FSSC food safety scheme claims first for EU-wide recognition
Cornelie Glerum, secretary general of the scheme’s parent organisation Foundation for Food Safety Certification, told FoodProductionDaily.com: “This is the first scheme to be accepted throughout the European Union by the European Co-operation for Accreditation (EA). Obviously, this is a lot quicker (and more effective) than approaching the accreditation bodies of individual member states.”
EA recognition means that all European accreditation bodies will accept FS22000 removing the need for all EU accreditation bodies to evaluate the scheme individually.
Food manufacturing chain
Already accepted by Canada, United States, Australia and some other countries, the FSSC 22000 system aims to harmonise food safety standards throughout the food manufacturing chain.
The scheme focuses on the audit and certification of food manufacturers’ and processors’ safety systems covering:
- Perishable animal products, excluding slaughtering and pre-slaughtering treatments.
- Perishable vegetable products including fresh fruits and vegetables and preserved fruits and vegetables.
- Products with long shelf life at ambient temperature such as pasta.
- Biochemical products for food manufacturing such as vitamins, additives and bio-cultures.
Fons Schmid, chairman board of stakeholders FS22000 and the Global Food Safety Initiative (GFSA), said: “FS22000 will play a crucial role in safeguarding food safety through the supply chain all over the world. It is a great food safety scheme for safe food manufacturing in all countries and has the support of the GFSI, the industry and many retailers who follow the GFSI founding-mission.”
Industry leaders
The scheme is supported by industry leaders Nestle, Unilever, Kraft and Danone.
EA accreditation for the scheme will take effect from 1 January 2011.
The FSSC 22000 standard combines the requirements of ISO 22000:2005 (Food Safety Management Systems requirements) and PASS220:2008 (prerequisite programmes on food safety for food manufacturing).
In addition to FSSC 22000, the Foundation for Food Safety Certification developed the ISO 22000 and PAS 220 based certification scheme for certification of food manufacturers. This is supported by the Confederation of the Food and Drink Industries of the European Union (CIAA) and recognized by GFSI.
