Food Safety Certification

BRC

• The BRC Global Standard for Food Safety is developed by food industry experts from retailers, manufacturers and food service organizations to ensure it is rigorous and detailed, yet easy to understand.
• First published in 1998, the Standard is now in its seventh issue and is well-established globally. It has evolved with input from many leading global specifiers.
• It provides a framework to manage product safety, integrity, legality and quality, and the operational controls for these criteria in the food and food ingredient manufacturing, processing and packing industry.

The BRC Global Standard focuses on:

• The importance of management commitment.
• Hazard analysis and critical control point (HACCP) based food safety programmes.
• Quality management systems.
• Auditing good manufacturing processes – it's not just a paperwork audit.
• Auditing areas which often have the highest rate of product recalls and withdrawals, such as labelling and packing.
• Developing systems to reduce exposure to food fraud.
• Ensuring consistency of the audit process.
• Providing a BRC Global Standard that is portable enough to allow Additional Modules to be added to reduce audit burden.
• Promoting greater resilience, transparency and traceability in the supply chain.

Why Choose The Brc Global Standard For Food Safety?
The BRC Global Standard for Food Safety is the number one global market leading GFSI scheme and if you are a specifier, brand and consumer protection will be your number one priority. Supply chain resilience and transparency can be achieved using the Food Safety Standard and reported on the BRC Global Standards Directory.
Built by experts and delivered by highly qualified auditors who have undergone the most rigorous training and examinations of all of the food safety schemes, to ensure the scheme is the "gold Standard".

Customer Confidence

• Protects your brand and consumer
• Ensure your customers maintain confidence in your food safety programme and supply chain management
• Accepted and specified by many retailers, manufacturers, ingredients companies, food service organizations and raw material processors worldwide as part of their supplier approval process
• First Standard to be GFSI benchmarked
• First Standard to define food fraud
• The only Standard to offer a food safety culture assessment
• Use certification as a marketing tool by displaying our logo on your publicity materials, stationery and website

 
Achievable And Cost-Effective

• Written by experts and now in its seventh issue
• Designed to reflect best practice and provide a common sense, risk-based approach to product safety and certification
• Offers audit options including announced or unannounced audits
• There is a straightforward certification process which means there are no hidden costs. If your business is prepared and confident about food safety, the only cost will be that of the audit, which is charged at a local rate
• Reduce waste, complaints, recalls and rejected products
• Global recognition of the Standard by customers and the portable nature of the product with additional modules reduce audit burden

FSSC 22000 is a complete certification Scheme by Foundation for Food Safety Certification for food and feed safety management systems, which are in compliance with the publicly available food safety management systems standard ISO 22000 and description as defined in ISO/TS 22003. It is recognized GFSI that provides worldwide recognition and acceptance.

ISO 22000/ FSSC 22000 comparison

GMP- GOOD MANUFACTURING PRACTICES (Compliance Certification to Pharma & Food Products) Good Manufacturing Practice (GMP) is a term that is recognized worldwide for the control and management of manufacturing, testing and overall quality control of food and pharmaceutical products. GMP takes quality assurance approach, which ensures that products are consistently produced and controlled to the quality standards appropriate to their intended use and as required by the marketing authorization.

GMP is aimed primarily at diminishing the risks inherent in any Pharmaceutical or Food production. GMP addresses issues including documentation, record keeping, personnel qualifications, sanitation, cleanliness, equipment verification, process validation, and complaint handling. Most GMP requirements are very general and openended, allowing each manufacturer to decide individually how to best implement the necessary controls.

This provides much flexibility, but also requires that the manufacturer interpret the requirements in a manner which makes sense for each individual business An important part of GMP, “documentation” of every aspect of the process, activities, and operations involved with manufacture. If the documentation showing how the product was made and tested is not correct and in order, then the product does not meet the required specification and is considered contaminated (adulterated in the US).

Additionally, GMP requires that all manufacturing and testing equipment has been qualified as suitable for use, and that all operational methodologies and procedures, such as manufacturing, cleaning, and analytical testing, utilized in the drug or food manufacturing process have been validated to demonstrate that they can perform their purported functions.

