the stiffness change instead of the length change may extend the useable maximum frequency by about a factor of 10 [J.D. Madden, R.A. Cush, T.S. Kanigan, I.W. Hunter, Solid State Ionics 113 (2000) 185]. The maximum frequency reached was, however, only about 1 Hz. By optimizing the synthesis method, and the choice of counterion in PPy and in the electrolyte, a polypyrrole actuator able to yield significant force at up to 30 Hz has been made. The stiffness change turns out to be approximately 20 times faster than the change in length. Simple scaling up of the present data leads to a required total thickness of PPy (30 mm wide film) of 0.13 mm at 2 Hz, and 0.32 mm at 15 Hz for the 1 kg limit. The required mass of the actuator itself at 15 Hz is ∼100 mg. The results indicate the feasibility of using PPy actuators for tremor suppression.

A RESPONSE LETTER TO DRS. HAUSDORFF AND YOGEV

To the Editor: We welcome the comments of Drs. Hausdorff and Yogev. We agree that the wording of the text requires clarification with respect to the role of cognitive functions. We are aware that cognitive functions are important risk factors for falls and related injuries. The purpose of the consensus exercise was to determine and develop operational definitions for the primary outcomes of fall prevention trials and develop a framework for macro-evaluation.1 It was not our purpose to make recommendations about the treatments that should be used to reduce falls, serious injury, and other major consequences of falls. For fall- and injury-prevention interventions, the consensus was that cognitive functions, akin to changes in balance and postural stability, are intermediary measures and do not provide proof, in themselves, that interventions reduce falls and serious injuries. Not all studies will target cognitive functions or recruit populations in which cognitive functions are impaired. Whether cognitive risk factors for falling are modifiable is an unanswered question, but ultimately the reduction of falls, serious injuries, and major consequences is the issue of primary importance for clinical trials. A separate scenario is trials of interventions that aim to improve cognitive impairment and reduce dementia and in which falls and serious injuries should be recorded as a safety or secondary measure. Several new classes of medications might affect falls (either by increase or decrease) (e.g.,2,3), and we would encourage investigators in these fields to adopt our methodology for measuring falls outcome. In summary, as stated in the consensus paper, measures of cognitive function should be included at baseline to allow adequate description of the sample. The optimal methods for doing this will be considered in a future revision of the statement, and we welcome wide involvement in this process. Cognitive function may have a role as an intermediary outcome measure in some trials, depending on the intervention being tested, the context, and availability of funding. However, we stand by our decision that cognitive impairment cannot be recommended as a primary outcome of generic importance to all trials that aim to reduce falls and fall-related injury. The authors are participants in the ‘Prevention of Falls Network Europe (ProFaNE)’ Thematic Network; which is a project within Key Action #6 (The Ageing Population and their Disabilities), part of the European Union's Quality of Life and Management of Living Resources Programme, funded by the European Commission (QLRT-2001-02705). Financial Disclosure(s): The authors have no further financial disclosures or any conflicts of interest to report. Author Contributions: Lamb and Becker co-wrote the response. Sponsor' Role: The content of the manuscript does not represent the opinion of the European Community and the Community is not responsible for any use that might be made of the information presented in the text.

Valoración de calidad de imagen y dosis en exámenes de tomografía computarizada helicoidal de abdomen y de pelvis en pacientes con linfoma

Objective: The aim of this study is to evaluate the quality of pelvic and abdominal CT images performed for lymphoma according to the criteria proposed in the European Commission Guidelines on radiation imaging. (En castellano dice: la Guia de la Comision Europea. Lo que pasa es que hay muchas guias publicadas por la Comision: aseguranse que sea esta la citada) Material and methods: The criteria were evaluated in a sample of 100 patients attended at five public hospitals in the Autonomous Community of Madrid. All patients underwent single-slice helical CT studies. Fulfillment of the imaging criteria in the selected images was evaluated by five radiologists, one from each center, working independently. The Index of Image Quality (IIQ) was determined for the complete abdominal and pelvic examination. The dose was also measured to estimate the values of the CT Dose Index (CTDIw), Dose by Length Product (DLP), and effective dose (E). Results: A high rate of fulfillment of the criteria was found for individual abdominal images. In the pelvis, the rate of fulfillment was lower, especially for three criteria. The IIQ for each center was between 83%-92%, with variable degrees of internal deviation. The mean values of CTDIw per center were between 16-23 mGy; DLP values were between 430 and 750 mGy cm, and the effective dose was 7-12 mSv. In general, no correlation was found between IIQ and dose per patient, either for the entire sample (r = 0.04) or by centers (r£0.36). Conclusions: The utility of the European Union's Quality Criteria was confirmed. We have elaborated a single list of criteria of image quality and suggest reference dosage levels for abdominal-pelvic CT examinations in patients with lymphoma.

