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This report has been prepared by Areté s.r.l. – Research & Consulting in Economics, Agra CEAS Consulting Ltd | IEG Agribusiness intelligence | Informa and Directorate-General for Agriculture and Rural Development (European Commission), Marketing standards have been a feature of the CAP since its early days, with a view to taking into account the expectations of consumers and to contributing to the improvement of the economic conditions for the production and marketing of agricultural products, as well as to the improvement of their quality. The evaluation aims at assessing the effectiveness, efficiency, relevance, coherence and EU added value of marketing standards established by Regulation (EU) No 1308/2013, by secondary CMO legislation and by the “Breakfast Directives”. Recommendations aimed at addressing the most significant issues emerged from the assessment focus on: i) the need to investigate on the implications of improper use of protected dairy terms (e.g. milk, butter) for marketing plant-based substitutes for dairy products; ii) possible updates to specific provisions concerning poultry meat and olive oil; iii) improving consumer awareness about marketing standards; iv) clarifying to national competent authorities the hierarchical relationship between EU marketing standards and EU legislation on food safety and provision of food information to consumers; v) promoting empirical research on the potential implications of EU marketing standards in terms of increased/reduced food losses and waste; vi) investigating the possible benefits of establishing a harmonised EU definition for cider.

This report has been prepared by Areté s.r.l. – Research & Consulting in Economics in cooperation with Arcadia Int., Agra CEAS Consulting Ltd and Directorate-General for Agriculture and Rural Development (European, Olive oil is considered as a food category at high risk of non-compliances and frauds, due to its high economic value compared to other food products. Conformity checks performed by national competent authorities aim at ensuring that marketing standards for olive oils are complied with on the EU market. This study investigates how conformity checks in the olive oil sector are conducted at Member State level across the EU, to identify the related problems and bottlenecks and to propose solutions to improve their effectiveness and efficiency. Member States generally consider that the EU conformity checks system for olive oils is globally fit for purpose. However, the study identifies some challenges and difficulties in implementing conformity checks on olive oils at Member State level: these derive from national specificities (e.g. multiple competent authorities involved in the system; insufficient funding; lack of skilled staff; etc.), or concern the overall timing to perform the checks and in particular the organoleptic assessment of olive oils through tasting panels. The proposed solutions aim at improving the training of staff, the performance of organoleptic assessment and the labelling of olive oils. Potential solutions to ensure traceability in the olive oil sector are also discussed.

Price transmission (PT) in the agro-food sector has received increasing attention during the last decades, with a relevant impulse dating since Peltzman study on vertical price transmission which provided evidence of diffused PT anomalies in many agro-food sectors (Peltzman, 2000). Horizontal price transmission (HPT) received less attention and few studies have been conducted till now about this issue (Listorti 2009, Barassi and Ghoshray 2002, Thompson and Bohl 1999.). Price transmission has gained momentum also in relation to the implementation of the World Trade Organization (WTO) rules. European trade policies and, in particular, trade regulation of agricultural commodities within the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) are a specific issue in this context. This paper reports about the results of a European study conducted in 2011 about price transmission in the sugar sector as effect of the sugar sector reform of 2006.

The set aside measure consists in the obligation for farmers to leave a given portion of the agricultural land on their farms in fallow (i.e. out of production), as a condition for benefiting from direct payments (cropspecific coupled payments before the 2003 CAP reform; single farm payment afterwards). The obligation can be fulfilled also by cultivating non food crops on set aside land under the “non food on set aside” (NFSA) regime. Five-year voluntary set aside was introduced in 1988. With the 1992 CAP reform, set aside became a compulsory measure aimed at supply control, and specific area payments were associated to it. The need for a sound environmental management of set aside land was recognised. The NFSA regime was introduced. With the “Agenda 2000” reform of 1999 the provisions governing the measure were not substantially modified. Compulsory set aside rate was set at 10%. Set aside area payments were calculated by multiplying the basic amount per tonne by the average cereal yield determined in the regionalisation plan for the region concerned. The CAP reform of 2003 introduced a new system of decoupled payments linked to cross-compliance requirements (“single payment scheme” - SPS). The role of set aside as an instrument for supply control was confirmed; in addition, the positive environmental effects of the measure were explicitly recognised. Set aside obligations were maintained in the form of special “set aside entitlements”, which trigger a payment only if the land on which they are activated is set aside from production or cultivated with non food crops. The main elements of the measure remained unchanged: however some specific provisions for applying the measure followed the different options for implementing the SPS chosen at Member State level.

