Certification Based on Promises Is Risky Business
DIALOGUE
The food industry has relied on certifications to mark a product or ingredient as superior for over two centuries, starting with the first use of kosher certification in New Amsterdam (now Manhattan). In more recent decades, fair trade and organic have become ubiquitous in almost every supermarket and café.
Today, food companies regularly turn to certifications to increase consumer trust that their products are better for the environment. On the surface, having a third party inspect and ov…
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