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International Featured Standards Food

IFS Food 

The first International Featured Standards ( IFS ) standard was the IFS  Food standard starting in 2003. The most recent version is 5 (which applies from the 1st January 2008).

The IFS Food is a Standard for auditing retailer and wholesaler branded food product suppliers and only concerns food processing companies or companies that pack loose food products. The IFS Food can only be used when a product is “processed” or when there is a hazard for product contamination during the primary packing.

IFS Food is applied to:

  • processing and working and/or
  • handling of loose products and/or
  • activities undertaken during the primary packaging.
Sub-Category Private Sector
Standard for processed food
Focus audit of retailer and wholesaler branded food product suppliers
Structure

Number of requirements, structure of the checklist

The current check-list of IFS Food version 5 contains 250 requirements. The check-list is divided into 5 chapters:

Chapter 1: Senior Management Responsibility. This chapter contains requirements about corporate policy, structure, customer focus and management review.

Chapter 2: Quality Management System. This chapter mostly deal with HACCP system, documentation requirements and record keeping.

Chapter 3: Resource Management. This chapter contains requirements about personnel hygiene, protective clothing, training, and staff facilities.

Chapter 4: Production Process. This chapter is the biggest in the standard (since IFS Food is linked to a product and process certification). It deals, among others, with product specifications, purchasing, packaging, factory environment, housekeeping, pest control, traceability, etc.

Chapter 5: Measurements, Analysis and Improvements. This last chapter deals with internal audit, product analysis, product withdrawal and recall, management of corrective actions, etc.

Conformity Requirements
Auditing System
Geographic Focus worldwide
Website http://www.ifs-online.eu/

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