Food certification

Food safety as an objective
Food safety is a global concern. Past events have demonstrated that weak food controls can dramatically impact our day to day lives and turn the fortunes of successful companies around. Pressure from consumers, ecological associations and governmental bodies is now driving the whole food supply chain (primary producers, catering establishments, restaurants, hotels, food producing companies, food transporting companies, retailers, food storing companies and animal feed manufacturers) to implement safer food management systems.

SGS in the Food/Feed sector
SGS Ireland Ltd offers Certification Services for Irish Food companies through a wide variety of standards. The main services are:

BRC Global Standard - Food Issue 4: The BRC Standard has been in existence since 1998 and has provided retailers and consumers assurance in the food products on their shelves. Within Ireland’s food industry, the requirement for third party Certification to BRC Global Food is ever increasing. The BRC Standard is comprehensive in scope covering areas of quality, hygiene and product safety.

IS 343:2000 – HACCP: A single Irish Standard for Certification of the HACCP/ Food Safety System within Irish Food Production and Catering Industries. HACCP Principles are documented within this standard and provides a food company with straightforward guidance on the implementation, maintenance, compliance and improvement of their Food Safety System.

ISO 22000: A new standard currently being approved which will become a Certifiable Standard by the end of 2005. ISO 22000 will be an Internationally recognised Food Safety Standard and is based on the existing ISO 9001:2000 but specific to the food industry.

GMP 13: Dutch Animal Feed for foreign suppliers (PDV Standard). The PDV (Product Board of the Netherlands) have developed standards for the Dutch Animal Feed Industry and included within their series of Standards is GMP 13. Any foreign supplier wishing to trade in the Netherlands must comply and have third party Certification to GMP 13.  It is a standard based on HACCP Principles and Feed Safety as the Feed Sector is an important link in the food production chain.

European Code of Good Trading Practice: Coceral: With the aim of demonstrating further transparency of its commitments, the trade has established this European Code of Good Trading Practice. This Code was established in order to assure that goods are being traded according to best current professional standards and in accordance with European legislation and to maintain consumer confidence. This Code applies to traders of raw materials for food and feed production.

Second Party Audits/Supplier audits: SGS, as an Independent Certification body, can provide inspection or second party auditing services within the Food Industry on behalf of foreign or local companies who wish to audit their suppliers. As SGS has an international network of offices and skilled auditors, second party audits and inspections can be carried out in over 140 countries.