I think this is where the problem lies. I have done a quick search and unable to see a definition for the term fresh…especially that relating to the labelling of produce.
If there is no standard definition (maybe someone else can find one as I have been unsuccessful), then fresh is very much an opinion or is highly subjective and will vary between individuals. What is fresh? It could be a wide range of viewpoints, including and not necessarily limited to any of these:
- Any food which is not processed
- Any food which is not processed or stored in any way
- Any food which is stored no more than 1 hour… 2 days…1 week…1 month…
- Any food that has the same nutritional value as it has when harvested
- Any food that that hasn’t been processed and looks unspoiled/good to eat (leaves not wilted, no bruises, no blemishes etc)
- Any food that has been stored, hasn’t been processed but look good to eat
- Any food free of pests and pathogens
- Any food recently cooked (as if freshly cooked chickens)
- Any food which has just been prepared irrespective of the age of the ingredients (freshly stewed apples which were a bit worse for wear)
- Any food which has processed (fresh ham, fresh slice of cheese)
- Any dried ingredients which have been processed (fresh bred)
- Any processed food (farm fresh canned tomatoes)
- Any food free of additives such as preservatives…
And the list could go on.
Until say Food Standards Australia defined the term "fresh’, its real meaning could be anyone guess. I suspect that they will be reluctant to define fresh as the horse as well and truly bolted in relation to the use of term…as fresh can and has been applied to almost anything.
