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The Global Standard for Food Safety will be available from late February 2008 in the above languages. The translated editions will be available in print as well as PDFformat. Order your printed copy now by calling +44 (0) 870 243 0123 stating the ISBN below and code EAB.

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Post

LO

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FOR FOOD SAFETY

January 2008
British Retail Consortium London: T50

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Online www.brcbookshop.com Mail, Telephone, Fax & E-mail TSO PO Box 29, Norwich NR3 1GN Telephone orders/General Fax orders: 0870 600 5533 E-mail: book.orders@tso.co.uk Textphone 0870 240 3701 TSO Shops 16 Arthur Street, Belfast BTI4GD 02890238451 Fax 028 9023 5401 71 Lothian Road, Edinburg EH3 9Al 0870 606 5566 Fax 0870 606 5588 enquiries: 0870 600 5522

Liability BRC publish information information and express opinions in good faith, but accept no liability for any error or omission in any such or opinion contained in this document. in this publication is accurate, they shall not be liable for any compensation or opinion including any information

Whilst the BRC have endeavoured to ensure that the information damages (including without goodwill restitution whatsoever

limitation damages for pure economic loss or loss of business or loss of profits or depletion of

or otherwise in each case, whether direct, indirect or consequential, or any claims for consequential or otherwise, in connection with this publication or any information

(howsoever caused) arising in contract, tort (including negligence or breach of statutory duty), misrepresentation, contained in it, or from any action or decision

taken as a result of reading this publication or any such information. All warranties, excluded. conditions and other terms implied by statute or common law are, to the fullest extent permitted by law,

Nothing excludes or limits the liability of BRC for death or personal injury caused by their negligence, for fraud orfraudulent misrepresentation Copyright British Retail Consortium 2007 may be transmitted or reproduced in any form (including photocopying or or for any matter which it would be illegal for them to exclude or attempt to exclude liability for.

All rights reserved. No part of this publication

storage in any medium by electronic means) without acknowledgement

the written permission of the copyright owner. Application

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should be addressed to the Director of Global Standards at the British Retail Consortium, of author and source must be given.

contact details below. Full

Warning: Any unauthorised prosecution. British Retail Consortium Second Floor 21 Dartmouth London SW1H9BP Tel: +44 (0) 20 78548900 Fax: +44 (0) 20 7854 8901 email: info@brc.org.uk Street

act in relation to a copyright work may result in both a civil claim for damages and criminal

website: www.brcglobalstandards.com

The Standard consists of the following sections:

Section I Section II Provides a background to, and details the format of, the Standard. Details the requirements of the Standard with which a company must comply in order to gain certification. Provides information on the selection of a certification body, and details of the process for gaining a certificate. Describes the BRC Global Standards Directory, the information contained within it and the parties to whom this is accessible.

Section 1\1

Section IV

1 Introduction 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 1.6 1.7 1.8 1.9 Background The Scope of the Global Standard for Food Safety Food Safety Legislation Benefits of the Global Standard for Food Safety The Certification Process

Technical Governance of the Global Standard for Food Safety BRC Logos and Plaques Effective Date of Issue 5 Acknowledgments: 'A Thank You' from the BRC System

2 The Food Safety Management 2.1 2.2

Principles of the Global Standard for Food Safety The Format of the Global Standard for Food Safety

How to Gain Certification Introduction 2 3 4 Self Assessment of Compliance with the Standard Selection of a Certification Body Company/Certification 4.1 4.2 4.3 5 6 7 Scope of Audit Extension to Scope Auditor Selection Body Contractual Arrangements

Audit Preparation by the Company Duration of the Audit The On-site Audit

8.2

Procedures for Handling Non-conformities

and Corrective Action

Further Action Grading of the Audit 10.1 Certification 10.2 Appeals Audit Reporting Ongoing Audit Frequency and Certification 12.1 Certificate Expiry - Justifiable Circumstances 12.2 Seasonal Products Optional Unannounced Audits Communication Certification with Certification Bodies

Body Performance Monitoring

15.1 Feedback 15.2 Complaints

The BRC Global Standards Directory Introduction Benefits of the Directory to Companies Directory Functionality Appendices Appendix 1 The Global Standard for Food Safety and its Relationship with Other BRC Global Standards Qualifications, for Auditors Appendix 3 Appendix 4 Product Categories Summary of Grading Criteria, Action Required and Audit Frequency Appendix 5 Appendix 6 Appendix 7 Appendix 8 Certificate Template Certificate Validity, Audit Frequency and Planning Glossary Acknowledgements Training and Experience Requirements

Introduction

Welcome to the fifth issue of the Global Standard for Food Safety. Originally published by the British Retail Consortium (BRC) in 1998 for food producers supplying Own Brand goods into the UK Retail Market, the Standard has been updated at regular intervals to reflect the latest thinking in food safety, and has now attained usage worldwide as a framework for any businessto assistthe production of safe food. In response to demand the Global Standard for Food Safety has been translated into many languages to facilitate implementation by food businessesacrossthe world. The fifth issue has been developed with advice and input from international stakeholders. The Global Standard for Food Safety has been developed to specify the safety, quality and operational criteria required to be in place within a food manufacturing organisation to fulfil obligations with regard to legal compliance and protection of the consumer. The format and content of the Standard isdesigned to allow an assessment of a company's premises, operational systems and procedures by a competent third party - the certification body - against the requirements of the Standard.

1.2

The Scope of the Global Standard for Food Safety

The Global Standard for Food Safety sets out the requirements for the manufacture of processed foods and the preparation of primary products supplied as retailer branded products, branded food products and food or ingredients for use by food servicecompanies, catering companies and food manufacturers. Certification will apply to products that have been manufactured or prepared at the site where the audit has taken place and will include storage facilities that are under the direct control of the production-site management. Companies whose primary operation isthe processingof product or the preparation of primary products may have factored goods (refer to glossary) included in the scope of the certification, where they can demonstrate that appropriate controls are in place and the scope specifically excludes the processing or preparation of these products. Certificates shall clearly identify that these factored goods are included. The Standard shall not apply to activities relating to wholesale, importation, distribution or storage outside the direct control of the company. The BRChas developed a range of Global Standardswhich set out the requirements for the wide range of activities undertaken in the production, packaging, storage and distribution of food. Appendix 1 provides further detail of the scopes of, and relationship between, the current Global Standards.

1.3

Food Safety Legislation

Legislation covering food safety differs in detail worldwide, but generally requires food businesses: to ensure the presence of a detailed specification which is lawful and consistent with compositional and safety standards and good manufacturing practice to ensure they satisfy themselves that their suppliers are competent to produce the specified product, comply with legal requirements and operate appropriate systems of processcontrol from time to time to make visits, where practical, to verify the competence of their suppliers or receive the result of any other audit of the supplier's sy~temfor that purpose to establish and maintain a risk-assessedprogramme for product examination, testing or analysis

The Global Standard for Feod Safety has been. developed to assist businesses to meet these requirements, and !herefore assistcompanies to comply with relevant food safety legislation.

There are a number of benefits to food businessesarising from the adoption of the Standard. The Standard: provides a single standard and protocol that allows an accredited audit by third party certification bodies provides a single audit commissioned by the company, in line with an agreed audit frequency, that will allow the company to report upon their status to customers and other organisations as agreed, and can reduce time and costs provides a measure by which food manufacturers and suppliers can demonstrate to potential' customers a level of competence in food safety and quality systems is comprehensive in scope, covering areasof quality, hygiene and product safety addresses part of the legislative requirements of the food manufacturer/supplier, packer/filler, retailer and other customers. Companies may also usethis Standard to ensure their suppliers are following good food safety management practices requires ongoing surveillance and confirmation of the follow up of corrective actions on nonconformity to the Standard thus ensuring that aself-improving quality and product safety system is established.

The Global Standard for Food Safety is a processand product certification scheme. In this scheme, food businesses are certificated upon completion of a satisfactory audit by an auditor employed by an independent third party - the certification body. The certification body in turn shall have been assessed and judged as competent by a national accreditation body. The process of certification and accreditation is outlined in Figure 1. In order for a food business to receive a valid certificate on completion of a satisfactory audit, the organisation must select a certification body approved by the BRC. The BRC lays down detailed requirements that a certification body must satisfy in order to gain approval. As a minimum, the certification body must be accredited to ISO Guide 65/EN45011 by a national accreditation body affiliated to the International Accreditation Forum. Further details are available in Requirements for Organisations Offering Certification Against the Criteria of the BRC Global Standards available from the BRC.

Figure 1

International Accreditation Forum & Regional Accreditation Forums

Supporting Docu mentation

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Requirements for Organisations Offering Certification Against the Criteria of the 8RC Global Standards

BRG Global Standards Website

www.brcglobalstandards.com

BRG Directory www.brcdirectortcom

Tile BRC recognises that in certain circumstances, such as certification bodies wishing to commence auditing against the Giobal Standard Tor Food Safety,the certification body must be able to conduct audits as par: of achieving accreditation. Thiswill be permitted where the organisation can demonstrate:
II an active application for accreditation against ISOGuide 65/EN45011 from an approved national

accreditation body that accreditation will be achieved within 12 months of the date of application and the experience and qualifications of the auditors in the relevant product category are consistent with those specified in this document.

A list of certification bodies approved by the BRCis available on the BRC Global Standards Directory: www.brcdirectory.com .

1.6

Technical Governance of the Global Standard for Food Safety

The BRC is committed to reviewing the Global Standard for Food Safety at a minimum frequency of at least every three years. Issue 5 of the Standard has been developed after extensive consultation with technical experts. These have included representatives of the key stakeholders in the Standard including producers, retailers, trade associations, certification bodies and accreditation bodies. The technical content and operation of the Global Standard for Food Safety is governed by the BRC Governance and Strategy Committee consisting of senior technical representatives of international food businesses.

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The functions of the Governance and Strategy Committee are: to advise on the development and management of the Standard to ensure measures are in place to monitor compliance by companies, certification bodies and accreditation bodies

Achieving BRC certification is something of which to be proud. Companies that achieve certification following audit are qualified to use the BRClogo on company stationery and other marketing materials. The BRC has also introduced a high-quality plaque that certificated companies can purchase to display in their offices to help celebrate their success.Information relating to the BRClogo is available at www.brcglobalstandards.com.

As with all revisions of the Global Standards, there must be recognition that a transition period is in place between publication and full implementation. Therefore, certification against Issue 5 will commence from 1 July 2008. There will be no recognition of certificates that are issued as a result of audits performed against Issue4 after 30 June 2008. All certificates issued against audits carried out prior to 1 July 200S will be against Issue4 and be valid for the period specified on the certificate. In order to ensure that the infrastructure is in place to support successfulaudits, audits against Issue 5 will not commence until 1 July 200S. Certificates issued before this date against Issue 5 will not be recognised.

