Food – raw, processed or retail-ready – is one of the most traded commodities across the globe. From fruits and vegetables to meats, seafood and ready-to-eat shelf-stable packaged foods, all form a comprehensive manufacturing, supply and distribution sectors. However, with such massive business come many issues concerning the safety and quality regarding packaging, storage, shipping and distribution of food products. This is where food safety and product safety management plays an important role.
The food industry has seen an increasing number of incidents where a certain product has adversely affected the consumer’s health.
There have been incidents where a certain food product needed to be withdrawn from the market because it was recognized as harmful for consumption. Considering the gravity of such incidents, the companies must maintain a high level of safety not only in the manufacturing facilities but also in the storage unit as well as while transporting.
Global Food Safety Initiative (GFSI) recognised and other global standards for food safety and quality were established to offer uniform assessment guidelines that all organizations in the industry can follow, to ensure maximum safety of the product.
Food safety management system’s goal is to establish specific processes in an organization to prevent food-borne illness and injury. It is a system that helps organizations to set up systems that will ensure the safety and protection of the consumers. Health and safety of the consumers is the key focus of these systems.
Product safety management system focuses on the hygiene of food packaging, packaging material and other food contact products.
The food safety and product safety management system applies to a comprehensive set of processes and practices in the organization. From the quality of raw ingredients to the safety systems that the suppliers of the said materials have established in facilities, a safety management system looks into all aspects. A safety management system evaluates processes involved in the preparation, packaging and storage of food to protect consumers. The system also focuses on workplace safety and engagement of employees while ensuring that the company is abiding by the regulations in the region.
HACCP, Food Fraud, Food Defence, Allergen Control and Prerequisite programs are the key aspects of food safety/product safety management system.
Having a reliable Food Safety & Product Safety Management system in place speaks of the company’s commitment to protecting its consumers from any ill-effects.
The system can be a strong base for the company to acquire global certification applicable to its sector to add to its overall credibility. Such systems automatically improve the operations of the company, leading to better quality and safety of the end-product.
The global certifications for food safety and product safety management are based on many principles adopted from science, chemistry and engineering. They cover food safety while detailing the healthy percentage of certain ingredients, like sodium and sugar in packaged foods. They also detail instructions on a safe way to process food products, package them and store them. There are also set guidelines for the transportation of different food products.
With such detailed guidelines, acquiring a certification in this field increases the confidence in the company. If a certain company starts with proper planning and execution of detailed operations, it can incorporate the requirements of the international standard.
However, many enterprises want to gain a strong foothold in the market by acquiring a certification. In this case, the evaluation process for the certification will offer a clear understanding of what changes the company must make.
Getting a globally-recognized certificate for food safety makes a company attractive in the international market. This can be a strong base to tap into new markets and improve the overall performance of the organizations.
Every sector on the food chain has its certifications and separate guidelines. Technocrat Consultants helps companies understand what certification would be most advantageous for them and how they can successfully acquire it. We support our clients throughout the process of the certification and also retain it.