Improved diagnosis on a daily basis of enterovirus meningitis using a one-step real-time RT-PCR assay.

The detection of the enterovirus genome in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) by PCR techniques has proved to be more sensitive than traditional cell culture for the diagnosis of enterovirus meningitis. However, PCR assays are time consuming and labor intensive, particularly if separate hybridization steps are used to confirm the specificity of positive findings. The aim of this study was to develop a one-step real-time RT-PCR assay with LightCycler (LC) technology that was sensitive, rapid, and easy to perform in routine practice. The enterovirus detection limit was determined by testing 10-fold limiting dilution series of cell culture stocks with the echovirus 25 (E-25) prototype strain and with the third European Union Quality Control Concerted Action (EU-QCCA) enterovirus proficiency panel. A total of 100 CSF specimens were investigated in a comparative study. With the E-25 strain, the detection limit of the real-time assay was 286 TCID50/ml (50% tissue culture infective dose). When samples of the EU-QCCA panel were tested, our assay gave identical results (detection limit down to 3.6 TCID50/ml) to those of the reference laboratory, which used one-step RT-PCR assay. When CSF specimens were tested, there was a correlation between the real-time assay and the conventional in-house assay in 96 of 100 CSFs tested. This one-step real-time assay allows rapid enterovirus detection in CSF since results are obtained in 3 hr as against 36 hr with the "in-house" RT-PCR assay. This new assay is now being used in routine practice, and allows diagnosis on a daily basis.

Fully automated, internally controlled quantification of hepatitis B Virus DNA by real-time PCR by use of the MagNA Pure LC and LightCycler instruments.

We report on the development of a fully automated real-time PCR assay for the quantitative detection of hepatitis B virus (HBV) DNA in plasma with EDTA (EDTA plasma). The MagNA Pure LC instrument was used for automated DNA purification and automated preparation of PCR mixtures. Real-time PCR was performed on the LightCycler instrument. An internal amplification control was devised as a PCR competitor and was introduced into the assay at the stage of DNA purification to permit monitoring for sample adequacy. The detection limit of the assay was found to be 200 HBV DNA copies/ml, with a linear dynamic range of 8 orders of magnitude. When samples from the European Union Quality Control Concerted Action HBV Proficiency Panel 1999 were examined, the results were found to be in acceptable agreement with the HBV DNA concentrations of the panel members. In a clinical laboratory evaluation of 123 EDTA plasma samples, a significant correlation was found with the results obtained by the Roche HBV Monitor test on the Cobas Amplicor analyzer within the dynamic range of that system. In conclusion, the newly developed assay has a markedly reduced hands-on time, permits monitoring for sample adequacy, and is suitable for the quantitative detection of HBV DNA in plasma in a routine clinical laboratory.

Quality control in nucleic acid testing--where do we stand?

Quality control has been playing an increasingly important role in the implementation of nucleic acid amplification techniques (NATs) for clinical diagnosis since the introduction of these methods in the early 1990s. Initial multicenter studies involving hepatitis B virus (HBV), hepatitis C virus (HCV), Mycobacterium tuberculosis, and human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) revealed serious problems in specificity (false-positive rates of ca. 40%) and sensitivity, large variations in quantitative results, and a plethora of units (largely not comparable between assays). The problem areas identified included the need for standardized reagents and common units, contamination control mechanisms, inhibition control mechanisms, genotype-independent detection and quantitation, facilitated nucleic acid isolation procedures, clinically relevant dynamic ranges, and internal run controls. Progress made in each of these areas will be discussed. In addition to the above-mentioned problem areas, the value of external quality control of existing and evolving NATs was recognized. To this end, the European Union Quality Control Concerted Action for Nucleic Acid Amplification in Diagnostic Virology was established in May 1998. During its three-and-a-half years of existence, a total of 14 proficiency panels containing 8-13 well-characterized, simulated clinical samples of various viral loads and genotypes were prepared for herpesviruses (herpes simplex virus, human cytomegalovirus), blood-borne viruses (HBV, HCV, HIV-1), enteroviruses, and Chlamydia trachomatis, distributed to up to 20 different countries, and tested by up to 97 different laboratories. The results show dramatic improvement in specificity (false-positive rates <3% for most panels), presumably due to a generally greater expertise of participating laboratories, more frequent use of enzymatic or mechanical contamination control mechanisms, and increased utilization of standardized reagents (commercial kits). However, considerable problems with sensitivity remain (false-negative rates up to 50%), reflecting the high detection limits of some commercial viral load kits still on the market as well as inadequate standardization of quantitation controls between assay systems. In conclusion, although considerable progress has been made, quality control of NATs in clinical diagnosis remains an ongoing challenge.