The Incredible Edible Standards!

Most of the food we consume every day is shipped to our stores from all around the world! Would you believe that everything from meats to vegetables to nuts and legumes conforms to some set of standards of what is acceptable and what is unacceptable in consumable goods?

In 1949 the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE) began working on standards for perishable produce and today there are nearly 100 internationally harmonized commercial quality standards, developed for different agricultural produce: fresh fruit and vegetables, dry and dried produce, potatoes, eggs and egg products, meat and cut flowers.

In 1962 the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) set up the Scheme for the Application of International Standards for Fruit and Vegetables, which is currently followed by 25 countries (of which the US is not officially one). OECD facilitates the adaptation of quality standards to present production, trade and marketing conditions, promotes uniform quality control procedures and disseminates quality assurance guidelines.

In 1963 the Codex Alimentarius was formed by FAO and WHO to develop food standards, guidelines and related texts such as codes of practice under the Joint FAO/WHO Food Standards Programme. The main purposes of this Programme are protecting health of the consumers and ensuring fair trade practices in the food trade, and promoting coordination of all food standards work undertaken by international governmental and non-governmental organizations.

But how would we know?!

Come on down to Government & Geographic Information and Data Services Department and peruse our display of just a few of the standards that are part of our collection. While you're here pick up our little 4x6 recipe booklet of dishes that include select items from the display.

For more information on food standards, you can visit the UNECE and OECD programs online. You can also visit the Codex Alimentarius online or check out their channel on YouTube.  

Broccoli Chicken Divan Lamb and Winter Vegetable Stew Asparagus Beef Roll-Ups Stuffed Endive (Chicory)veggie Ginger Veggie Stir-Fryveggie
Grilled Llama Ribeye with Roast Yams To roast yamsveggie
Eggplant and Lamb Stew Stuffed Crown Roast of Pork Tortellini Bacon Broccoli Salad Sam's Famous Carrot Cakeveggie Roasted Garlic Lemon Broccoliveggie

Resources used for the exhibit

  • Aubergines. Paris : Organisation de coopération et de développement économiques ; [Washington, D.C. : OECD Publications and Information Centre, distributor], 1987. MAIN Government Information:  635.64602 O68a. (link)
  • Aulx = Garlic / Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (revision). Paris : Organisation de coopération et de développement économiques,  1979. MAIN Government Information:  641.3526 A924. (link)
  • Bovine meat : carcases and cuts : UNECE standard / United Nations Economic Commission for Europe, Working Party on Agricultural Quality Standards.  Ed. 2004  MAIN Government Information:  ECE/TRADE/326. (link)
  • Brocolis = Broccoli. Paris : Organisation de coopération et de développement économiques, 2000. MAIN Government Information: 635.35021 B864. (link)
  • Carottes = Carrots. Paris : Organisation de coopération et de développement économiques, 2000. MAIN Government Information: 635.13021 C293. (link)
  • Chicken meat : carcases and parts : UNECE standard / United Nations Economic Commission for Europe. 2006 ed. New York : United Nations.  MAIN Government Information: ECE/TRADE/335. (link)
  • Chicorées witloof = Witloof chicories. Paris : Organisation de coopération et de développement économiques ; [Washington, D.C. : OECD Publications and Information Centre, distributor], 1994. MAIN Government Information:  664.80554 C533. (link)
  • Llama/alpaca meat : carcases and cuts / United Nations Economic Commission for Europe. 2006 ed. New York ; Geneva : United Nations.  MAIN Government Information:    ECE/TRADE/368. (link)
  • Oignons = Onions (révision). Paris, France : Organisation de coopération et de développement économiques ; Washington, D.C. : OECD Publications and Information Center [distributor], 1984. MAIN Government Information: 635.25021 O68o. (link)
  • Ovine meat : carcases and cuts : UNECE standard / United Nations Economic Commission for Europe. 2006 edition, New York : United Nations. MAIN Government Information: ECE/TRADE/308. (link)
  • Poivrons doux = Sweet peppers.  Paris : Organisation de coopération et de développement économiques, 1982.  MAIN Government Information: 635.64367 P757. (link)

Chris Davidson and Kathleen Murphy
Curators of Incredible Edible Standards

webpage made by Sui Zhang
Last updated: February 3, 2010

 
govinfo@northwestern.edu