1.9

Acknowledgements: 'A Thank You' from the BRC

The BRCwishes to acknowledge all those food industryexpert; who have contributed to the preparation of the Global Standa~dfor Food Safety Issue5. A list of those who have contributed in this review is detailed in AppendixS.

2
2.1

The Food Safety Management System

Principles of the Global Standard for Food Safety
A food business must have a full understanding of the products produced, manufactured and distributed and have systemsin place to identify and control hazardssignificant to the safety of food. The Global Standard for Food Safety is based on two key components: senior management commitment and HACCP (Hazard Analysis Critical Control Point - a step-by-step approach to managing food safety risks).

2.1.1

Senior Management

Commitment

Within a food business, food safety must be seen as a cross-functional responsibility, including activities that draw on many departments using different skills and levels of management expertise in the organisation. Effective food safety management extends beyond technical departments and must involve commitment from production operations, engineering, distribution management, procurement of raw materials, customer feedback and human resource activity such astraining. The starting point for an effective food safety plan is the commitment of senior management to the development of an all-encompassing policy as a meansto guide the activities that collectively assurefood safety.The Global Standard for Food Safety placesa high priority on clearevidence of senior management commitment.

2.1.2

A HACCP-based System
The Global Standard for Food Safety requires the development of a food safety plan based on HACCP. The development of the plan requires the input of all relevant departments and must be supported by senior management.

2.2

The Format of the Global Standard for Food Safety

The Global Standard for Food Safety requires the development of and compliance with: Senior Management commitment - the resourcesrequired for demonstration of commitment to achieving the requirements of the Standard are detailed in Section II, Part 1 a HACCP plan - this provides a focus on the significant product and processfood safety hazards that require specific control to assurethe safety of individual food products or lines as detailed in Section II, Part 2 a Quality Management System - details of the organisational and management policies and procedures that provide a framework by which the organisation will achieve the requirements in this Standard as given in Section II, Part 3 Prerequisite Programmes - the basic environmental and operational conditions in a food business that are necessaryfor the production of safe food. These control generic hazards covering Good Manufacturing and Good Hygienic Practiceas detailed in Section II, Parts 4-7.

Eachdause ofthe Globat Standard for Food Safety begins with a highlighted paragraph in bold text, the 'statement of intent', thataU companies must comply with in order to gain certification. Below this 'statement of intent' are requirements in a tabular format, which together specify the criteria against which the audit will be carried out. Product certification depends on continued compliance and within the Standard certain requirements have been designated as 'fundamental' requirements, which are marked with the word 'FUNDAMENTAL' immediately after the section heading and denoted with the following symbol O. These 'fundamental' requirements relate to systemsthat are crucial to the establishment and operation of an effective food quality and safety operation. The clauses deemed to be 'fundamental' are:

Traceability, Clause 3.9 Layout, Product Flow and Segregation, Clause 4.3.1 Housekeeping and Hygiene, Clause 4.9 Handling Requirements for Specific Materials - Materials Containing Allergens and Identity PreservedMaterials, Clause 5.2 Control of Operations, Clause 6.1 Training, Clause 7.1.

Failure to comply with the statement of intent of a 'fundamental' clause leads to non-certification at an initial audit or withdrawal of certification at subsequent audits. This will require a further full audit to establish demonstrable evidence of compliance.

SECTION \I REQUIREMENTS

Section II

Requirements

1 Senior Management

Commitment

and Continual Improvement

10

2 The Food Safety Plan - HACCP 3 Food Safety and Quality Management
System

11

18

3.1 3.2 3.3 3.4 3.5 3.6 3.7 3.8

Food Safety and Quality Policy Food Safety and Quality Manual Organisational Structure, Responsibilities and Management Authority Contract Review and Customer Focus Internal Audit Purchasing - Supplier Approval and Performance Monitoring General Documentation Requirements Corrective and Preventive Action

18 18 19 19 20 20 21 23 23 24 25
26

3.9 Traceability 3.10 3.11

Complaint Handling Management of Incidents, Product Withdrawal and Product Recall

4 Site Standards

4.1 4.2 4.3 4.4 4.5 4.6 4.7 4.8 4.9 4.10 4.11 4.12

External Standards Security Internal Site Standards Utilities Equipment Maintenance Staff Facilities Chemical and Physical Product Contamination Control Housekeeping and Hygiene Waste/INaste Disposal Pest Control Storage and Transport

26 26
27

30 30 31 32 33 36 37 38 39

5 Product Control

40

5.1 5.2 5.3 5.4 5.5 5.6 5.7

Product Design/Development Handling Requirements for Specific Materials Materials Containing Allergens and Identity Preserved Materials Foreign Body Detection Product Packaging Product Inspection and Laboratory Testing Control of Non-conforming Product Release Product

40 41 42 43 43 45 45
46

6 Process Control

6.1 6.2 6.3

Control of Operations Quantity - Weight. Volume and Number Control Calibration and Control of Measuring and Monitoring Devices

46 46 47
48

7 Personnel

7.1 7.2 7.3 7.4 7.5

Training Access and Movement of Personnel Personal Hygiene Medical Screening Protective Clothing

48
49

49 50 51

SENIOR MANAGEMENT
FUNDAMENTAL

COMMITMENT

AND CONTINUAL IMPROVEMENT

The company's sen ior.ma nagell1entsha Iideln!?hs~r.ate,theyar~. fully committ~c1t(j thehnpJernentationpfthereq uirements of the GJobaISta nda rd fa r Food Safety. ]"his~hiJUiHch,lde provi~ionoti:l.dequiJteresourcs, effective cOlllwul1icatiol1,sysferns of review and actions taken to effect tontin ual improvement.O PP()rtulliti~s.for improvement shall.l:!eipentifiedii m ple'1i~l'ltedpnd fpllydoculilented.

The company's senior management shall provide the human and financial resources required to implement and improve the processes of the quality management system and the food safety plan. There shall be clear communication and reporting channels to senior management for departments responsible for monitoring compliance with the Global Standard for Food Safety. The departments shall report regularly on effective compliance. The company's senior management shall ensure that food safety and quality objectives are established, documented, monitored and reviewed. The company's senior management shall ensure that there is a process to identify and address any safety or legality issue at a strategic level. The company's senior management shall take responsibility for the review process. The review process shall be undertaken at appropriate planned intervals, as a minimum annually, to ensure critical evaluation of the food safety plan and the HACCP system's suitabilitY, adequacy and effectiveness. The review process shall include the evaluation of: 1.8 1.9 1.10 1.11 1.12
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internal, second party and third party audits previous management review documents, action plans and time frames customer performance indicators, complaints and feedback inciuents. corrective actions, out-of-specification results and non-conforming materials process performance anu deviation from defined parameters reviews of the HACCP-based system developments in scientific information associateu with the products in scope

resource requirements. Records of management reviews shall be comprehensively documented and retained. The decisions and actions agreed within the review process shall be effectively communicated to appropriate staff, and actions implemented within agreed time scales. The records shall be updated to show when actions have been completed. The company shall have the current issue of the Global Standard for Food Safety available. The company shall maintain certification to the Global Standard for Food Safety by effective timescale planning to ensure that certification does not expire (refer to Section III,paragraph 12). The most senior production or operations manager on site shall attend the opening and closing meetings of the audit for Global Standard for Food Safety certification. The company's senior management shall ensure that non-conformities identified at the previous audit against the Standard are effectively actioned.

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FUNDAMENTAL
The company's Foo(jSafety Plansl,la,ll. beba~edop(\ I;1AC<;~systemWhichsh(l11 b~sy?teIt1Cltic,., c9rnprghensive,th()r()ug h,Ju,lly implemented anp maintained. Codex Alimentariu~.HACCPJ?fincipl~~sh~nb"H.ls~(fand re.ferenceshaUbelllade tq re,leYClntlegislation, codes of practice or guidelines.-

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The HACCP plan shall be developed and managed by a multi-disciplinary food safety team that includes those responsible for QualityfTechnical, Production Operations, Engineering and other relevant functions. The team members shall have specific knowledge of HACCP and relevant knowledge of product, process and associated hazards. The HACCP food safety team shall have a designated and qualified team leader who shall be able to demonstrate competence and experience of HACCP. Records shall be maintained that demonstrate the HACCP food safety team has the required knowledge and understanding of HACCP. In the event of the company not having appropriate in-house knowledge, external expertise may be sought, but day-to-day management of the food safety system shall remain the responsibility of the company. The company's senior management shall demonstrate commitment and support to the HACCP food safety team.

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Describe the Product - Codex Alimentarius Step 2

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Require~ents:
2.2.1 2.2.2 The HACCP food safety team will define the specific products and/or processes that are the subject of the HACCP plan. All relevant information needed to conduct the hazard analysis shall be collected, maintained, documented and updated. The company will ensure that the HACCP plan is based on comprehensive information sources, which are referenced and available on request. This may include the following, although this is not an exhaustive list: the latest scientific literature historical and known hazards associated with specific food products relevant Codes of Practice recognised guidelines food safety legislation of products in destination countries customer requirements. on food safety. As a guide, this may include the following, although this is not an exhaustive list:

A full description of the product shall be developed, which includes all relevant information composition (e.g. raw materials, ingredients, recipe) origin of ingredients physical or chemical properties that impact food safety (e.g. pH, aw) treatment and processing (e.g. heating, freezing, salting) packaging system (e.g. modified atmosphere, vacuum) storage and distribution conditions (e.g. chilled, ambient)

target safe shelf life under prescribed storage and usage conditions instructions for use (e.g. storage, preparation) consideration of potential misuse (e.g. storage, preparation).

Identify Intended Use - Codex Alimentarius Step 3

Requirements}

2.3.1

The intended use of the product by the customer shall be described defining the consumer target groups, including the suitability of the product for vulnerable groups of the pclpulation, . e.g. infants, elderly, allergy sufferers. .

2.4

Construct a ProcessFlow Diagram - Codex Alimentarius Step 4

2.tl.l

A flow diagram shall be prepared to cover each product, product category or process. This shall set out all aspects of the food process operation within the HACCP scope, from raw materials selection through processing, storage and distribution. As a guide, this may include the following, although this is not an exhaustive list: plan of premises and equipment layout raw materials including introduction of utilities and other contact materials (e.g. water, packaging) sequence and interaction of all process steps outsourced processes and subcontracted work process parameters potential for process delay rework and recy<.ling lowlhigh risk and clean/dirty area segregation finished products, intermediate/semi-processed products, by-products and waste.

