FOOD SAFETY

Food Safety

In 2002 German HDE (Hauptverband des Deutschen Einzelhandels) retailers developed a common food safety standard called International Food Standard, IFS. In 2003, French retailers and wholesalers from the FCD (Federation des enterprises du Commerce et de la Distribution) entered a collaboration with the IFS Working Group and contributed to the development of the 4th IFS Edition. Since 2005 also Italian trade associations are involved in the joint project. By now the IFS is also highly valued as a food specific quality assurance system, which can be used by all food producing companies. Version 7 is the latest IFS version since 1^st of March 2021.

IFS Certification is a valuable asset for food businesses who wish to export their products to Germany and France, as more and more retailers from these countries require an IFS certificate from their suppliers. IFS Regulation specifies a quantified assessment of requirements that have been fulfilled and the evaluation result is expressed in percentage terms. Thus, a supplier’s customer can evaluate quantitatively the performance of their supplier.

The IFS Food Standard was established in 2003 by the retail associations of Germany and France, with the aim of providing a unified and reliable assessment of food suppliers. It is intended for companies that process and/or package food, with an emphasis on the safety, quality, legality, and authenticity of products. Audits are based on on-site inspections and documentation review, offering transparency and comparability throughout the supply chain, while also promoting the continuous improvement of processes and compliance with customer requirements.

IFS Logistics was developed to ensure safety and quality in transportation and product handling services. The latest version of IFS Logistics focuses on evaluating transportation processes, ensuring compliance with the highest standards of safety, quality, and legality. Through on-site inspections and documentation review, IFS Logistics enhances transparency and comparability throughout the supply chain, ensuring compliance with customer requirements and global regulations.

The IFS ESG Check is a tool that helps businesses assess their progress on sustainability and ESG matters through verified self-assessment. It provides a simple and structured framework for understanding and enhancing ESG practices, whether or not the company is IFS-certified. Available modules include the ESG Check and Carbon Footprint.

IFS Broker is an internationally recognized standard developed to address the needs of brokers, trading agencies, and importers who do not have direct contact with the product but play a critical role in the safety, quality, and compliance of the supply chain. The aim of the standard is to ensure that these entities effectively implement control systems for the selection and monitoring of their suppliers.

The BRCGS (Brand Reputation Compliance Global Standards) Food Safety Issue is one of the most widely used and globally recognized standards for ensuring food safety and quality. It is intended for businesses that manufacture, process, handle, or package food products, whether for private labels or commercial brands. The standard is recognized by the GFSI (Global Food Safety Initiative) and is applied in more than 130 countries.