Quality can be defined “The distinctive trait, characteristic, capacity or virtue of a product that sets it apart from all others.” Quality includes all other attributes that influence a product’s value to the consumer. This includes negative attributes such as spoilage, contamination with filth, discoloration, off-odors and positive attributes such as the origin, colour, flavour, texture and processing method of the food.
Quality concept within the food industry puts an emphasis on three key factors:
• Conformity with product’s intended purpose;
• Safety;
• Satisfaction of consumer’s expectations and perceptions.
In general, most consumers pay attention to the first two, but their potential expectations with respect to quality involves a lot of different factors. Price, taste, and appearance are among the basic properties for assessment of product’s quality.
Market failures can also occur for quality, and public intervention can sometimes address these failures through establishment of grades and standards.
Because product quality may differ among markets and quality differentiation can benefit industry, private actions can often substitute for public actions to address issues of product quality.
What is
food quality?
