Restaurants do not meet EU standards for organic produce

The Soil Association has warned that restaurants throughout the UK are illegally claiming that their food is organic through "ignorance and confusion".

The warning follows the latest genetically modified food scare, which is likely to undermine public confidence further over what can be considered purely organic.

Speaking at the Catering Forum 2000 on Sunday, Patrick Holden, director of the Soil Association charity, said: "Restaurants have gone into introducing organic meals on their menus without realising there is a need for compliance with EU regulations."

By law, restaurants that want to claim they are selling organic food, even if it is just one dish, must adhere to a rigorous inspection by the Soil Association. A registration fee amounting to 0.3% of the restaurant's annual turnover is charged.

The news serves as a second blow to those trying to promote their organic menus after it emerged last week that more than 11,750 acres of farmland have this year been sown with oilseed rape contaminated with genetically modified seeds.

The concern to restaurants and their customers is that genetically modified organisms could have leaked into the food chain, via animal feed and oils used in cooking, and could be present in some processed foods that claim to be organic.

Restaurants that offer organic and non-organic foods must have separate storage areas for the different foods, and the cutlery and machinery must be cleaned each time the chefs switch from organic and non-organic meals. Few restaurateurs realise this.

Ian McKerracher, chief executive of the Restaurant Association, said calm debate was needed on both issues.

He said: "We do not need more panic and hysteria. What we need is further research."

by Louise Bozec louise.bozec@rbi.co.uk

Source: Caterer & Hotelkeeper magazine, 25-31 May 2000