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Verify Flow Diagram - Codex Alimentarius Step 5

The HACCP food safety team shall verify the accuracy of the flow diagrams by on-site audit and challenge. Daily and seasonal variations shall be considered and evaluated. Records of verified flow diagrams shall be maintained.

list All Potential Hazards Associated with Each Process Step, Conduct a Hazard Analysis and Consider any Measures to Control Identified Hazards - Codex Alimentarius Step 6, Principle 1

2.6.1

The HACCP food safety team shall confirm the scope of the HACCP plan and identify and record all the potential hazards that are reasonably expected to occur at each step in relation to product, process and facilities which may not be controlled by existing prerequisites. This shall include hazards present in raw materials, those introduced during the process or surviving the process steps, and allergen risks (refer to clause 5.2). It shall also take account of the preceding and following steps in the process chain. The HACCP food safety team shall conduct a hazard analysis to identify hazards which need to be prevented, eliminated or reduced to acceptable levels. Consideration shall be given to the following as a minimum: likely occurrence of hazard severity of the effects on consumer safety vulnerability of those exposed survival and multiplication of micro-organisms of concern

2.6.2

presence or production of toxins. chemicals or foreign bodies contamination of raw materials, intermediate/semi-processed contamination. product. or finished product

potential for adulteration/deliberate

2.6.3

The HACCP food safety team shall consider the control measures necessary to prevent, eliminate or reduce the hazard to acceptable levels. Consideration may be given to using more than one control measure. Justification for acceptable levels in the finished product for each hazard shall be determined and documented.

Determine the Critical Control Points (CCP)- Codex Alimentarius Step 7, Principle 2
Requirements. For each hazard that requires control, control points shall be reviewed to' identify those that are critical. This requires a logical approach and may be facilitated by use of a decision tree. CCPs shall be those control points which are required in order to prevent, eliminate or reduce a food safety hazard to acceptable levels. If a hazard is identified at a step where control is necessary for safety but the control does not exist, the product or process shall be modified at that step, or at an earlier or later step, to provide a control measure.

Establish Critical limits for each CCP - Codex Alimentarius Step 8, Principle 3

For each CC p. the appropriate critical limits shall be defined in order to identify clearly if the process is in or out of control and if the identified acceptable level of the food safety hazard in the finished product is likely to be exceeded. Critical limits shall be measurable wherever possible (e.g. time, temperature, pH) and the rationale for their establishment clearly documented. The HACCP food safety team shall take into account relevant legislation or codes of practice when establishing critical limits. 2.8.2 2.8.3 Any critical limits based on subjective data (such as visual inspection) shall be supported by clear guidance or examples. The HACCP food safety team shall validate each CCP. Documented evidence shall show that the control measures selected are capable of consistently controlling the hazard to the level specified by the critica/limit.

2.9

Establish a Monitoring System for each CCP- Codex Alimentarius Step 9, Principle 4

2.9.1 2.9.2

The HACCP food safety team shall establish a monitoring

system for each CCP to ensure compliance with critical limits. in time for corrective action to

Each defined CCP shall be under control. The monitoring system shall be able to detect loss of control of CCPs and wherever possible provide information be taken. As a guide, consideration may be given to the following, althoLigh this is not an exhaustive list: online measurement offline measurement continuous measurement (e.g. thermographs) where discontinuous measurement is used, the system shall ensure that the sample taken is representative of the batch of product. and verified, as appropriate,

RelUrds associated with monitoring CCPs must be signed by the person responsible for the monitoring inchltJe the date and result of measurements carried out.

by an authorised person. Recorded details shall

2.10

Establish a Corrective Action Plan - Codex Alimentarius Step 10, Principle 5

2.10.1

The HACCP food safety team shall specify and document the corrective action to be taken when monitored results indicate a failure to meet a control limit, or when monitored results indicate a trend towards loss of control. This shall include the action to be taken by nominated personnel with regard to any products that have been manufactured during the period when the process was out of control. Documented procedures shall be established and maintained for the appropriate handling of potentially unsafe products to ensure that they are not released until confirmed as suitable for release.

2.10.2

2.11

Establish Verification Procedures - Codex Alimentarius Step 11, Principle 6

2.11 .1

Procedures of verification shall be established t6 confirm that the HACC Pplan is effective. Examples of verification activities are: internal audits review of records where acceptable limits have been exceeded review of complaints by enforcement authorities or customers review of incidents of product withdrawal or recall.

2.11.2

Verification results shall be recorded and communicated to the HACCP food safety team.

2.12

HACCPDocumentation and Record Keeping - Codex Alimentarius Step 12, Principle 7

.~equirements 2.1.3.1 The HACCP food safety team shall ensure that procedures exist to review the HACCP plan prior to any changes which may affect product safety. As a guide, these may include the following, although this is not an exhaustive list: change in raw materials or supplier of raw materials change in ingredients/recipe change in processing conditions or equipment change in packaging, storage or distribution conditions change in staff or management responsibilities change in consumer use developments in scientific information associated with ingredients, process or product.

Appropriate changes resulting from the review shall be incorporated into the HACCP plan, fully documented and validated. 2.13.2 Irrespective of any of the above changes, the HACCP plan will be reviewed at least annually and records shall be maintained.

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FOOD SAFETY AND QUALITY MANAGEMENT SYSTEM

Food Safety and Quality Policy
safetyandqiJcllitYpolh:Y'Whi~hisauthorisecf. reviewed. signed and dated by an
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The policy shall state the company's intention to meet its obligation to produce safe and legal products to the specified quality, and its responsibility to its customers. This shall include the commitment for review and continual improvement. The company's senior management shall ensure the policy is communicated to all staff involved with activities relating to product safety, legality and quality.

3.2

Food Safety and Quality Manual

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.' requirements 'shallb'efuilYirnplern:~~teCJ;f~vieVlf~g

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Whi~hdes~ri/.)c~sh9WJhe"requirement$(>fthe'Giob"afStahdard for Food Safety are met. These . ..' ".' ..' '

3.2.1 3.2.2

The food safety and quality manual shall contain an outline of working methods and practices or references to where such an outline is documented. The food safety and quality manual shall be readily available to key staff.

Organisational Structure, Responsibilities and Management Authority

The compt.myshaU have ~c:learorganisati()nal~trllctureanddefinethe ac~ivities affect proguct safety, legalitYandqL!ality. . responsibilities, reportingrelatipnshipsand . .. . job functions of those personnel whose

3.3.1 3.3.2 3.3.3 3.3.4

The company shall have an organisation chart demonstrating

the structure of the company.

Documented, clearly defined responsibilities shall exist and be communicated to key staff with responsibility for product safety, legality and quality systems. There shall be appropriate documented arrangements in place to cover for the absence of key staff. The company's senior management shall ensure a description of general duties or work instructions are in place and communicated safety, legality and quality. to all staff involved with activities relating to product

The company's senior management shall have a system in place to ensure that the company is kept informed of all relevant legislative, scientific and technical developments, and industry Codes of Practice applicable in the country of raw material supply, production and, where known, the country where the product will be sold.

3.4.1 3.4.2

The company shall clearly identify those individuals responsible for communication

with customers and shall have an effective system for communication.

Customer requirements relating to the development. specification, manufacture and distribution of product shall have been agreed with the customer and, where appropriate, documented and agreed prior to order fulfilment (refer to clause 3.7.2.3). Customer needs and requirements shall be reviewed on a suitable predetermined frequency. Any changes to existing agreements or contract shall be agreed, documented and communicated to appropriate departments. Performance indicators shall be established relating to customer satisfaction. These shall be communicated to appropriate staff and performance reviewed against these targets.

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3.5:1 3.5.2 3.5.3 3.5.4 3.5.5 3.5.6

FUNDAMENTAL The COlT\pal,y shall~i.idit thoseWsteins aild ptocedurEfsWhlchcov~r the requir~!Tlents of the ~(ifobalSt~ndard for Food Safety to ensure that they are in place;appra,priate 'arld'tomj:JliedWft:h./~"o;:j>.oo- . ;'<,:". _.' ';'
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Internal audits shall be planned and their scope and frequency shall be established in relation to the risks associated with the activity. Audits shall be scheduled so that all aspects of the food safety and quality management system are audited at least annually. Internal audits shall be carried out by appropriately trained competent auditors, who are independent from the audited department. Internal audit reports shall identify and verify conformity as well as non-conformity. Results of the internal audit shall be reported to the personnel responsible for the activity audited. Corrective actions and timescales for their implementation shall be agreed. The completion of corrective action shall be verified. A record of all programmed internal audits and associated corrective actions shall be maintained.

Purchasing - Supplier Approval and Performance Monitoring

.3.6.1 3.6.2

The company shall have a documented supplier approval procedure and continual assessment programme in place, based on risk assessment. These procedures shall include clear criteria for ongoing assessment and standards of performance required. Ongoing assessment may take the form of monitoring performance through the following, although this is not an exhaustive list: in-house checks certificates of analysis supplier audit as appropriate.

Records of this monitoring shall be retained. 3.6.3 3.6.4 The procedures shall define how exceptions are handled, e.g. the use of products or services where audit or monitoring has not been undertaken. The company shall review the performance of new suppliers against defined criteria within a specified 'trial' period and thereafter at a specified frequency to decide the level of ongoing supplier performance monitoring.

The company's senior managements~allensul"ethatallgoc(JmeJ1ts,Jecords~m~cfat'.l~riticalto 'place and effecth(~IYc()ntr()lIed. ... .. .. '" .... .. . ... . ..

the managementQf product ~afety, legality and quality are in ...

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3.7.1.1 3.7.1.2 3.7.1.3 3.7.1.4

All documents in use shall be properly authorised and be the correct version. Documents shall be clearly legible, unambiguous, in appropriate languages and sufficiently detailed to enable their correct application by appropriate staff. They shall be readily accessible to relevant staff at all times. The reason for any changes or amendments to documents critical to product safety, legality or quality systems and procedures shall be recorded. A procedure shall be in place to ensure obsolete documentation is rescinded, and where necessary replaced with a revised version.

~The company sl1afieflSl!rethatspecificatiQns~xi~Uor r~w'mat~rii.lls lrii:h,ldillgpa~kagin91 intermedi~te/senil-pro~essed . and any productor servicew/ilch could ~ffecfthe'irite'grtfybfthefinisl1~d prQduhi_ >;. .' ":~ :', ,.
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3.7.2.1 3.7.2.2 3.7.2.3 3.7.2.4 3.7.2.5

Specifications shall be adequate and accurate and shall ensure compliance with relevant safety and legislative requirements. Manufacturing instructions shall comply with recipes as detailed in agreed customer specifications and shall be implemented. The company shall seek formal agreement of specifications with relevant parties. Where specifications are not formally agreed then the company shall be able to demonstrate that they have taken steps to ensure formal agreement is in place. There shall be a documented procedure for the amendment and approval of specifications for all parts of the process including regular reviews to ensure adequacy and status. Specifications and/or their contents shall be accessible to relevant staff.

3.7.3.1

The records shall be legible, genuine, appropriately authorised and retained in good condition for an appropriate defined time period. Any alterations to records shall be authorised and justification for alteration shall be recorded. The company's senior management shall ensure that procedures are operated for the collation, review, maintenance, storage and retrieval of all records relating to product safety, Il'gality and quality. The period of retention for records shall relate to shelf life of the product and take into account, where it is specified on the label. the possibility that shelf life may be extended by the consumer, e.g. freezing. Any legal and customer specific requirements relevant to record retention shall be taken into account.

