What is ISO 23662 about?
ISO 23662 specifies the definitions and technical criteria to be fulfilled for foods and food ingredients to be suitable for vegetarians (including ovo-lacto-, ovo- and lacto-vegetarians) or vegans as well as for food labelling and claims.
ISO 23662 is applicable to business-to-business communication (B2B), to the food trade, and to food labelling and claims. The definitions and technical criteria apply only post-harvest/collecting.
Note: ISO 23662 does not apply to human safety, environmental safety, socio-economic considerations (e.g., fair trade, animal welfare), religious beliefs and the characteristics of packaging materials.
Who is ISO 23662 for?
ISO 23662 on the definition and technical criteria for food labelling and claims is useful for:
- Food packagers and marketing agencies
- Food processing businesses
- Food product traders
- Food product inspection authorities
- Research and quality control department
Why should you use ISO 23662?
Claims suggest or imply that a food has characteristics relating to its origin, nutritional properties, nature, production, processing, composition or any other quality. Food ingredients should be well-defined as they need to be accurate for labelling and marketing purposes.
ISO 23662 specifies technical criteria to all food and beverage companies, applicable to all organizations, regardless of size or complexity. ISO 23662 is intended for use in business-to-business communications, relationships in the global food supply chain, the international trade of food products, and food labelling and claims.
Conformity to ISO 23662 can ensure a level-playing field and fair practices in business-to-business relationships, international trade, and food labelling and claims.