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16.06.2017 - Foods
New Opportunities with "IFS Light" - In BAV Newsletter 02/2016
IFS Global Markets Food
For small and medium-sized enterprises, it is still difficult to implement and maintain a food safety system according to the IFS Food Standard. However, it is often these companies that produce highly attractive products, whether it's something innovative, a special quality, or unique regional products. These products would definitely have an excellent sales forecast if they only made it to the supermarket. However, the formal access requirements of the retail sector are often too high for these businesses.
Because retailers also have an interest in selling these products, an entry-level solution, essentially an "IFS Light Standard," has been developed for smaller and less developed companies.
The new "IFS Global Markets Food" standard is an evaluation program for food safety, which helps companies in building certifiable food safety systems. The standard offers all food businesses the opportunity to prove a food safety management system – gradually and with manageable effort.
The major advantage is that even the basic level meets the trade-specific requirements for product safety and monitoring. Therefore, the business is listed in the IFS database from the beginning and opens up new sales channels in the trade. The system is gradually expanded and eventually leads to a complete risk-based product safety management system.
The multi-level structure requires the fulfillment of the basic level requirements in the first year. In the second year, the requirements of both the basic and intermediate levels should be met, laying the foundation for IFS Food certification in the third year. This not only allows for adapted company development but also helps build human resources. With the aid of new sales opportunities, this should also be financially viable.
Procedure IFS Global Markets Food
1. Basic Level Requirements
- Food Safety Management System: Specifications, including product release, traceability, handling of food safety incidents, control of non-conforming products, corrective actions
- Good Manufacturing Practice: Personal hygiene, operating environment, cleaning and disinfection, control of product contamination, pest control, water quality
- Control of Food Hazards: HACCP basic principles, general and specific control of food hazards, control of allergens
2. Intermediate Level Requirements (in addition to Basic Level)
- Food Safety Management System: Clear organizational structure and responsibilities, procedure descriptions and documentation requirements, complaint management, product analysis, supplier management, trainings
- Good Manufacturing Practice: Maintenance of installations and facilities, social spaces, waste management, storage and transport
- HACCP and Additional Requirements: HACCP system, product descriptions, flow diagrams, verification of HACCP system, product protection
3. IFS Food Certification
GFSI Global Markets Programme
Companies that may not want to subject themselves to the certification pressure of the IFS system can take advantage of the assessment solution provided by the Global Food Safety Initiative GFSI. The GFSI Global Markets Programme is intended to allow a tailored development specifically for small and medium-sized enterprises.
The programme is based on core requirements summarized in GFSI documents derived from the Codex Alimentarius. It represents an assessment and development process without the need for certification. At the basic level, the participating company meets 35% of the core requirements, and at the intermediate level, 65%.