3.7.'3.2
3.7.3.3

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3.8.1 3.8.2 3.8.3 3.8.4

Corrective and Preventive Action FUNDAMENTAL

THe company's seniQr management shaHen surethatpr()cedlJres,~xistt9rel:Or(l, inves,tigat~,an~lyseandcorrec:t standards,specificatjonsandproc~di.fres,cYVhi'hare.crjtical toprpdlJetsaf~ty, I~ga!ity and qlJ~lity,;,

theca use of non-conform ity a9 ai n st

Corrective actions shall be accurately documented, assigning responsibility and accountability. Corrective actions shall be undertaken as soon as possible to prevent further occurrence of non-conformity. Any corrective action plan relating to food safety, legality or quality shall only be agreed by personnel who have a defined responsibility and accountability for these areas of control. The completion of corrective actions shall be monitored and recorded to ensure their effectiveness and completion within an appropriate timescale.

Traceability FUNDAMENTAL
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Identification of raw materials including primary and any other relevant packaging and processing aids, intermediate/semi-processed materials pending investigation, shall be adequate to ensure traceability.

products, part-used materials, finished products and check/mass bal~nce.

The company shall test the traceability system to ensure traceability can be determined from raw material to finished product and vice versa and include quantity (refer to glossary). This shall occur at a predetermined frequency and results shall be retained for inspection. The test shall take place at least annually.

Where there is a requirement to ensure identity preservation within the supply chain, e.g. to use a logo or to make a claim to a product characteristic or attribute, appropriate cOlltrols and testing procedures shall be in place. Where rework or any reworking operation is performed, traceability shall be maintained. In addition, the company must be able to demonstrate that this does not affect the safety or legal status of the finished product, e.g. ingredient declaration, allergy information or identity preservation.

Complaint Handling

3.10.1 3.10.2 3.10.3

All complaints

shall be recorded, investigated

and the results of the investigation

recorded. trained staff.

Actions appropriate

to the seriousness and frequency of the problems identified shall be carried out promptly and effectively by appropriately

Complaint data shall be analysed and used to implement ongoing improvements to product safety. legality and quality. and to avoid recurrence. This analysis shall be made available to relevant staff.

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incicle.nts ind udingpI9d'ucfwithdravval"nd

recall proted u res.

The company shall have procedures designed to effectively manage incidents and potential emergency situations that impact food safety,legality or quality and have effective product withdrawal and product recall procedures in place. This may include consideration and contingency planning for business continuity and product withdrawal or recall in the event of the following, although this is not an exhaustive list: disruption to key services such as water, energy, transrort, staff availability and communications events such as fire, flood or natural disaster malicious contamination or sabotage.

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The company shall provide written guidance to relevant staff regarding the type of event that would constitute an incident or emergency situation that imracts food safety, legality or quality and a documented reporting procedure shall be in r1ace. An incident management procedure shall be documented, implemented and maintained. This shall include as a minimum: identification of key personnel constituting the incident management team with clearly identified responsibilities an up-to-date list of key contacts, e.g. incident management team, emergency services, suppliers, customers, certification body, regulatory authority a communication plan including the provision of information to customers, consumers and regulatory authorities in a timely manner details of external agencies providing advice and support as necessary, e.g. specialist laboratories, regulatory authority and legal expertise product withdrawal and/or recall procedures corredive action and business recovery.

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The procedures relating to incident reporting, product withdrawal and rroduct recall shall be aprropriate, formalised and capable of being operated at any time, and will take into account stock reconciliation, logistics, recovery, storage and disposal. The procedures shall be regularly re\liewed and, if necessary, revised. The rroduct recall and withdrawal procedljres shall be regularly tested, at least annually, in a way that ensures their effective operation. Results of the test shall he retained and shall include timings of key activities.
3.11.6 3.11.7

The company's senior management shall ensure that results of this test shall be used to implement improvements as necessary. In the event of a product recall, the certification body issuing the current certificate for the site against the Global Standard for Food Safety and the appropriate authorities shall he informed in a timely manner.

4.1

Consideration shall be given to local activities and the site environment, which may have an adverse impact on finished product integrity, and measures shall be taken to prevent contamination. Where measures have been put into place to protect the site from any potential contaminants, they shall be regularly reviewed to ensure they continue to be effective, e.g. dust or odour control. 4.1.2 4.1.3 4.1.4 4.1.5 The external areas shall be maintained in good order. Where buildings are surrounded by grassed or planted areas, they shall be regularly tended and well maintained. The condition of the site shall be included within the internal audit process. Where natural drainage is inadequate, external drainage shall be installed. External traffic routes, under site control, shall be suitably surfaced and maintained in good repair to avoid contamination The building fabric shall be maintained to minimise potential for product contamination, contaminants. of the product. e.g. pipe work shall be appropriately sealed to prevent pest entry, ingress of water and other

4.2.1 4.2.2 4.2.3 4.2.4 4.2.5 4.2.6

Access to the site by employees, contractors and visitors shall be controlled and a visitor reporting system shall be in place. Staff shall be trained in site security procedures and encouraged to challenge unidentified or unknown visitors. Measures shall be in place to maintain site security and to ensure only authorised staff have access to production and storage areas via designated access points. Areas shall be assessed according to risk; sensitive or restricted areas shall be defined, clearly marked, monitored and controlled. Based on risk assessment, procedures shall be in place to ensure the secure storage of all materials including ingredients, packaging, chemicals and equipment. Procedures shall be in place to ensure that finished product is held under secure storage and transportation Where required by legislation, the site shall be registered with, or approved by, the appropriate authority. conditions, e.g. tamper evident packing, contractual handling agreements.

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4.3
4.3.1 Layout, Product Flow and Segregation

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4.3.1.1 4.3.1.2 4.3.1.3 4.3.1.4 4.3.1.5 4.3.1.6 4.3.1.7 4.3.1.8 4.3.1.9

FUNDAMENTAL Premi~es~nd plantshaflbedesigned;~on!itructecf j;'UidNai!1~aitWd~ Proc;edures !ih~lIbeinpl~~etoc;ontrol!he comply vvithallr~Je"iihflEi9islatjon ..c_c ~~c <.;,c'__., '>-->",~._,; _ . -.. ;:--<

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risk of product coritamination

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The process flow from intake to dispatch shall be arranged to minimise the risk of product contamination. Physical barriers or demonstrably effective procedures shall be in place to minimise the risk of the contamination of raw materials, intermediate/semi-processed finished products with particular consideration given to handling requirements for specific materials (refer to clause 5.2). Segregation shall take into account the flow of product, nature of materials, equipment. personnel, waste, airflow, air quality and utilities provision. Based on risk assessment, the cleaning of production utensils shall be carried out in segregated areas or at specific time periods separated from the production process. Premises shall allow sufficient working space and storage capacity to enable all operations to be carried out properly under safe hygienic conditions. Cleaning and inspection of areas and equipment shall be aided by the avoidance of obstructions and where appropriate the provision of adequate space. Temporary structures constructed during building work or refurbishment etc., shall be designed and located to avoid pest harbourage and potential contamination of products. e.g. disinfection. products, packaging and

The location of all transfer points shall not compromise high-risk and low-risk segregation and practices shall be in place to minimise risk of product contamination,

Where high-risk products (refer to glossary) are manufactured, there shall be physical segregation between processing and finished product handling areas. This high risk area shall be fabricated and designed to a high standard of hygiene, and practices shall be in place to control ingredients, equipment, packaging, environment and personnel to prevent product contamination. In high-care areas (refer to glossary) where there is a significant risk of contamination of chilled ready to eat/heat products by pathogenic micro-organisms, the processing or handling of food in these areas shall be appropriate to mini mise product contamination by such micro-organisms.
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Raw Material Handling, Preparation, Processing, Packing and Storage Areas

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4.3.2.2.1 4.3.2.2.2 4.3.2.2.3

Floors shall be designed to meet the demands of the process, and withstand cleaning materials and methods. They shall be impervious and maintained in good repair. Drainage, including drains from laboratories, where provided, shall be sited, designed and maintained to minimise risk of product contamination Machinery and piping shall be arranged so that, wherever feasible, process waste water goes directly to drain. and not compromise product safety,

Where significant amounts of water are used, or direct piping to drain is not feasible, floors shall have adeq4ate falls to cope with the flow of any water or effluent towards suitahle drainage.

4.3.2.3.1 4.3.2.3.2

Ceilings and overheads shall be designed, constructed, finished and maintained to prevent the accumulation of dirt, minimise condensation and mould growth, and facilitate cleaning. Where suspended ceilings are used, adequate access to the void shall be provided to facilitate cleaning, maintenance of utilities and inspection for pest activity.

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Requirements
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4.3.2.4.1 4.3.2.4.2

Where there is a risk to product, windows and roof glazing which are designed to be opened for ventilation purposes shall be adequately screened to prevent the ingress of pests. Where they pose a risk to product, glass windows shall be protected against breakage.

4.3.2.5.1 4.3.2.5.2

Where external doors to raw material handling, preparation, processing, packing and storage areas are opened, suitable precautions shall be taken to prevent pest ingress. Doors and dock levellers in these areas shall be close fitting or adequately proofed. Doors shall be in good condition and easy to clean, where required.

4.3.2.6.1 4.3.2.6.2

Suitable and sufficient lighting shall be provided for a safe working environment, correct operation of processes, inspection of product, and effective cleaning. Where they constitute a risk to product, bulbs and strip lights, including those on electric fly-killer devices, shall be adequately protected. Where full protection cannot be provided, alternative management such as wire mesh screens or monitoring procedures shall be in place.

4.3.2.7.1 4.3.2.7.2 4.3.2,7.3

Adequate ventilation and extraction shall be provided in product storage and processing environments to prevent condensation or excessive dust. Where the process requires screened or filtered air, the equipment used for this purpose shall be easily accessible and adequately maintained. Where appropriate, positive air-pressure systems shall be in place.

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All water used as a raw material in the manufacture of processed food, the preparation of product, or for equipment or plant cleaning shall be supplied in sufficient quantity, be potable or pose no risk of contamination according to applicable legislation, either being drawn from mains supply or suitably treated according to its source. Based on risk assessment, the microbiological and chemical quality of water, steam, ice, air, compressed air or other gases that does not constitute an ingredient but comes in direct contact with food or packaging shall be regularly monitored. It shall present no risk to product safety or quality and comply with relevant legal regulations .

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All equipment shall be properly specified before purchase, constructed of appropriate materials, be of a suitable design to ensure it can be effectively cleaned, and shall be tested and commissioned prior to use. Equipment shall be positioned to give acce~s under, inside and around it for ease of cleaning, inspection and servicing, or where permanently sited shall be properly secured and sealed to the floor. Certificates of conformity or other evidence shall be available for equipment in direct contact with food to confirm its suitability for use, e.g. conveyor belts.

