IFS- International Food Standard, The starting point is Global Food Safety Initiative (GFSI). It emerged in 2000 as a result of improving food safety by the Chamber of Commerce CIES – Global Food Business Forum.
It was initially formed with the participation of 40 Commercial enterprises in Europe, North America and AUSTRALIA. The aim of GFSI is to prepare a global Food Safety standardization and enable businesses to sell safer food products in their own markets. Based on this, GFSI has made the Food Safety standard measurable by revealing Key criteria.
The purpose of the system is to ensure that food processing suppliers provide retailers with products suitable for food safety and hygiene.
Standards are periodically reviewed and revised according to industry conditions. In January 2012, the 6th version of the standard was published.
ARTICLE TITLES OF THE IFS (Version 6) STANDARD
1.Senior Management Responsibility
2.Quality and food safety management system
3.Resource Management
4.Planning and Production Processes
5.Measurement, analysis, improvement
6.Food protection and external audits
CERTIFICATION PROCESS
An organization that wishes to obtain a certificate according to the IFS Standard first signs a contract with the certification body authorized to issue this certificate.
It fulfills the required documentation and process requirements in accordance with IFS requirements.
After the necessary preparations are completed, an audit is requested from the certification body.
As a result of the inspection carried out by the expert auditors, the companies whose compliance with the criteria determined in the IFS standard are registered are certified. The validity period of the certificate is 1 year.
Benefits of IFS
Increasing consumer confidence
Priority entry to the desired market
Strong ties with retail distribution
Increased transparency
Increasing the efficiency of production
Minimizing major food risks
It has a wide scope such as Quality, Hygiene and Product Safety.
It ensures effective control of internal processes and minimizing the risk of making mistakes.
It takes a proactive approach to food safety by identifying potential hazards in advance and using preventive methods instead of corrective ones.