Label Rouge is a prestigious and emblematic certification in France, synonymous with excellence and know-how in various food areas such as meat, fruit and dairy products, and also applies to flours. This label guarantee that flours with this distinction are produced, processed and distributed according to strict criteria, and offer superior quality.
Label Rouge certification for flour: a guarantee of superior quality
Label Rouge is a prestigious and emblematic certification in France, synonymous with excellence and know-how in various food areas such as meat, fruit, and dairy products, and also applies to flour. This label ensures that flours with this distinction are produced, processed, and distributed according to strict criteria, and offer superior quality.
Label Rouge origins
Label Rouge was created in 1960 by the French government when consumers were increasingly concerned about the quality of their food. At the time, agriculture and food industry were evolving rapidly, with an increase in mass production that often-sacrificed quality for quantity. Label Rouge was therefore introduced to recognize products offering superior quality, particularly in terms of taste.
Label Rouge goals for flour
Label Rouge for flour has several similar objectives to those of other certified products:
- Ensuring superior quality: Label Rouge flours must offer superior quality characteristics, such as improved texture, distinctive taste, and optimal baking properties.
- Encourage exemplary production methods: certification aims to promote agricultural practices that respect the environment and biodiversity, as well as processing techniques that preserve the nutritional qualities of the grains.
- Guaranteeing traceability and transparency: Label Rouge requires complete traceability of flours, from cereal cultivation to flour processing, ensuring total transparency for consumers regarding origin and production conditions.
Label award criteria
To obtain Label Rouge certification for flours, strict criteria must be met, defined in specific specifications. Here are some of the main criteria:
- Cereal quality: cereals used to produce Label Rouge flours must be of the highest quality. They are often grown according to sustainable agricultural practices, with rigorous selection of wheat or other cereal varieties.
- Cultivation and harvesting methods: these must comply with strict environmental standards, including crop rotation, limited use of pesticides and soil conservation. Harvesting must be carried out under optimum conditions to guarantee grain quality.
- Milling process: the transformation of grains into flour must respect specific processes that preserve the nutritional qualities of the cereals. This includes slow, low-temperature milling to avoid denaturing the flour’s essential components.
- Final flour characteristics: flour must meet high standards in terms of fineness, ash content (a measure of flour purity) and baking quality. These characteristics are regularly tested to guarantee superior performance in culinary and baking preparations.
- Controls and audits: rigorous and regular controls are carried out by independent certification bodies. These controls include field inspections and audits of production processes to ensure that flours continue to meet Label Rouge requirements.
Types of flour concerned
Label Rouge can be applied to different types of flour, each meeting specific specifications. The most commonly certified types of flour include:
- Soft wheat flour: principally for bakery products, this flour must offer exceptional baking qualities, including good leavening capacity and optimal dough texture.
- Durum wheat flour: for pasta and certain bakery specialties, this flour is appreciated for its high protein content and baking qualities.
- Spelt flour: an alternative to wheat, spelt is often grown using organic or sustainable methods, and offers a distinctive flavor and interesting nutritional qualities.
- Other specific flours: rye flour, corn flour or barley flour can also be certified Label Rouge if they meet the defined quality and production criteria.
Consumer benefits:
- Superior quality: Label Rouge flours are synonymous with exceptional quality, offering better baking performance, finer texture and a distinctive taste that translates into better-quality finished products.
- Food safety: traceability and regular controls guarantee enhanced food safety, reassuring consumers about the quality and origin of the flours they use.
- Respect for the environment: sustainable farming practices and environmentally-friendly processing methods contribute to more ecological production, which benefits the planet.
- Transparency and trust: Label Rouge offers total transparency on the origin and production conditions of flours, reinforcing consumer confidence in the products they choose.
Producer benefits
- Improving product value: Label Rouge improves value of flour on the market, highlighting its superior quality and justifying a higher price.
- Recognition and credibility: it gives producers greater recognition and credibility, strengthening their reputation and market position.
- Access to new markets: certification can open doors to new markets, particularly for consumers, bakery and pastry professionals looking for quality products.
Label Rouge certification for flours is therefore a guarantee of superior quality, guaranteeing products that meet rigorous production, processing, and traceability standards. For consumers, choosing Label Rouge flours means opting for high-quality, safe, and environmentally-friendly products. For producers, this certification offers valuable recognition and an opportunity to enhance the market value of their products. Ultimately, Label Rouge helps to promote an agriculture and food industry of excellence, for the benefit of all. Choosing Foricher Label Rouge flour is therefore a must if you want to make high-quality breads and pastries “à la française” in the United States!
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