Quality control for ice cream and gelato

Successive food crises over the last few years have prompted public authorities to strengthen regulatory requirements in terms of safety, and in particular traceability, in order to restore consumer confidence. Since January 1 2005, article 18 of EC regulation 178/2002 [1] has required food operators to be able to trace foodstuffs or any other substance intended for incorporation into foodstuffs through all stages of production, processing and distribution.

However, quality control cannot be ensured solely by meeting traceability obligations. Food industry players therefore have other tools at their disposal to guarantee the quality of their production.

The application of the HACCP method in the different food sectors is one of the tools that completes the respect of hygiene rules and thus ensures complete control of production.

Now that decree n˚ 49-438 of March 29 1949 has been repealed, the ice cream and ice cream trade is subject to the general regulations applicable to foodstuffs, particularly in terms of hygiene, labelling and controls. A code of fair practice for ice cream defines ice cream as a food product [2]. This code is not intended to replace the guides to good hygiene practice for the artisanal manufacture of ice creams and sorbets [3].