Food supply chain and food processing: HACCP, ISO 22000, FSSC 22000, IFS Food, BRC Food

HACCP/basic requirements

Hazard Analysis Critical Control Points (HACCP) is a crucial basic system for ensuring food safety worldwide. HACCP is a management system that addresses food safety through the analysis and control of biological, chemical, and physical hazards. It covers the entire food production process, from raw material handling to distribution and consumption of the finished product. In establishing and assuring Consumer Safety, HACCP aims to protect consumers from foodborne illnesses and contaminants, ensuring their food is safe. Targeting focus on preventing hazards at specific points in
the production process, this proactive approach reduces the chance of unsafe food reaching consumers.

Principles of HACCP:

• Assemble the HACCP Team – a team with expertise in food safety.
• Describe the Food and Its Distribution: Understand the product and its intended use.
• Develop a Flow Diagram: Map out the production process.
• Conduct a Hazard Analysis: Identify potential hazards.
• Determine Critical Control Points (CCPs): Points where control is essential.
• Establish Critical Limits: Define acceptable limits for CCPs.
• Set Up Monitoring Procedures: Regularly check CCPs.
• Plan Corrective Actions: Address deviations from critical limits.
• Implement Verification Procedures: Ensure the system works effectively.
• Maintain Record-Keeping and Documentation: Document all aspects of the HACCP plan

HACCP is a proactive approach that emphasizes prevention, making the food supply safer for everyone.

ISO 22000 is a globally recognized standard that outlines the requirements for a food safety management system. It can be applied by any organization, regardless of its size or position in the food chain. ISO 22000 follows the high-level structure (HLS), which aligns it with other ISO management system standards.

ISO 22000 offers several benefits for organizations that implement it, by providing a systematic approach to managing food safety hazards throughout the food supply chain. It helps prevent foodborne illnesses, contamination, and product recalls. It assures Global Recognition and Compliance, enhances brand reputation and consumer confidence, reduces waste and enhances productivity. Encourages collaboration with suppliers and partners, ensuring consistent food safety practices across the supply chain.

ISO 22000 is not just about compliance; it’s about creating a culture of food safety within your organization, promotes employee awareness of food safety by Training programs to ensure staff competence. This results in continuous improvement rely on regularly review and improve the food safety management system. Corrective actions lead to ongoing enhancement, and finally result in competitive advantage and supply chain confidence on global market.

FSSC 22000, IFS Food and BRC Food are the most demanding and the most rigorous standards in the food industry, established by GFSI (Global Food Safety Initiative). These certifications play a crucial role in ensuring food safety, protecting consumers’ health, and maintaining product integrity. Each standard has its unique focus, but all contribute to a safer food supply chain.
Benefits of implementation and certification include:

• Prevention of foodborne illnesses
• Protection of public health
• Reputation benefits
• Legal and regulatory compliance
• Increased consumer confidence
• Reduction in wastage

FSSC 22000 (Food safety System Certification) is an internationally accepted certification scheme based on a combination of ISO 22000 sector-specific PRPs (Prerequisite Programs) and additional FSSC requirements. It encompasses the entire food supply chain, from the beginning – production of raw materials and semi-products, to the final distribution of food and animal feed.

FSSC 22000 emphasizes risk assessment and management – the Risk-Based Approach, together with food safety requirements and quality culture, quality controls, equipment management, food loss and food waste, communication requirements.

Widely recognized across countries, it aligns with ISO management system standards, and also has 3-years certificate validity, similar to ISO certification process result.

IFS Food (International Featured Standards): IFS is a popular certification standard, especially in Europe. It covers food safety, quality, and legality. Approximately 47% of food certificates are IFS.

IFS certification globally recognized, and prevalent in several European countries, including Italy, Germany, Spain, Denmark, Belgium, France, and Poland.

Food processing and packaging companies ensure high quality and safety of their processes and products by implementing IFS Food norm. It is based on process optimization, strict compliance with legal requirements and maintenance of the highest performances by completion of unannounced assessments.

BRC Food (British Retail Consortium) is a leading trade body for UK retailers. The United Kingdom and the Netherlands have a strong presence in BRC certification, representing 39% of total certifications.

BRC Food emphasizes food safety, quality, and legality, following the principles of HACCP (Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points) and Good Manufacturing Practice (GMP). In summary, BRCGS certification benefits businesses of all sizes, enhances marketability, ensures compliance, and opens up new market opportunities.

Like IFS Food, BRC Food has one year validity of certificate, and also offers the mandatory unannounced audit scheme as proof of maintained and constant full-preparedness for proofing the fulfillment of highest standard requirements.

GLOBALGAP+GRASP for agriculture production

(growing, harvesting and handling of fruits, vegetables, wheat, flowers)

Designed for flexibility and efficiency and developed in collaboration with sector stakeholders GLOBALG.A.P. standards are a trusted sourcing requirement for many major supply chains. The GLOBALG.A.P. portfolio of smart farm assurance solutions offers world-leading standards for producers of plants, aquaculture, and compound feed. After certification, access new markets, and secure your status as an advocate of safer and more sustainable farming worldwide. Their mission is to foster the global adoption of safer and more sustainable farming practices by providing industry-leading, cost-efficient, and value-adding assurance and benchmarking solutions. Using a holistic approach, the smart farm assurance solutions focus on six key impact areas:

1. Food Safety
2. Environmental sustainability
3. Workers’ well-being
4. Animal welfare
5. Supply chain traceability
6. Capacity building

This is a robust, measurable, and fit-for-purpose standard that promote safer and more sustainable farming. All value chain participants are engaged in the development process.

Responsible farming practices aren’t just about products – they’re also about people. The GLOBALG.A.P. Risk Assessment on Social Practice (GRASP) is an add-on to Integrated Farm Assurance (IFA) for the evaluation of workers’ well-being at farm level. Building on the IFA principles and criteria (P&Cs) related to workers’ health and safety, and covering topics such as labor and human rights, representation of workers, and the protection of children and young workers, GRASP is a simple but robust evaluation checklist that producers can use to assess, improve, and demonstrate their responsible social practices. Applicable to the IFA scopes of plants and aquaculture, the add-on is implemented by more than 120,000 producers in over 100 countries worldwide –  promoting the health, safety, and welfare of 1.78 million workers.