Food safety is of the utmost priority in the world of professional catering. Every day, chefs and food handlers work with equipment that comes into direct contact with food, where the quality of materials and compliance with regulations make all the difference. Learn all about the MOCA certificate: what it is and why it is an essential benchmark for producers and operators in the Ho.Re.Ca. sector.
MOCA Certificate: Definition and Regulatory References
The acronym MOCA stands for Materiali e Oggetti a Contatto con Alimenti, or Food Contact Materials (FCM) in English.
But what actually is the MOCA certificate?
It is an official document that protects consumer health by certifying that materials and objects intended for contact with food do not release harmful substances or alter the organoleptic characteristics of food.
The MOCA declaration of conformity is disciplined by two main European regulations:
Regulation (EC) No. 1935/2004, which establishes general safety requirements for materials in contact with food;
Regulation (EC) No. 2023/2006, which defines Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP) for manufacturers.
The mandatory MOCA certificate is issued only after the manufacturer has carried out migration testing, laboratory analysis and thorough checks on production processes. This rigorous process ensures the suitability of materials for food contact and complete traceability throughout the supply chain, from production to distribution.
To avoid penalties, all operators in the MOCA supply chain - namely producers, processors, assemblers and distributors - must submit a self-declaration to the relevant health authority using the MOCA certificate facsimile available online, to define themselves part of the supply chain and declare their specific role within it.
MOCA Stainless Steel Certificate: A Guarantee of Quality and Safety
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When it comes to the MOCA certificate, what it is and why it's essential in the kitchen, the topic of stainless steel, a reference material in the food industry, is unavoidable.
In fact, stainless steel is particularly valued in the catering industry for its strength, durability and ease of cleaning: characteristics that make it ideal for all food-contact applications.
In Italy, the Ministerial Decree of 21 March 1973, which has been amended and supplemented over time up to the present day according to technological evolutions, European regulations and the needs of the sector, specifies the regulations regarding stainless steel for food uses in detail. It also establishes all suitable types of steel, chemical composition limits to ensure that the steel does not release harmful substances, and the migration tests necessary to verify material compliance.
The MOCA stainless steel certificate is an indispensable guarantee to ensure that the materials used are safe and meet the highest quality standards. It is a key reference for companies operating in the sector, but also a constant stimulus for innovation as a parameter that encourages the research and development of increasingly high-performance technologies and materials capable of ensuring maximum food safety and consumer health protection.
A concrete example is Lotus Spa, a leader in the professional kitchen industry, which with the exclusive SuperChrome chrome plating technology has marked a real breakthrough in griddles, revolutionising the concept of high-end professional fry tops.
This innovative chrome plating allows the best features and functionality of iron and chrome plates to be combined in a single plate, thus achieving the Food Safe certification issued by MOCA. Ordinary chrome or iron griddles cannot reach this achievement due to their limitations related to oxidation and nick damage.
Mandatory and Voluntary MOCA Certification: Differences
When we initially addressed the MOCA certificate, what it is and what it ensures, we explained that it is an essential benchmark for those in the industry. But how does it differ from MOCA certification?
The MOCA declaration of compliance is a legal obligation established by European regulations for all operators in the chain of materials and objects intended to come into contact with food. It must be drawn up by every player involved - from raw material producers to end distributors - and is used to certify that products meet safety requirements and good manufacturing practices.
Otherwise, MOCA certification is a voluntary procedure that demonstrates a company's commitment to providing an additional assurance of quality and safety for the materials it uses. This certification is issued by specialised bodies, but has not yet been recognised as an international standard.
Would you like to learn more about the MOCA certificate, what it is and ensures, and discover the solutions designed by the most innovative companies for food safety? Write to lotus@lotuscookers.it or fill out the contact form.