Profile and challenges of the production and commercialization of processed organic foods in the state of Rio de Janeiro

• Autor(a) principal: Martins de Souza do Valle, Tayrine
• Data de Publicação: 2022
• Outros Autores: Carraco de Azeredo Peres, Bruna, Miranda Rodrigues Vidal, Marianna, de Albuquerque Costa Fonseca, Maria Fernanda, Gomes de Mello de Oliveira, Aline, Turon Costa da Silva, Thadia, Mayra Menezes Ayres, Ellen
• Tipo de documento: Artigo
• Idioma: por; eng
• Título da fonte: Vigilância Sanitária em Debate
• Texto Completo: https://visaemdebate.incqs.fiocruz.br/index.php/visaemdebate/article/view/1977
• topic: Alimentos Orgânicos; Sistema Participativo de Garantia; Processamento de Alimentos; Legislação Sanitária; Inclusão Produtiva; Vigilância Sanitária e Sociedade; Organic Food; Participative Organic Quality Assurance System; Food Processing Quality; Sanitary Legislation; Productive Inclusion

Introduction: Smallholder organic food processing contributes to an economically, socially and environmentally sustainable food system. It is important to know the profile and potential difficulties of organic food processors, organized under the modality of the Participatory Organic Quality Assurance System, due to its growth and social relevance for targeting actions and public policies with the consequent strengthening ofagriculture with an agroecological basis. Objective: Describe the profile of organic food processors in Rio de Janeiro state and identify the main challenges in the production and commercialization schemes. Method: This is an exploratory and descriptive study with transversal design developed by documental research of different documents: handling plans, good practices manual, minutes of the Participatory Organic Quality Assurance System, certificates issued by the Association of Biological Farmers of the State of Rio de Janeiro, and other updated documents of the Participative Organism of Organic ConformityAssessment related to the accredited producers. Results: Sixty per cent of the organic processors in the Rio de Janeiro state were linked to the Participatory Organic Quality Assurance System. The processing unit mostly used is the one attached to their homes. Most of them are farmers or family micro-entrepreneurs that have assistance of family members in the production process and the mainactivity carried out is the production of canned foods, jams, sauces, and homemade desserts. Less than 70% of the producers had an operation permit and sanitary license, 97% had an Organic Handling Plan; 79% had a Good Practices Manual and 78% had a Traceability Plan. Among the main difficulties, there were: raw resource acquisition, sanitary rules adequacy and logistics in supplies. Conclusions:The study demonstrated the potentiality of organic products processing for the local social and economic development, and the need of greater inducements to make an inclusive production of small enterprises feasible.