Elementele componente și factorii de risc ai calității alimentelor

Abstract

In this article, the research is focused on the components of food quality, such as nutritional quality, sensory quality, hygienic quality, and aesthetic quality. In terms of nutrition, the quality of food is essential and is appreciated according to the ability of the products to meet the energy and plastic requirements of the body. The sensory quality of food is characterized by taste, smell, color, consistency and has a special emotional tone because it is the first contact of the consumer with the product and determines his or her decision to buy the product. The quality of the food, in terms of hygienic value, reflects the chemical, sanitary-hygienic and radioactive safety of the food, and the aesthetic quality refers to the aesthetics of the product as such and the aesthetics of the packaging. The scientific problem solved consists in the theoretical substantiation of the risk factors that can affect the quality of food and, respectively, can cause damage to human health. It is noted that the predominant risk factor determines the degree of food safety, and if this factor is present, there is also the probability of risk situations associated with it, such as food poisoning. Another risk factor is that counterfeit products can reach buyers. Food safety and counterfeiting issues are in most cases invisible to the consumer who does not have sufficient tools and no professional experience. The consumer expects to see guarantees in the field of ensuring safety and protection against food counterfeiting. It is found that the food is of good quality, is innocuous, is not counterfeit, and is good for human consumption only if the mentioned risk factors are excluded. The "quality star" to characterize the quality of food was developed with five main parameters, which are price and product availability; compliance of food with regulatory documents and consumer requirements; customer trust in the product and manufacturer; product identification and traceability, and stable food quality over the shelf life. It concludes that food quality is a complex notion, and quality assurance is a multilateral process that must take into account the complex chain, which includes production, transportation, industrial processing, storage, marketing, and consumption. In order to maintain food quality and safety, advanced technologies, perfect legal support, trained staff, and monitoring procedures to ensure food integrity and protect consumers from unsafe and counterfeit products are needed. JEL: Q18, I150, L110.