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plantwhic:hare critical to product safety,

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4.6.1 "4.6.2

Equipment, including fixtures and fittings, shall be maintained to minimise the risk of product contamination. When commissioning new equipment and plant. a maintenance programme shall be established and put into place based on risk assessment. The company shall ensure that the safety or legality of product is not jeopardised during maintenance and cleaning operations. In addition to any planned maintenance programme, where there is a risk of product contamination predetermined intervals, insrection results documented and appropriate action taken. by foreign bodies arising from equipment failure, the equipment shall be insrected at

4.6.3
4.6.4

Where temporary repairs are made, these shall be controlled to ensure the safety or legality of product is not jeopardised. These temporary measures shall be permanently reraired as soon as practicable and within a defined timescale. 4.6.6 4.6.7 Contractors involved in maintenance or repair activities shall be under the supervision of a nominated person. Maintenance work shall be followed by a documented hygiene clearance procedure, which records that product contamination hazards have been removed from machinery and equipment. On completion of any maintenance work, machinery and equipment shall be clean and free from contamination hazards. Materials used for equipment and plant maintenance and that pose a risk by direct or indirect contact with raw materials, intermediate paints, shall be suitable for the intended use. Engineering workshops shall be controlled to prevent contamination and finished products, such as lubricating oil and

risks to the product, e.g. provision of swarf mats where workshops open directly into production areas.

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contamination.'Suchfacilitiesshall
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to accOh\mO,datatha requirednumtler.Qfpersorinel,~hd sha"be~'esighecl bEi maintainf;!q in 9Qod and ~Ieancondition.: :"'.-l,'" ~ '::.--: .~',.,--~ .,> ..:. ... _..<.. .~
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Designated changing facilities shall be provided for all personnel, whether staff, visitor or contractor. These shall be sited to allow direct access to the production, packing or storage areas without recourse to any external area. Where this is not possible, a risk assessment shall be carried out and procedures implemented accordingly, e.g. the provision of cleaning facilities for footwear. Storage facilities of sufficient size to accommodate all reasonable personal items shall be provided for all personnel who work in raw material handling, processing, preparation, packing and storage areas. :l.7.3 4.7.4' Outdoor clothing and other personal items shall be stored separately from workwear within the changing facilities. Suitable and sufficient hand-washing facilities shall be provided at access to, and at other appropriate points within, production areas. Such hand-wash facilities shall provide as a minimum:

sufficient quantity of water at an appropriate temperature liquid soap single use towels or suitably designed and located air driers appropriate instructions for use (including consideration of appropriate language).

Where high-risk products (refer to glossary) are handled, the following additional requirements shall be provided: water taps with hand-free operation hand disinfection. areas. Toilets shall be provided with hand-washing facilities comprising:

Toilets shall be adequately segregated and shall not open directly into storage, processing or production basins with soap and water at a suitable temperature adequate hand-drying facilities advisory signs to prompt hand washing (including consideration of appropriate language).

Where hand-washing

facilities within toilets are the only facilities provided before re-entering prodllCtion, then the requirements of 4.7.4 shall apply.

Designated controlled smoking areas shall be isolated from production areas to an extent that ensures smoke cannot reach the product. Where smoking is allowed under national law, sufficient extraction to the exterior of the building shall be ensured. Adequate arrangements for dealing with smokers' waste shall be provided at smoking facilities, both inside and at exterior locations. Facilities shall be available, with adequate reminders, for hand washing after smoking. 4.7.7 4.7.8 4.7.9 4.7.10 4.7.11 All food brought into manufacturing premises by staff shall be appropriately stored in a clean and hygienic state. No food shall be taken into storage, processing or production of product. areas.

Where catering facilities are provided, they shall be suitably controlled to prevent contamination

Where eating of food is allowed outside during breaks, this shall be in suitable designated areas with appropriate control of waste .. Facilities for visitors and contractors shall be such as to enable compliance with the company's hygiene policy. Where an operation involving high-risk products (refer to glossary) exists, personnel shall enter via a specially designated changing facility, imd shall follow specifier! procedures for applying visually distinctive clean overalls, headwear and footwear.

4.8

Chemical and Physical Product Contamination Control

Raw Material Handling, Preparation, Processing, Packing and Storage Areas

Based on risk assessment, the company shall identify, control and manage any potential risks from chemical, physical or taint contamination. following, although this is not an exhaustive list: storage production operation or processes or machinery any maintenance or building work carried out hygiene and cleaning operations.

This may include risks associated wit h the

These shall be verified through regular site audits carried out at a frequency determined by risk assessment.

4.8.2.1

A chemical control procedure shall be in place which manages the use, storage and handling of non-food chemicals. This shall include as a minimum: approved purchase availability of material safety data sheets and specifications where appropriate, confirmed suitability for food use avoidance of strong scented products identification of chemicals at all times segregated and secure storage with restricted access to authorised personnel use by trained personnel only.

There shall be a documented policy for the control of the use of sharp metal implements including' knives, cutting blades on equipment, needles and wires. This shall include suitable controls both into and out of the factory, and safe disposal. 4.8.3.2 4.8.3.3 4.8.3.4 Snap-off blade knives shall not be used. Non-production blades, equipment and tools shall not be left in a position that allows them to contaminate the product. Where staples or other items are used which are likely to cause contamination in packaging, appropriate precautions shall be taken to mini mise the risk of product contamination.

4.8.4.1 4.8.4.2

In areas where a risk assessment has identified a potential for product contamination from glass, the presence of glass shall be excluded. Where this cannot be avoided, but the risk is managed, glass shall be protected against breakage. Documented procedures for handling glass, brittle or hard plastic, ceramic or other similar materials shall be in place and implemented to ensure that necessary precautions are taken. Procedures shall include the following as a minimum: list of items detailing location, number, type and condition recorded checks of condition of items carried out at a specified frequency based on risk assessment details on cleaning or replacing itemslo minimise potential for product contamination. ."

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Based on risk assessment, documented procedures detailing the action to be taken in case of breakage of glass, brittle or hard plastic, which includes glass packaging and similar material, shall be implemented and include the following: quarantining the products and production area that were potentially affected cleaning the production area inspecting the production area and authorising to continue production changing of workwear and inspection of footwear specifying those staff authorised to carry out the above points recording the breakage incident.

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Requirements> In areas where a risk assessment has identified the potential for product contamination from wood, the use of wood shall be excluded. Where the use of wood cannot be avoided, and the risk is managed, the condition of wood shall be regularly checked to ensure it is in good condition and clean.

4.8.6.1 4.8.6.2

Filters, sieves and magnets used for foreign body control shall be regularly inspected and properly maintained. Such activities shall be recorded and investigated. Based on risk assessment, procedures shall be implemented to minimise foreign body contamination and foreign body removal through rinsing or air jets. of packaging during filling operations, e.g. covered conveyors, container inversion

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Housekeeping and Hygiene

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FUNDAMENTAL
Housekeeping andl:leanjn!{system~sllanbein cQntamination i$ mihimi$~d.::~~/,<,;~"-

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are maintained at all times and the risk of

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Documented cleaning procedures shall be in place and maintained for the building, utilities, plant and all equipment. Cleaning procedures shall include the following information minimum: responsibility for cleaning item/area to be cleaned frequency of cleaning method of cleaning cleaning materials to be used cleaning records and responsibility for verification.

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Cleaning-in-place (CIP) facilities shall be monitored and maintained to ensure effective operation. Consideration shall be given to frequency, cycle time, temperature, chemical concentration and spray ball location and coverage. CIP shall have adequate separation from active product lines. 4.9.3 4.9.4 Cleaning and housekeeping shall be carried out by trained personnel in accordance with documented Cleaning chemicals and equipment shall be: 4.9.5 4.9.6 fit for purpose suitably identified for intended use, e.g. colour coded or labelled stored in a hygienic manner to prevent contamination.
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procedures and records shall be maintained.

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Systems shall be in place to avoid the accumulation of waste in production areas, and shall prevent the use of unfit materials. Where appropriate, waste shall be categorised according to legislative requirements based on the intended means of disposal, segregated and collected in appropriate designated waste containers. Waste disposal shall meet legislative requirements. Where licensing is in operation for disposal of categorised waste, it shall be removed by licensed contractors and records of disposal shall be maintained and available for audit. External waste collection containers and rooms housing waste facilities shall be managed to minimise risk. These shall be: clearly identified designed for ease of use and effective cleaning well maintained to allow cleaning and, where required, disinfection emptied at appropriate frequencies covered or doors kept closed as appropriate.

If substandard trademarked materials are transferred to a third party for destruction or disposal, that third party shall be a specialist in secure product or waste disposal and shall provide records of material destruction or disposal.

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A preventive pest control programme shall be maintained covering all areas of the site to minimise pest infestation. The company shall either contract the services of a competent pest control organisation, or shall have appropriately trained staff, for the regular inspection and treatment of the site to deter and eradicate infestation. The frequency of inspections shall be determined by risk assessment and shall be documented. Where the services of a pest control contractor are employed, the service contract shall be clearly defined and reflect the activities of the site. Written procedures and inspection documentation shall be maintained. This shall include as a minimum:

an up-to-date, signed and authorised site plan identifying numbered pest control device locations identification of the baits and/or monitoring devices on site clearly defined responsibilities for site management and the contractor details of pest control products used and instructions for their effective use. secured in place and appropriately located to prevent contamination risk to product. device and contaminating the

4.11.4 4.11.5

Bait stations shall be robust, of tamper resistant construction,

Fly-killing devices and/or pheromone traps shall be correctly sited and operational. If there is a danger of insects being expelled from any extermination product, alternative systems and equipment shall be used.

In the event of infestation, immediate action shall be taken to eliminate the hazard. Action shall be taken to identify, evaluate and authorise the release of any product potentially affected. Detailed records of pest control inspections, recommendations and actions taken shall be maintained. It shall be the responsibility of the company to ensure all of the relevant recommendations made by their contractor or in-house expert are carried out and monitored. The completion of corrective action shall be demonstrated by documented evidence. Results of pest control inspections shall be assessed and analysed for trends on a regular basis, but as a minimum: in the

event of

an infestation

annually.

This shall include a catch analysis from trapping devices to identify problem areas. Any such problems shall be suitably rectified.

