Why should the population consume certified and organic products?

The pandemic and social isolation further impacted a scenario that was already taking shape in Brazil: the search for healthier foods, of origin, mostly organic, with certification and guarantee of origin.

There was a time when consumers did not give due importance to the planting and harvesting of the inputs that generate the final products they buy. But, as everything evolves, the search for healthier products with certificates of origin makes organic agriculture an increasingly viable and viable option.

Today, consumers are looking not only for organic products, but also for reliability and ethics. The proof of this is that, according to the Association for the Promotion of Organic Products (Organis), in the first half of 2020, the sale of products grew by more than 40% in Brazil. In addition, more than half of those surveyed are concerned about the quality of their food (62.1%) and 46.6% claim to consume organic products every day.

The rising numbers show that we are talking about a market that requires needs, opportunities and, above all, innovation. What does that mean? That several other aspects are being valued by consumers and the search for quality is fundamental when we refer to food, in which the control, monitoring and standardization of production processes are essential. According to the Brasil Food Trends 2020 report, there is a strong direction towards the consumption of safe and quality products, which convey more confidence to the customer.

Also according to the Brasil Food Trends 2020 report, food trends are based on five pillars: 1. Sensoriality and Pleasure / 2. Health and Well-being / 3. Convenience and Practicality / 4. Reliability and Quality / 5. Sustainability and Ethics. Therefore, Concepta, which for more than 20 years has had Environmental, Social and Corporate Governance as its business strategy, knows how important this market niche is to accelerate global progress.

To operate in the market for healthy and organic products, it is necessary to comply with a series of guidelines regarding the cultivation and sale of these foods. Certification is one of them.

The organic system, for example, unlike the conventional one, prioritizes sustainability and conservation of the environment, also taking into account social well-being. Therefore, organic products are those obtained within a sustainable agro-extractivist production system. This system benefits the local ecosystem, protects natural resources, respects the socio-economic and cultural characteristics of the community, preserves the rights of the workers involved and does not use genetically modified organisms or synthetic chemicals, following organic rules in all stages of production.

In Brazil, also known as the green seal, the certification of organic products is the procedure that ensures that a given product, process or service complies with the norms and practices of organic production. Thus, it guarantees the entrepreneur a market differential and the consumer the quality of food, attesting to its reliability and origin. To respond to this, Concepta maintains its certifications in force – both for the product (organic and kosher) and for the management system (FSSC 22000).

Today, the company is considered one of the main suppliers of natural and organic ingredients: in partnership with communities and cooperatives, there are approximately 2 million organic hectares of cultivation in conservation, with 1% from the Caatinga, 2% from the Cerrado and 97% of the Amazon.

Its inputs transform elements of nature into standardized ingredients, qualified for use in the food industries, and its production process also adds value to the communities that supply these ingredients, which sustainably extract these natural resources.

In Brazil, it is Law nº 10.831/2003 that regulates organic products and, obviously, the regulations change according to the markets. The three main ones are: BR (domestic market), EOS-CE (European Union) and USDA-NOP (United States).

Concepta Ingredients and FSSC 22000 certification

Created to encourage the consistency of standards related to food safety, the FSSC 22000 certification recognizes Concepta as a company that guarantees the safety and quality of its products in the food industry.

The term FSSC 22000 is an acronym for Food Safety System Certification, which means to monitor and guarantee the production and distribution of food with safety and quality, valid for perishable animal products; perishable products of vegetable origin; products with long shelf life at room temperature; food ingredients (except technological and technical additives); animal feed and food and food packaging.

It is an internationally recognized certification and approved by the Global Food Safety Initiative (GFSI), a non-profit organization that works to advance food safety and is supported by the Confederation of Food Industries of the EU (CIAA). Among its advantages are: offering a more organized and objective communication between employees, suppliers, customers and consumers; optimize resources and processes, in addition to reducing business risks; help companies manage food safety throughout the production chain, establishing and improving its control; and finally, the certificate offers greater reliability to the consumer due to the relevance of this document.

Concepta Ingredients is certified Kosher by BDK do Brasil

All food, in order to be consumed by the Jewish population, must be Kosher. Over the years, this audience has expanded, and today, vegetarians, vegans and lactose intolerant people have also sought certification. With this in mind, Concepta Ingredients, which provides a vast portfolio of ingredients, is also capable of serving the public that seeks quality ingredients, proven traceability and Kosher certification. The certification was granted through BDK do Brasil, allowing it to expand its markets, mainly exports.

“We must work hard to unite innovation, quality, health and sustainability to achieve customer satisfaction, meeting their needs and expectations. Because of this, the certification seal of a food provides the consumer with more than the guarantee of taking home a quality product, but also its traceability in the supply chain to provide ingredients with greater healthiness and sustainability, concludes Lilia Kawazoe, commercial manager of Concepta Ingredients.

About Concepta Ingredients

Concepta Ingredients is part of the Sabará Group and specializes in natural and technological solutions developed in accordance with the Sociobiodiversity Enhancement Program. With a work based on innovation and research, the company offers organic and exotic ingredients, supported by the training of families and conservation of environmental risk areas in different biomes in Brazil. Its vast portfolio has technological inputs from international partners and ingredients from Brazilian biodiversity to meet the most specific demands of the industries in which it is present.