The terms “fresh” or “freshly” should only be used where they have a clear meaning, whether used alone or qualified by other terms. The description can help consumers differentiate between similar products, for example: • fresh fruit salad that is made only from fresh fruit; • fresh dairy products (such as cream) held under chilled conditions at point of sale, with limited shelf life, even where they have been subjected to a minimal, mild heat treatment such as conventional pasteurisation for safety purposes.
Expressions such as “freshly cooked”, “freshly prepared”, “freshly baked”, “freshly picked” should have no other connotation than the immediacy of the action being described. Where such expressions are used, it is recommended they be accompanied by an indication of the date or time or period of when the action being described took place (e.g. “freshly prepared this morning”).
