IFS
INTERNATIONAL FOOD SAFETY
INTRAODUCTION:
Food safety today is one of the most important things for food producer and for the final consumers on the market. Consumer concern about treats associated with food is growing and the food quality and food safety has become major issue in media and in the public in the recent years. Production and sale of food with suitable quality is fundamental element of gaining confidence of consumers on every market. Companies which offer and sell their products on the market are changing their behavior regarding food safety and trying to implement every standard market is International food standard and food safety supply chain managements.
introducing in order to satisfy their buyers (i.e. wholesalers, supermarket chains, etc.) and in the end final consumers. Additionally threat for food safety is coming from the fact that international trade in food products is increasing since technical and trade barriers are reduced or completely gone in some countries so this is representing a new source of potential risks in food supply chain networks.
IFS FOOD:
The IFS Food Standard is a (Global Food Safety Initiative) recognized standard for auditing food manufacturers. The focus is on food safety and the quality of processes and products. It concerns food processing companies and companies that pack loose food products.
The aim of IFS is to create a consistent evaluation system for all companies supplying retailer branded food products with uniform formulations, uniform audit procedures and mutual acceptance of audits, which will create a high level of transparency throughout the supply chain.
International food standard (IFS) is a food safety standard which has uniform safety system that is used to qualify and select suppliers . It can be explained as one common audit standard, globally accepted by the food industry in order to continuously improve food safety for consumers. Standard helps supermarket chains in ensuring food safety of the product they are selling to their buyers and to monitor quality level of suppliers of their private labels. International Food Standard has been developed for the purposes of auditing suppliers who cooperate with networks of so called private label manufacturers.
The main aim of the IFS standard is to confirm whether the supplier is capable of delivering a safe product compliant with valid law regulations and norms. Standard helps in ensuring that the companies comply with quality and safety demands, and legal requirements.
Furthermore, the IFS introduced uniform requirements and transparency in the
supply chain (of raw materials and the final product). The IFS standard is based on
the principles of a quality management system as well as the HACCP system and is
supported by the expectations for prerequisite programs, which is the set of Good
Manufacturing Practices (GMP), Good Hygienic Practices (GMP) and Good
Laboratory Practices (GLP). The IFS also follows the guidelines of the Global Food
Safety Initiative and meets criteria set by FSI organization.
BENEFITS:
IFS Food certification can offer a number of key benefits to companies striving for excellence in quality, food safety and customer satisfaction, and seeking a competitive advantage in their market place.
· Enabling logistics and process improvements along the supply chain and having important consequences to a liability as direct benefits of certification.
· IFS can be looked as a neutral instrument based on third party audits which can decrease costs and improve quality of final products at the same time.
· Certification in accordance to IFS offers benefits to companies which mission includes excellence in quality, customer satisfaction and trying to have a competitive advantage in global marketplace.
- Operating costs drop as rework is reduced, efficiencies increase and penalties due to non-compliance reduce.
- Customers, employees, stockholders, regulators and competitors develop sustainable respect for an organization which demonstrates its proactive commitment to food safety.