Objectives The objective of this study was to assess local vascular architecture in atrophic-erosive oral lichen planus (OLP). Materials and Methods We investigated the capillary structure of the oral mucosa in 31 patients with OLP and 32 healthy controls. Capillaries images were captured in vivo through a capillaroscope. We applied fractal analysis to quantify the microvasculature morphometric changes in the oral mucosa of atrophic-erosive OLP patients in terms of their fractal dimension (D). Results The oral vascular networks of atrophic-erosive OLP lesions had a significantly higher D, both in buccal mucosae (D = 1.167, P = .019) and in tongue (D = 1.196, P = .038), compared with the control population (1.123 for both locations, respectively). Conclusions The present study confirms previous literature data on a close relationship between abnormal vascular architecture and atrophic-erosive OLP. Fractal analysis provided a quantitative descriptor of the complexity of the vascular patterns, which increases in the OLP samples. These data may provide new information on the OLP pathogenesis, as well as serve as morphologic quantifiers for monitoring treatment strategies.

Background: The introduction of optical coherence tomography (OCT) in dentistry enabled the integration of already existing clinical and laboratory investigations in the study of the oral cavity. This systematic review presents an overview of the literature, to evaluate the usefulness of in vivo OCT for diagnosing oral soft tissues lesions, to compare the OCT results with traditional histology, and to identify limitations in prior studies so as to improve OCT applications. Methods: We performed a review of the literature using different search engines (PubMed, ISI Web of Science, and the Cochrane Library) employing MeSH terms such as “optical coherence tomography” and “OCT” in conjunction with other terms. We utilized the Population, Intervention, Comparison, Outcomes, and Study design (PICOS) method to define our study eligibility criteria. Results: Initial results were 3155. In conclusion, there were only 27 studies which met our selection criteria. We decided to allocate the 27 selected items into three groups: healthy mucosa; benign, premalignant, and malignant lesions; and oral manifestations of systemic therapies or pathological conditions. Conclusions: Although the OCT is an easy-to-perform test and it offers an attractive diagnostic and monitoring prospect for soft tissues of the oral cavity, further studies are needed to complete the current knowledge of this imaging technique. Background: The introduction of optical coherence tomography (OCT) in dentistry enabled the integration of already existing clinical and laboratory investigations in the study of the oral cavity. This systematic review presents an overview of the literature, to evaluate the usefulness of in vivo OCT for diagnosing oral soft tissues lesions, to compare the OCT results with traditional histology, and to identify limitations in prior studies so as to improve OCT applications. Methods: We performed a review of the literature using different search engines (PubMed, ISI Web of Science, and the Cochrane Library) employing MeSH terms such as “optical coherence tomography” and “OCT” in conjunction with other terms. We utilized the Population, Intervention, Comparison, Outcomes, and Study design (PICOS) method to define our study eligibility criteria. Results: Initial results were 3155. In conclusion, there were only 27 studies which met our selection criteria. We decided to allocate the 27 selected items into three groups: healthy mucosa; benign, premalignant, and malignant lesions; and oral manifestations of systemic therapies or pathological conditions. Conclusions: Although the OCT is an easy-to-perform test and it offers an attractive diagnostic and monitoring prospect for soft tissues of the oral cavity, further studies are needed to complete the current knowledge of this imaging technique.