All.facilities used forthestorageahatransp~rt~tjonofprQdud, maintained in goodrep~iqmdinC1 hygienictondition .. '

m(l\j~rrtgntarb4Jl<fJh!?"scinW'anddispati:h offinished product shall be suitable for the purpose, ',. '

Procedures to maintain product safety and quality during storage, loading and transportation include as appropriate the following, although this is not an exhaustive list: controlling temperature cleaning storage areas and vehicles segregating to avoid cross contamination or taint uptake

shall be developed on the basis of risk assessment and implemented accordingly. These may .

storing materials off the floor and away from walls as appropriate ensuring that vehicles such as bulk tankers are of hygienic design and designated for food use; putting in place procedures to prevent cross contamination vehicle pre-loading and unloading inspection vehicle loading or unloading in covered bays maintaining product security and preventing damage. from previous loarls

Where temperature control is required, the storage area or transport facility shall be capable of maintaining product temperature within specification, under minimum and maxirmun load. and under worst case ambient temperature. Storage areas shall be dry and well ventilated. Where temperature control is required, documented procedures shall be in place to ensure produd temperature requirements are met. This shall include temperature data-logging devices which can be interrogated to confirm time/temperature conditions or a system to verify and record at predetermined frequencies the correct operation of refrigeration erjllipment. 4.12.4 4.12.5 4.12.6 Where storage outside is necessary, items shall be protected from contamination and deterioration.

Receipt documents and/or produd identification shall facilitate corred stock rotation of goods in storage and ensure materials are used in the correct order and within the prescribed shelf life. Where the company employs third-party contradors, all the requirements specified in this sedion shall be clearly defined in the contract or the company shall be certificated to the Glohal
Standard for Storage and Distribution.

Traceability shall be ensured during storage and transportation. been completed during the transfer of goods.

There shall be a clear record of dispatch and receipt of goods and materials demonstrating that sufficient checks have (e.g, hoses of silo installations). There shall be records of

Documented maintenance and hygiene procedures shall be maintained for all vehicles and equipment used for loading/unloading the measures taken.

Procedures shall, where appropriate, be in place in the case of vehicle or refrigeration equipment breakdown. All incidents of vehicle or refrigeration equipment breakdown shall be recorded and corrective adion documented.

II
5.1 :1
5.1.2 A HACCP-based study shall be part of the product design and development process. Production trials shall be carried out and thorough testing shall validate that product formulation the proposed shelf life. and manufacturing processes are capable of producing a safe and legal product against shelf life. Results shall be recorded and retained and shall

Shelf-life trials shall be undertaken using documented protocols reflecting conditions during storage and handling throughout confirm compliance with relevant microbiological, chemical and organoleptic criteria. 5.1.4 5.1.5 5.1.6

Where new products are introduced, the company shall ensure control of handling requirements for specific materials (refer to clause 5.2). Procedures shall be in place to confirm that product packaging conforms to relevant food safety legislation and specification and is suitable for its intended use. The company's senior management shall ensure that a system is in place to confirm that labelling of the product or other forms of customer information meets legislation for the designated country of use and in accordance with the appropriate product specification. Where a product is designed to enable a claim to be made to satisfy a consumer group, e.g. a nutritional claim of reduced sugar, the company shall ensure that the product formulation and production process is fully validated to meet the stated claim. The product design/development assessed for safety and legality. process shall be documented and effectively communicated throughout the organisation, to ensure that changes in formulation are adequately

Handling Requirements for Specific Materials - Materials Containing Allergens and Identity Preserved Materials
FUNDAMENTAL

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5.2.1.2 5.2.1.3

Wherera~.l11ateriaIS~n(ffinishecl.prodlJ~Hrequirespedalptoc:~c111resforhandling specifi'~/Ylaterials(e.g.materialcontainin9 allergens ,or the requir~m~~~f()r.I.~~~titypre~~ry~gstCi~l.I~ suchasGen~ti~~IIXM!:)~ifiegQr~.il.nisms.g~sl)retf9r9~nicstCitlJs.()rspecial des.ignatedorigin) these sllall be in >plat~t()~risgrethatproa!Jcl~~f~Wf'legCilitY!lrid q(ralitar~m~imCli~ecl{]y' .... \: ,.,c,c.~ ...,..' ... /:> .

The company shall carry out risk assessment of raw materials to establish the presence and likelihood of contamination by allergens (refer to glossary). This shall include approval of raw material specifications. The company shall implement systems to specify the integrity of the raw material and compliance with specification throughout the purchasing and supply chain .. The company shall identify and list allergen-containing materials handled on site. This shall include raw materials, intermediate and finished products. policies and procedures for handling raw materials, intermediate and finished products

Risk assessment shall be carried out to identify routes of contamination and establish documented to ensure cross contamination is avoided. This shall include as appropriate: physical or time segregation whilst allergen-containing

materials are being stored, processed or packed

use of identified, dedicated equipment for processing or cleaning a policy for all food brought onto site including that by staff. from allergen-containing materials and ensure the safety,

Where rework is used, or reworking operations carried out, procedures shall be implemented to minimise cross contamination legality and quality of the finished product.

Where a claim is made regarding the suitability of a food for allergy or food sensitivity sufferers, the company shall ensure that the production process is fully validated to meet the stated claim. This shall be documented. Based on risk assessment, documented equipment or area cleaning procedures shall be undertaken to remove or reduce to acceptable levels any potential cross contamination compliance with finished product specifications. This shall include validation of cleaning methods and appropriate waste handling and spillage controls. All relevant personnel, including temporary staff and contractors, shall be appropriately trained in handling procedures for allergen-containing shall be adequately supervised throughout the working period. in

materials prior to commencing work and

Any non-conformities relating to allergen control shall be included in the management review process (refer to clause 1.7) and may include, as appropriate, internal or external incidents and customer complaints such as labelling or cross-packing errors. The review process shall also consider updates or changes in allergen legislation or scientific information.

5.2.2.1 5.2.2.2

Where an identity preseNed claim is made, e.g. that a product isorganic, or where products brought onto site may contain materials which require segregation, e.g. Genetically Modified Organisms, the company shall carry out a risk assessment of raw materials to specify the integrity of the raw material and compliance with specification throughout the purchasing and supply chain. Risk assessment shall be carried out to identify routes of contamination and establish documented policies and procedures for handling raw materials, intermediate and finished products to ensure cross contamination is avoided and that controls are in place to maintain identity preseNed status.

5.3

Foreign Body Detection

'..The companysllaifllaye

appropriaief9H~igfll)qHV'Cl~tecti(jn.eqqipMe~'trri,pl~c~}ndehsureits eff~ctive~op~f;jti9i1,c,; .'....

Foreign body detection equipment shall be in place unless it can be justified as not necessary. This justification foreign body detection within the finished product.

shall be documented.

Detection equipment shall be situated to maximise

The sensitivity of detection shall be specified and best practice applied with regard to the nature of the food, the location of the detector and any other factors influencing the sensitivity of the detector. The metal or foreign body detector shall incorporate the following an alarm on a belt stop system an automatic rejection device which shall either divert contaminated in-line detectors which identify the location of the contaminant product out of the product flow or to a secure unit accessible only to authorised personnel based on best practice:

and effectively segregate the affected product.

There shall be documented

procedures specifying corrective and investigative action to be taken in the event of the detection of metal or a foreign body.

The company shall establish and implement procedures for the operation, routine monitoring, testing and calibration of the metal or other foreign body detectors. This shall include as a minimum: frequency and sensitivity of checks authorisation documentation of trained personnel to carry out specified tasks of checks.

The company shall establish and implement corrective action and reporting procedures in the event of the monitoring and testing procedure identifying any failure of the metal or foreign hody detector. Action shall include a combination of isolation, quarantining and re-inspection of all product produced since the last acceptance test of the metal or other foreign body detector.

... Requir~mehtsi 5.5.2.1 5.5.2.2 Pathogen testing shall be subcontracted to an external laboratory or, where conducted internally, the laboratory facility shall be remote from the manufacturing site.

Where routine testing laboratories are present on a manufacturing site, they shall be located, designed and operated to eliminate potential risks to product safety. Controls shall be. documented, implemented and shall include consideration of the following: design and operation of drainage and ventilation systems access and security of the facility movement of laboratory personnel protective clothing arrangements processes for obtaining product samples disposal of laboratory waste.

Where the company undertakes or subcontracts analyses which are critical to product safety or legality, the laboratory, or subcontractors shall have gained recognised laboratory accreditation or operate in accordance with the requirements and principles of ISO 17025. Documented justification shall be available where accredited methods are not undertaken. Procedures shall be in place to ensure reliability of laboratory results, other than those specified in 5.5.2.3. These shall include: use of recognised test methods, where available documented testing procedures ensuring staff are suitably qualified and/or trained and competent to carry out the analysis required use of a system to verify the accuracy of test results, e.g. ring or proficiency testing use of appropriately calibrated and maintained equipment.

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5.4.1 5-4.2 5.4.3 5.4.4 5.4.5

Certificates of conformity or other evidence shall be available for product packaging to confirm its suitability for use. Where appropriate, packaging shall be stored away from raw materials and finished product. Any part-used packaging materials suitable for use shall be effectively protected before being returned to an appropriate storage area. Product contact liners (or raw materiallwork-in-progress contact liners) shall be appropriately coloured and of sufficient gauge to prevent accidental contamination where appropriate. Where packaging materials pose a product safety risk, special handling procedures shall be in place to prevent product contamination.

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.proc:edLire$;facili~i~5 and standard~whicli'pt~'(~hlfi$~tojJrodu~safE~ty;~[?;:,,))~~~i\,;;>:":;'.:">,;_-/)~::-i>:-;;'

The compatiyshaifu~dertaCk~or~ubcon-trattins'p~ti!Qnand anafys~$\ivliichir~-trrH,~' to cQ.,firm produ<;~safety,leg!'llityaridquality,

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Based on risk assessment, testing and inspection schedules shall be established to ensure specified product requirements are met. Inspection and testing methods and frequency shall be documented. Test and inspection results shall be recorded and reviewed regularly to identify trends. Appropriate actions shall be implemented promptly to address any unsatisfactory results or where trends indicate unsatisfactory results. . Where validation of finished product quality attributes is required, organoleptic tests shall be carried out regularly in accordance with specifications and shall be recorded. The company shall ensure that a system of ongoing shelf life assessment is in place, This shall be based on risk and shall include microbiological and sensory analysis as well as relevant chemical factors such as pH and aw' Records and results from shelf life tests shall validate the minimum shelf life period indicated on the product.
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5.4.3

Certificates of conformity or other evidence shall be available for product packaging to confirm its suitability for use. Where appropriate, packaging shall be stored away from raw materials and finished product. Any part-used packaging materials suitable for use shall be effectively protected before being returned to an appropriate storage area. Product contact liners (or raw materiallwork-in-progress contact liners) shall be appropriately coloured and of sufficient gauge to prevent accidental contamination where appropriate. Where packaging materials pose a product safety risk, special handling procedures shall be in place to prevent product contamination.

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Based on risk assessment, testing and inspection schedules shall be established to ensure specified product requirements are met. Inspection and testing methods and frequency shall be documented. Test and inspection results shall be recorded and reviewed regularly to identify trends. Appropriate actions shall be implemented promptly to address any unsatisfactory results or where trends indicate unsatisfactory results. ' Where validation of finished product quality attributes is required, organoleptic tests shall be carried out regularly in accordance with specifications and shall be recorded.
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The company shall ensure that a system of ongoing shelf life assessment is in place. This shall be based on risk and shall include microbiological and sensory analysis as well as relevant chemical factors such as pH and aw Records and results from shelf life tests shall validate the minimum shelf life period indicated on the product.

