BIO is a certified label for organic farming products and products derived from them, for which strict rules apply. No producer – farmer or food manufacturer – may use the BIO label unless authorized to do so. To obtain such authorization, they must register with one of the inspection organizations and undergo regular inspections, as well as testing of raw materials and products.
Inspection organizations in individual countries are assigned numerical designations, and you will find them on products under the European Union's BIO logo – a leaf in a green field. Fluidum has obtained and regularly renews its certification with the inspection organization ABCERT. This organization is authorized by the Ministry of Agriculture for inspections and is designated CZ-BIO-002. This designation accompanies Fluidum products not only on all packaging, but also on invoices, the website, and other materials. All BIO products manufactured in the Czech Republic are additionally marked with the national logo, the so-called BIO zebra.
For manufacturers of BIO foods, certification audits take place annually and are announced in advance. However, it can also happen, and often does, that an inspection arrives unannounced at any time during the year. It is important to mention that inspectors are from all over the country and the same inspector may visit one company a maximum of twice.
The inspector reviews the layout of the facility, thoroughly examines all production and storage areas, simply everything where any error could occur. They check invoicing – purchases and sales – or, for example, valid BIO certifications of all suppliers. Based on production records, a random check of a specific batch of products then takes place. In our case, this includes checking the entire process from the purchase of raw materials, through production and packaging, to dispatch and retail or wholesale sales. Everything must match precisely. Not the slightest discrepancy must arise anywhere.
In the case of growers, inspections are even more demanding, with an emphasis on fertilizers used, agricultural sprays, soil quality, and the like.
BIO is not primarily intended to mean healthier or higher quality, but secondarily, in the end, this is often the case. If we disregard contaminated soil, chemical sprays or various treatments of raw materials and products, added artificial preservatives, flavorings, colorings and other substances, whose naturalness and positive contribution to the human body are questionable, we logically arrive at cleaner versions of food.
We chose BIO for Fluidum quite consciously. Given the established functional control mechanisms and labeling rules, we are sure that no one will cheat us when purchasing. In our opinion, it is the best way to a healthy lifestyle and thus a happy life.