The Hungarian Food Code’s regulation on dry pasta has been submitted for public consultation, the draft of which can be commented on until October 18th at tarsadalmiegyeztetes@am.gov.hu by e-mail. The aim of the proposal is to raise the quality level of the domestic dry pasta market and to define the different product categories more precisely.
The amendment would incorporate the previous directive of the Hungarian Food Code into Decree 152/2009. (XI. 12.) FVM on the mandatory requirements of the Hungarian Food Code. The revision modernizes the regulation on several points, adapting it to consumer expectations and the rise of health-conscious nutrition.
Among the most important changes is that acidity, as a quality parameter, is removed from the regulation, as it cannot be influenced during production and can be measured inaccurately. The draft defines separate labeling and ingredient rules for “fresh egg” and “fresh egg” dry pasta, so that these products will be clearly distinguishable in the future.
The amendment extends the regulation to “whole grain” dry pasta, responding to consumers’ growing demand for healthier foods. In addition, a new category, “flavored, enriched, colored dry pasta”, will also appear, which provides a more precise and narrower framework instead of the previous “other dry pasta” classification.
The primary goal of the draft legislation is to encourage the production of higher quality products, as well as to increase market transparency and consumer confidence. According to the Ministry of Agriculture, the new regulations will also create clearer requirements for manufacturers, while supporting the distinctiveness of premium category domestic pasta.