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Control of Non-conforming Product

The com pan yshall enslI re all olit-of -~pecificMionproduct .isclearlY. Hf~n tified, labelled. ,u1dqlJa ranti lled,
.Req\Jir~rhents .
Procedures for the control of non-conforming material, including rejection, acceptance by concession, or regrading for an staff. Decisions shall be approved by authorised staff. 5.6.2 5.6.3 Corrective actions shall be implemented to avoid recurrence of non-conformance. Details of the non-conformance

alternative

use, shall be in place and understood

by all relevant

and action taken shall be documented.

All non-conforming material shall be clearly identified and quarantined requirements of the customer.

as appropriate, and handled or disposed of according to the nature of the problem and/or the specific

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The company shall be able to. demonstrat~effe(ti~etontrol of aIl6per<~tion~~,"dertake,,;~~> :~

6.1.1 6.1.2 6.1.3 6.1.4 6.1.5 6.1.6 Q.1.7 . 6.1.8'

A process shall ensure that all Critical Control Points and specified limits identified through HACCP.are transferred into day-to-day production controls and are fully validated. Process monitoring such as temperature, process specification. time, pressure and chemical properties shall be established and adequately controlled to ensure that product is produced within the reqllired

Process monitoring shall be carried out by trained staff and shall be documented. In circumstances where process parameters are controlled by in-line monitoring devices, these shall be linked to a suitable failure alert system that is routinely tested.

In the case of equipment failure or deviation of the process from specification, procedures shall be in place to establish the safety status of the product, prior to release. Corrective action shall be taken in the event of deviation of process from specification. This shall be recorded. Procedures shall be in place to ensure that products are packed into the correct packaging and correctly lahelled with due consideration given to product changeover. In the event of changes to product formulation, processing methods, equipment or packaging, monitori~g of the specified process shall be re-established based on HAC CP.

6.2

Quantity - Weight, Volume and Number Control

The companyshi'llloperateaquantity (ontrol system\",hkh ;confrirmsfoFegal Yl!quirt:mients and additional indostry sector codes or specified customer requirement in the<:Quntrywhere thepi"oductissoI9,';:~~ '. . ~. ~

6.2.1 6.2.2

The frequency and methodology

of quantity checking shall meet the requirements of appropriate legislation governing quantity verification.

Where the quantity of the product is not governed hy legislative requirements (e.g. hulk quantity), the product must conform to customer requirements.

6.3

Calibration and Control of Measuring and Monitoring Devices

.. rIJ1easuringequiPrnent[J5~rJtomonit()rCriticaIControlpbjhts .~n~prpduqsafelyaHdre"g~ity.shall be identified.The identified measuring equipment shall be calibrated tOClref:o~misedll~tional or iriternatiori~15ta!l~~rd, Where alrace!'lb!e calibratign is not possibl~,theccHTlPcmy shall demonstrate the basis by which standardisationis~aitil;!dolJt{, ... . ... " ,.>',... . ... , ..'. . :

The company shall identify measuring equipment used to monitor CCPs and product safety and legality. This shall include as a minimum: a documented list of equipment equipment identified and marked in accordance with requirements (e.g. numbered. calibration due date).

All identified measuring devices shall be checked and where necessary adjusted: at a predetermined frequency, based on risk assessment by trained staff to a defined method tra'ceable to a recognised national or international standard where possible.

Results shall be documented. 6.3.3 The prescribed measuring and monitoring

6.3.4

devices shall be:

prevented from adjustment by unauthorised staff protected from damage, deterioration or misuse. devices are found not to be operating within specified limits.

Procedures shall be in place to record actions taken when the prescribed measuring and monitoring

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Training
Raw Material Handling, Preparation, Processing, Packing and Storage Areas

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FUNDAMENTAL The cQinpanysh~U ei'!surethaf per~(;klh~!perfprOiingWprJ(ttfat affectsprpd~c;tsaf~ty,l~gali!yimcJ qyality are demonstrably competent to carry out
,thejractivify~thf'gughfrainirJg. work:exp~rj~~f~~()rqlf~lifi5~tiOn.:,: "'.:C ,,"c:> .,C, " """ .. "" ',,' ,.' .. : ,,_,,_ C'

All relevant personnel, including temporary staff and contractors, shall be appropriately trained prior to commencing work and adequately supervised throughout the working period. Where personnel are engaged in activities relating to Critical Control Points, relevant training and documented The company shall put in place documented monitoring procedures shall be in place.

programmes covering the training needs of relevant personnel. These shall include as a minimum:

identifying the necessary competencies for specific roles providing training or other action to ensure staff have the necessary competencies reviewing and auditing the implementation and effectiveness of training and competency of the trainer

consideration of the delivery of training in the appropriate language of trainees.

Records of all training shall be available. This shall include as a minimum: name of trainee and confirmation date and duration of training title or course contents as appropriat~ training provider. of attendance

The company shall routinely review the competencies of staff and provide relevant training as appropriate. This may be in the form of training, refresher training, coaching, mentoring or on-the-job experience.

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company shall ensUrethatacce$sand

mOVmenf()f

pershhnel,visitor~C1ridc:(Ultractor$$h~llnot cO/TIpromise pr()duct

safety_

7.2.1 7.2.2 7.2.3 7.2.4

There shall be a plan of the site which defines access points for personnel, travel routes and staff facilities. If it is necessary to allow access through production areas, designated walkways shall be provided that ensure there is adequate segregation from materials. All facilities shall be designed and positioned, where possible, so that movement of personnel is by simple, logical routes. Contractors and visitors, including drivers, shall be made aware of all procedures for access to premises and the requirements of the areas they are visiting, with special reference to hazards and potential product contamination.

Personal Hygiene
Raw Material Handling, Preparation, Processing, Packing and Storage Areas

Th~.to/TI PClny'sRersqi1~I.I1Y9i~I'I~~1:anaafds$ljalrH~#Qfljhl~htetlCln~'Cid9pte~';ljy~llirl~r{~n'rl~J;jn~!Mh,g(:ontHj~tQf$C1lld Vjsitofstothepfod Th~sestarid~fti~:shanl:>'~;JprHfUl~tea;wHH'q4~r~g~t~,1:9'ti~kPtpr9~~~r~pnf~HWn~'i9If/; /'/;c.:;;:"' ;':. ,:.';;c;.

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7.3.1 7.3.2 7.3.3 7.3.4 7.3.5 7.3.6 7.3.7 7.3.8 7.3.9 7.3.10

The requirements for personal hygiene shall be documented and communicated to all personnel. Compliance with the requirements shall be checked regularly. Based on risk assessment, the company shall document its jewellery policy. Watches shall not be worn. Jewellery shall not be worn, with the exception of a plain wedding ring, a wedding wristband and sleeper earrings (continuous loop). Rings and studs in exposed parts of the body, such as noses, tongues and eyebrows, shall not be worn. Hand cleaning shall be performed at a frequency that is appropriate, based on risk assessment. Fingernails shall be kept short, clean and unvarnished. False fingernails shall not be permitted. Where visitors cannot comply, suitable control procedures shall be in place, e.g. nonhandling of product, use of gloves. Excessive perfume or aftershave shall not be worn. Smoking (where permitted under law), eating and drinking shall only be permitted in designated areas segregated from food-handling and storage areas. All cuts and grazes on exposed skin shall be covered by an appropriately coloured plaster different from the product colour (preferably blue) and containing a metal detectable strip where metal detectionIX-ray equipment is in use. These shall be company issued and monitored. Where appropriate, in addition to the plaster, a finger stall shall be worn. A sample from each batch of plasters shall be successfully tested through a metal detector and records shall be kept. Procedures shall be in place to control the use of personal medicines to minimise the risk of contamination.
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ofVisitqrswh()will

be working in or visiting areas

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The company shall have a procedure for the notification contact or be suffering from.

by employees, including temporary employees, of any relevant infections, disease or condition with which they may have been in

Where there may be risk to product safety, visitors and contractors shall be required to complete a health questionnaire prior to entering the raw material, preparation, processing, packing and storage areas. Where appropriate, these persons shall undergo medical screening before permission is granted. There shall be documented procedures which are communicated to employees, including temporary employees, contractors and visitors, on action to be taken in the case of infectious disease from which they may be suffering or have been in contact. Particular consideration should be given where product safety may be compromised. Expert medical advice shall be sought where required.

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Protective Clothing
Employees or Visitors to Production Areas

Suit~ble(ompany issued prQtee:tivedQtl1ing~haUbeVIJ()rriby

emplqyees/ (on tractors or visitoisworkiriginoielltering

production areas.

Based on risk assessment, the company shall document and communicate to all employees, contractors or visitors the rules regarding the wearing and changing of protective clothing in specified work areas, e.g. high-risk and low-risk areas. This shall also include policies for wearing of protective clothing away from the production environment, e.g. removal before. entering toilets, use of canteen and smoking areas. Protective clothing shall be available that is: 7.5.3 7.5.4 provided in sufficient numbers for each employee of suitable design to prevent contamination of the product (as a minimum contain no external pockets or sewn on buttons).

Clean and dirty clothing shall be segregated and controlled to prevent cross contamination. laundering of protective clothing shall take place in-house using defined and verified criteria to validate the effectiveness of the laundering process, or by an approved contracted and audited laundry. The effectiveness of cleaning shall be monitored. Washing of workwear by the employee is exceptional but shall be deemed acceptable where, based on a detailed risk assessment, it can be confirmed there is no risk to product safety. Detailed procedures shall be in place to ensure the effectiveness of the laundering process. Where there is the risk of contamination, smoking and eating while wearing protective clothing shall not be permitted.

7.5.5 7.5.6 7..5.7 7.5.8 7.5.9

All scalp hair shall be fully contained to prevent product contamination. Based on risk assessment, snoods for beards and moustaches shall be worn to prevent product contamination. Suitable footwear shall be worn within the production environment. If gloves are used, they shall be replaced regularly. Where appropriate, gloves shall be suitable for food use;.of a disposable type; of a distinctive colour (blue where possible); be intact and not shed loose fibres. For operations involving high-risk products (refer to glossary) all visibly distinctive protective clothing (including footwear) shall be applied when entering, and removed when leaving, the high risk area and stored in a designated changing area.
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SECTION III HOWTO GAIN CERTIFICATION

How to Gain Certification

The process by which a company gains and maintains certification is summarised in Figure 2. Everyeffort has been made to ensure that the content of this audit protocol is accurate at the time of printing. However, it may be subject to minor change, and reference should be made to the BRCGlobal Standards website www.brcglobalstandards.com. where changes will be published. Conformance by the company to the requirements of the Global Standard for Food Safety and its suitability for the awarding of a certificate will be assessedby an independent audit company - the certification body. Certification will be graded according to the number and type of non-conformities which shall also influence the frequency of ongoing audits. This section describes the process to be followed by a company seeking certification.