The quality approach of GMP ensures manufacturing, enabling companies to minimize or eliminate instances of contamination, mixups, and errors. This in turn, protects the consumer from purchasing a product, which is not effective or even dangerous. Failure of firms to comply with GMP regulations can result in very serious consequences including recall, seizure, fines, and jail time.

It is believed that GMP is a good business tool, which will help to refine both compliance and performance of the Company. GMP requirements are largely common sense practices, which will help companies better itself as it moves toward a quality approach using continuous improvement.

GMP is also sometimes referred to as "cGMP". The "current," methodologies of manufacture, testing, design and control. The Manufacturers must employ technologies and systems, which are up-to-date. Systems and equipment used to prevent contamination, mixups, and errors are adequate by today's standards.

Thus, Good Manufacturing Practices –GMP, when certified of an organization, is an authorisation and certification of Companies product & process that quality standards are adequate, up to date and controlled for the intended use by the consumer.

What is HACCP?

• HACCP (Hazard Analysis Critical Control Point) is an internationally accepted technique for preventing microbiological, chemical and physical contamination along the food supply chain.
• The HACCP technique does this by identifying the risks, establishing critical control points, setting critical limits, and ensuring control measures are validated, verified and monitored before implementation.
• The effective implementation of HACCP will enhance the ability of companies to: protect and enhance brands and private labels, promote consumer confidence and conform to regulatory and market requirements.

Who can use HACCP?
All businesses involved in the food supply chain from producers to retailers can use HACCP. Enterprises include, but are not restricted to, those linked with: 

•  Fruits & Vegetables
•  Meat & Meat Products
•  Dairy Products
•  Spices & Condiments
•  Fish & Fishery Products
•  Cereals
•  Nuts & Nut Products
•  Restaurants
•  Bakery & Confectionary
•  Hotels
•  Fast Food Operations etc.

The Codex Alimentarius General Principles of Food Hygiene lay a firm foundation for ensuring effective food control and food hygiene. The General Principles of food hygiene follow the food chain from primary production to the consumer, highlighting the key hygiene controls at each stage. Codex has established HACCP based approach to ensure food safety as a benchmark in the International Food Trade. A Hazard Analysis And Critical Control Point (HACCP) approach is recommended wherever possible to enhance food safety. The HACCP approach is internationally recognized as being effective in ensuring the safety and suitability of food for human consumption and in international trade.

Advantages of HACCP

• The HACCP system as it applies to food safety management uses the approach of controlling critical points in food handling to prevent food safety problems. The system which is science based and systematic identifies specific hazards and measures for their control to ensure the safety of food. HACCP is based on prevention and reduces the reliance on end product inspection and testing.
• The HACCP system can be applied throughout the food chain from the primary producer to the consumer. Besides enhancing food safety, other benefits of applying HACCP include more effective use of resources, savings to the food industry and more timely response to food safety problems. HACCP enhances the responsibility and degree of control at the level of the food industry. A properly implemented HACCP system leads to greater involvement of food handlers in understanding and ensuring food safety, thus providing them with renewed motivation in their work. Implementing HACCP does not mean undoing quality assurance procedures or good manufacturing practices already established by a company, it does, however, require a revision of these procedures as part of the systematic approach and for their appropriate integration into the HACCP plan.
• The application of the HACCP System can aid inspection by food control regulatory authorities and promote international trade by increasing buyer's confidence.
• Any HACCP system should be capable of accommodating change, such as advances in equipment design, changes in processing procedures or technological developments.

What Is ISO 22000 Certification For Food Safety ?
The ISO 22000 standard is the first international standard for implementation of a certified food safety management system. It covers Interactive communication, System Management and Hazard control.

ISO 22000 ensures food safety requirements are met and addresses each link in the food processing chain. ISO 22000 integrates principles of the system of hazard analysis and critical control points (HACCP). Through controllable requirements, it connects the HACCP plan with necessary prerequisite programs (that is, best production practices with the creation of an efficient system). This leads to the elimination of potential risks.

Benefits of ISO 22000 certification:

• Provides comprehensive and efficient control of food health and safety
• Minimizes the occurrence of health-risks in food
• Increases food safety in the entire food industry chain
• Provides a food safety audit by an independent third party
• increases trust of the public and state auditing body