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Sustainability and Legislative Issues This part of the specification is about knowing that sustainability and environmental issues, legislation and standards affect and influence designing and manufacturing choices and decisions. Candidates need to be aware of the issues associated with sustainability and the environment and how the choices we make as designers, manufacturers and consumers impact on our lives and that of future generations.

Candidates should be encouraged to think carefully about ingredients chosen in the developing and making of food products. Candidates should be aware of the impact of food products on their health. Candidates should be encouraged to consider energy use when planning and making food products and try to recommend alternative methods in a bid to reduce the amount of energy used. Candidates need to be aware of the environmental impact of the packaging of food products.

Understanding and use of SIX R’s of sustainability Rethink – the use of ingredients (like asparagus) that are not in season in November when designing and making. Swap it for a seasonal vegetable that you could buy locally. Rethink about the impact some of the processed food products have on health. Reuse – of left over ingredients to make other food products. Link this in with the Designers section and look into what they recommend! If food waste cannot be reused why not recycle it in a compost heap to produce useful fertiliser for your garden.

SIX R’s of sustainability Recycle – the tins, plastic, glass, card and paper that comes from food products. Repair items of equipment that can be repaired rather than throw them away. Can you reduce your use of electrical equipment and do some of the tasks by hand e.g. chopping vegetables. Reduce – the amount of energy you use by changing your methods of cooking. Reduce the amount of fat, sugar and salt you consume for a more sustainable lifestyle. Reduce the amount of processed foods you buy and eat.

SIX R’s of sustainability Refuse to buy products that have excessive amounts of packaging. Refuse to buy convenience foods like instant mash that have gone through many different stages of processing like washing, peeling, chopping, cooking, freeze- drying and packaging.

Typical Exam Question (i) name a food product that makes use of recycling. (ii) Describe how the product you named above makes use of recycling. (iii) State one advantage of using recycling in a food product. (iv) Designers of new products think about the SIX Rs. Underline the correct SIX Rs in the list that follows. Two have been done for you. REMAKE RETHINK REUSE RECYCLE REDESIGN REPAIR REDUCE REFUSE

Exam question answers (i) Box of cereals, jar of pasta sauce, milk container, baked bean can (ii) Because the box is made from card it can be recycled after it has been used. (iii) It reduces the use of wood in making new paper. It reduces the amount of waste generated which has an impact on land fill sites. (iv) REMAKE REUSE REPAIR REFUSE

Key terms Organic – grown or reared without the use of artificial aids, fertilisers, pesticides and antibiotics Fairtrade - is about better prices, decent working conditions. The mark appears on products as a guarantee that disadvantaged producers are getting a better deal. It guarantees that farmers in developing countries get a fair price for their products, which covers their costs.

Key terms Sustainability – is reducing the impact of a product on the environment – thinking carefully about the ingredients chosen in the developing and making of it. The impact of a product on your health. Ways of reducing the amount of energy used. Globalisation- process by which different parts of the globe become interconnected by economic, social, cultural and political means Carbon footprint- the amount of carbon emissions produced in the growing, processing and distribution of our food

Legislative Issues - Additives Candidates should be aware all additives are controlled by law. They go through extensive safety tests to obtain and then keep approval from the Government’s Food Advisory Committee. They should know that additives can only be used if they have been fully tested, shown to be safe, and placed on the official listing (permitted list) of the foods in which they are allowed. The E numbers are simply the code numbers used to identify the food additives. It is a guarantee of safety and authorisation for use in the European Union. Additives must be listed on food labels.

Legislative Issues - Labelling Candidates must be aware that it is compulsory for certain information to be provided on a food label. Candidates should also be aware of the European Union (EU) labelling rule which came into force in November 2004 in the UK which requires 12 food ingredients to always be clearly labelled. They should also know that Manufacturers are not obliged by law to provide nutrition information, unless they make a nutrition claim. Candidates should also be aware of GM labelling and the new rules that came into force within the EU in April 2004.

Legislative Issues - Packaging Candidates should be aware of the Government Food Regulations which state that food packaging must not; -Be hazardous to human health -Bring about the deterioration of the food -Cause unacceptable changes in its natural substance or quality. Candidates should also be aware that in the UK foods sold loose are currently exempt from many of the food labelling laws. Foods sold unpackaged must have the information displayed by it on the shelf or display cabinet.