The product- and environment-friendly smoking process convinces with sustainable properties
Consumers quite rightly expect organic food to be of a higher quality than conventional products. In terms of production aswell processing. This also means no exposure to ingredients that are hazardous to humans and the environment. At the world’s leading trade fair for organic food “BIOFACH”, the CleanSmoke smoking process was officially presented. It has recently been approved by the EU Agricultural Commission for organic products, . The presentation was preceded by more than three years of CleanSmoke Organic Educational Campaign in the key European markets for organic food. The campaign took place with the support of NGOs, growers’ associations and the German Federal Ministry of Food and Agriculture.
CleanSmoke is environmentally and product friendly – without sacrificing taste compared to conventionally smoked foods. Consumer sensory studies and surveys have shown that products smoked with CleanSmoke taste at least as good as conventionally smoked. CleanSmoke is a freshly produced smoke from primary smoke condensate. It is free of harmful substances such as tar and ash. Also the contamination with polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH) is largely eliminated. According to a life cycle assessment by the German Institute of Food Technologies, CleanSmoke performs significantly better than traditional friction and glow smoking. CleanSmoke can save around 50 percent of energy and – based on the current German energy mix – around 30 percent of climate gas emissions. Analyses conducted as part of the European Eco-innovation Action Plan (EcoAP) have shown that CO2 emissions can even be reduced by up to 80 percent compared with conventional smoking.
Biofleisch NRW switches production to CleanSmoke
“The CleanSmoke smoking process is made for sustainable production of organic food,” says Uwe Vogel, chairman of the Cleansmoke Coalition. For Mechthild Hüneborn of SuperBioMarkt AG, too, the advantages are decisive: “First and foremost, it was important to us that the CleanSmoke process can protect people and the environment. In addition, the quality, appearance, taste and consistency of the products are convincing. Not only for us, but also for consumers.” Biofleisch NRW, the main supplier to the 30 SuperBioMarkt stores, has announced that it will successively convert its entire production to CleanSmoke.
Biofino is also convinced by the innovative process. The company for organic poultry meat, which is particularly appreciated by canteen kitchens and the catering industry, has already started to convert its entire production to CleanSmoke. The fish manufactory “Die Räucherei” from near Bremen has been smoking without pollutants for more than 20 years. It was able to officially offer fish in organic quality for the first time at BioFach.
A growing number of meat, fish, tofu, seitan and cheese producers are convinced that “green smoke” is an opportunity for the organic sector. Producers and retailers can use it to underscore their pioneering role in the sustainable transformation of the food industry. “Organic products are increasingly becoming the key currency of the food industry,” says Jürgen Michalzik, head of the CleanSmoke Educational Campaign. “From the CleanSmoke organic farms, a strong impulse will also go to the conventionally working farms. Soon, the first products with the seal awarded by the CleanSmoke Coalition will be visible in the organic trade.” At the latest then this product and pollution free smoking procedure will be in active demand also by the consumers.
CleanSmoke information campaign for Europe
Uwe Vogel would like to see this pioneering role for the future of a sustainable food industry. BioFach marked the successful launch of a comprehensive CleanSmoke information campaign. It is now to raise awareness in Europe of the benefits of the smoking process. The foundation for a joint campaign has already been laid with the Spanish organic farming organization Ecovalia. Also preparatory talks have begun with Italian and Swiss representatives of the organic sector. And the CleanSmoke Coalition is scheduled to participate in the organic trade fare Natexpo in Lyon in September.