After orthodontic treatment with fixed appliances, bonded brackets and residual adhesive must be removed. This procedure should lead to restitutio ad integrum of the enamel or, at least, restore the enamel surface as closely as possible to its pre-treatment conditions. The purpose of this study is the in vivo assessment at a microscopic resolution of enamel surfaces after bracket debonding while avoiding the tooth extraction. Nine orthodontic patients who had brackets removed at the conclusion of orthodontic treatment were enrolled. In vivo reflectance confocal microscopy imaging of dental enamel surface after debonding was performed for each patient. Eighteen upper incisors were analyzed, 10 in which the enamel demineralization appeared after the treatment and 8 in which the demineralization was present before the treatment. RCM analyses showed some speckled or roundish dark areas within the enamel. Moreover enamel alterations were detected at different levels of depth. The present in vivo microscopic study allowed for highlighting structural features in dental enamel, after debonding, at a microscopic resolution in real-time and in a non-invasive way, without the need for extraction or processing of the samples. After orthodontic treatment with fixed appliances, bonded brackets and residual adhesive must be removed. This procedure should lead to restitutio ad integrum of the enamel or, at least, restore the enamel surface as closely as possible to its pre-treatment conditions. The purpose of this study is the in vivo assessment at a microscopic resolution of enamel surfaces after bracket debonding while avoiding the tooth extraction. Nine orthodontic patients who had brackets removed at the conclusion of orthodontic treatment were enrolled. In vivo reflectance confocal microscopy imaging of dental enamel surface after debonding was performed for each patient. Eighteen upper incisors were analyzed, 10 in which the enamel demineralization appeared after the treatment and 8 in which the demineralization was present before the treatment. RCM analyses showed some speckled or roundish dark areas within the enamel. Moreover enamel alterations were detected at different levels of depth. The present in vivo microscopic study allowed for highlighting structural features in dental enamel, after debonding, at a microscopic resolution in real-time and in a non-invasive way, without the need for extraction or processing of the samples.

Background: Since the early 2000s, several studies have examined the application of reflectance confocal microscopy (RCM) to the oral cavity. This review gives an overview of the literature on reflectance confocal microscopy analysis of the oral cavity in vivo and identifies flaws in the studies, providing guidance to improve reflectance confocal microscopy applications and inform the design of future studies. Methods: The PubMed, ISI, Scopus, and Cochrane Library databases were searched for publications on RCM using the terms ‘reflectance confocal microscopy’ in combination with ‘mouth’ and other terms related to the topic of interest. Results: The search gave 617 results. Seventeen studies were included in our final analysis. We decided to organize the selected articles according to four topics: healthy mucosa, autoimmune diseases, cancer and precancerous lesions, and hard dental tissues. Conclusion: Although reflectance confocal microscopy is promising for diagnosing and monitoring oral pathology, it has shortcomings and there are still too few publications on this topic. Further studies are needed to increase the quantity and quality of the results, to translate research into clinical practice. Background: Since the early 2000s, several studies have examined the application of reflectance confocal microscopy (RCM) to the oral cavity. This review gives an overview of the literature on reflectance confocal microscopy analysis of the oral cavity in vivo and identifies flaws in the studies, providing guidance to improve reflectance confocal microscopy applications and inform the design of future studies. Methods: The PubMed, ISI, Scopus, and Cochrane Library databases were searched for publications on RCM using the terms ‘reflectance confocal microscopy’ in combination with ‘mouth’ and other terms related to the topic of interest. Results: The search gave 617 results. Seventeen studies were included in our final analysis. We decided to organize the selected articles according to four topics: healthy mucosa, autoimmune diseases, cancer and precancerous lesions, and hard dental tissues. Conclusion: Although reflectance confocal microscopy is promising for diagnosing and monitoring oral pathology, it has shortcomings and there are still too few publications on this topic. Further studies are needed to increase the quantity and quality of the results, to translate research into clinical practice.

Burning mouth syndrome (BMS) is characterised by the presence of a burning sensation in the oral mucosa in the absence of any clinically apparent mucosal sign. It occurs more commonly in older women and often affects the tongue tip and lateral borders, lips, and hard and soft palates. Besides the burning sensation, patients with BMS may complain of unremitting oral mucosal pain, dysgeusia, and xerostomia. The exact pathophysiology of primary BMS remains unknown. A major challenge for the clinician is the treatment of BMS: identifying possible causative factors is the first step, but BMS is often idiopathic. Drug therapy, in addition to behavioural therapy and psychotherapy, may help to eliminate the symptoms. Considering the growing incidence of BMS in older people, further research is required to determine the true efficacy of current management strategies for patients with this disorder.