Self Assessment of Compliance with the Standard

It is essential that the company is assessedagainst the current issue of the Global Standard for Food Safety and that this is available throughout the certification.process. The current issueof the Standard in the required language is available from www.brcglobalstandards.com. The Standard should be read and understood and a preliminary self assessmentshould be conducted by the company against the Standard. Any areasof non-conformity should be addressed by the company. Further information and guidance to ensure compliance with the Standard, including training courses and guideline booklets, are available. An optional on-site pre-assessment may be carried out by the selected certification body in preparation for the audit to provide guidance to the company on the process of certification.

Selection of a Certification Body

Once a self assessment has been completed and non-conformities addressed, the company must select a certification body. The BRCcannot adviseon the selection of a specific certification body, but the BRC Global Standards Directory lists BRC-approved certification bodies. Visit www.brcdirectory.com. In selecting a certification body, the company should consider: acceptability of the certification body to customers; certain customers carry lists of their preferred certification bodies the scope of accreditation of the certification body. It is essential that the certification body is accredited to assesscompanies for the categories of products produced. Clarification of the categories of products against which the certification body can audit should be obtained either by confirmation from the certification body concerned or from accreditation schedules published by the appropriate national accreditation body. A list of product categories is provided in Appendix 3 confirmation that the auditor proposed by the certification body meets the qualifications, training and experience requirements specified by the BRCand documented in Appendix 2.

l
INITIAL AUDIT Corrective Action Submitted or Revistt Wilhin 90 Calendar Days Corrective Action SUbmitted or Revistt Vvlthin 28 Ca Iendar Days

EVidence Assessed Inadequate

No Corrective Action Submitted Vvlthin 28 Days

Additional Clarification Provided

Vidence Assessed Compliant

No Certificate Issued Report Issued Specifying Status Processl Certification Suspended

No Certificate Issued Report Issued Specifying Status Process! Certification Suspended

Evidence Assessed Inadequate

Certification Decision made by Certification Decision Manager

Certificate Details and Audit Report issued to company and sent to BRC

Certificate Details and Audtt Report listed on BRC Global Standards Directory www.brcdirectory.com Audit In Accordance' With Required Frequency

Critical or Major (Fundamental) Non-conformity Identified Certification Suspended

Company/Certification Body Contractual Arrangements

A contract shall exist between the company and the certification body, detailing the scOpeof the audit and the reporting requirements. This contract will be form'ulated by the certification body. The BRCwill require an administration fee to be collected by the certification body from the company for every audit undertaken. The certification body shall not issue a certificate or report until the administration fee has been received, irrespective of the outcome of the certification process.

4.1

Scopeof Audit
The scope of the audit must be agreed between the company and the certification body. The audit, report and certificate shall be 'product' and 'site' specific. Eachsite shall be audited and the certificate granted accordingly. The scope of the audit and subsequent certificate shall cover the agreed products or product categories where certain products may be excluded - exclusionsthat apply must be clearly stated on the certificate. The certification of products must include audit of the entire process from raw material to end product dispatch. Forfactored goods this must be clearly stated on the certificate. Certification relates to the audit of all processeswithin the manufacture of a 'product' and this may in some casesinvolve the audit at one or more premisesby the certification body for a specific product, e.g. production and maturation of cheese. In the event that one or more premises are audited under one product certification, the report and the certificate shallcl~arly indicate this information.

Once certification has been granted, any additional significant products manufactured or processes undertaken by the site, which are required to be included in the scope of certification, must be communicated to the certification body who will then conduct a site visit to examine the aspectsof the required extension to scope. The current certificate will be superseded by any new certificate issued using the same expiry date asdetailed on the original certificate.

It is the responsibility of the company to ensure that adequate and accurate information is given to the certification body detailing the products it manufactures and the processtechnologies it usesto enable the certification body to select an auditor with the required skills to undertake the audit. Auditors must be skilled to audit in the relevant product category aslisted in Appendix 3. The certification body, auditors and the company must be aware of the need to avoid conflict of interest when arranging an auditor for the site visit. The company 'may request or decline the services of a particular auditor offered by the certification body. However, as guidance, the certification body should ensure that the same auditor does not undertake audits on more than three consecutiv'eoccasionsto the same site. Exceptions to this should be justified on the audit report - such as a requirement for audit 'In specialist areasand remote regions.

For the initial audit, the company shall agree a mutually convenient date, with due consideration given to the amount of work required to meet the requirements of the Standard. For subsequent audits, the mutually agreed date must allow sufficient time to ensure the company does not go outside of the certification time frame as detailed in paragraph 12 'Ongoing Audit Frequency and Certification' and referenced in Appendix 6. There is a requirement on the company to plan carefully for the audit, to have appropriate

documentation for the au'ditor to assessand to have appropriate staff available at all times during the on-site audit. The company shall ensure that the production programme at the time of the audit covers products for the intended scope of the certification. Where possible, the widest range of these products shall be in production for the auditor to assess.Where the product range is large or diverse, the auditor has the discretion to continue the audit until sufficiently satisfied that the intended scope of the certification has been assessed. The company shall provide the certification body with any information such as HACCP documentation, recent quality issues, withdrawals or customer complaints and other relevant performance data that would assistthe auditor in conducting an effective audit. The company will make the previous year's audit report available to the auditor and the certification body.

The company shall provide the certification body with appropriate information to allow them to assess the duration and the cost of audit. Thisshould include details of manufacturing schedules to allow audits to cover relevant processes,for example night time manufacture if necessary.Requested information may also include, for example, a site plan, number of employees and number of product lines. The time to assessall documentation is supplementary to the duration of the audit. Before the audit takes place, the certification body shall indicate the approximate duration of the audit. The typical duration of an audit shall be 1~ man days.Additionally upto one man day istypically required for the completion of a comprehensive audit report. However, certain factors can necessitate an increase or decrease in the duration of the audit. These factors will require careful consideration both upon confirmation of the expected duration of the audit and during the audit itself. Deviation from this time frame must bejustified and specified on the audit report. In the event that the company requires certification audits against other Standards, the total time taken for these audits must be specified on the audit report and fully justified. Factorswhich may influence the duration of the audit are: company staff numbers and functions numbers of locations, with separate offices, manufacturing or storage sites complexity of the manufacturing process number of product lines size and age of site and impact on material flow labour-intensity of processes communication difficulties, e.g. language the number of non-conformities recorded in the previous audit difficulties experienced during the audit requiring further investigation the quality of company preparation, e.g. documentation, HACCP,QMS.

For an audit of typically 1~ days' duration, 30-50% of time should be spent on examination of HACCPbased systems and audit of its practical implementation by an inspection of the production facility. This will vary according to the complexity of th~ operation. Time taken shall be detailed on the.audit report.

the opening meeting - to confirm the scope and processof the audit document review - a review of the documented HACCPand Quality Management Systems production facility inspection - to review practical implementation of the systemsand interview personnel review of production facility inspection -to verify and conduct further documentation checks final review of findings by the auditor - preparation for the closing meeting closing meeting - to review audit findings with the company. Note that non-conformities are subject to subsequent independent verification bythe certification body management.

The company will fully assist the auditor at all times. It is expected that at the opening and closing meetings those attending on behalf of the company will be senior managers who have the appr~priate authority to ensure that corrective action can be progressed if non-conformities are found. Th~ most senior operations manager on site or their nominated deputy shall be available at the audit and attend the opening and closing meetings. During the audit, detailed notes shall be made regarding the company's conformities and nonconformities against the Standard and these will be usedasthe basisfor the audit report. The auditor will assessthe nature and severity of any non-conformity . At the closing meeting, the auditor shall present his/her findings, and discuss all non-conformities that have been identified during the audit, but shall not make comment on the likely outcome of the certification process. Information on the processand timescales for the company to provide evidenceto the auditor of the corrective action to close non-conformities must be given. A written summary of the non-conformities discussed at the closing meeting will be documented by the auditor either at the closing meeting or within one working day after completion of the audit. The decision to award certification and the grade of the certificate will be determined independently by the certification body management, following a technical review of the audit report and the closing of non-conformities. The company will be informed of the certification decision following this review.

The level of non-conformity assigned by an auditor against a requirement of the Standard isan objective judgement with respect to severity and risk and is based on evidence collected and observations made during the audit. This isverified by the certification body management.

Critical - where there is a critical failure to comply with a food safety or legal issue

Major

- where there isa substantial failure to meet the requirements of a 'statement of intent' or anyclause of the Standard

- a situation is identified which would, on the basisof aVailableobjective evidence, raisesignificant doubt asto the conformity of the product being supplied

- where absolute compliance to the 'statement of intent' has not been met but on the basis of objective evidence the conformity of the product is not in doubt
and/or

- a clause has not been fully met but, on the basis of objective evidence, the conformity of the product is not in doubt. The objective of the audit is to provide a true reflection of the standard of the operation and level of conformity against the Global Standard for Food Safety. Consideration should therefore be given to awarding a single major non-conformity where minor non-conformities are repeatedly raised against a particular clause of the standard. Clustering of a significant number of minor non-conformities against a clauseand recording this as a single minor non-conformity is not permitted.

8.2

Procedures for Handling Non-conformities and Corrective Action

The criteria for grading and means of confirming corrective action are summarised in Appendix 4. The decision to award a certificate, and the grade of the certificate, A, 8 or C, will depend on the number and severity of non-conformities raised, and the completion of effective corrective actions within the stated time limit by the company. Where the number and type of non-conformities exceeds a certain level, a grade 0 isassigned and certification will not be granted (refer to Appendix 4). Following identification of any non-conformities during the audit; the company must develop a corrective action plan to address the non-conformities identified. Evidencethat corrective action has been completed must be provided by the company to the certification body prior to a certification decision being made. Non-conformities from the previous audit should be checked during the current audit to confirm corrective action has been taken and is operating effectively. Any repetition of these same nonconformities in the current audit shall be highlighted by an asterisk(*) and consideration should be given to raising the status of minor non-conformities to a major.

Critical or Major Non-conformities Raised against 'Fundamental' Clauses

Where a critical or major non-conformity against the statement of intent of a 'fundamental' clause has been established at an initial audit, the company shall not gain certification. Where a critical nonconformity isfound at a subsequent audit, certification must be immediately suspended. In either of the above cases,this results in the awarding of a grade 0 and there shall be a further full onsite audit carried out to verify appropriate corrective action has taken place and there is demonstrable evidence of compliance. In the event that a critical or major non-conformity against the statement of intent of a 'fundamental' clause has been established by the certification body, the company shall immediately inform its customers and make them fully aware of the circumstances.Information on the corrective actions to be taken in order to achieve certification status will also be provided to customers.

Major Non-conformities
No certificate shall be issued until major non-conformities have been demonstrated as having been corrected. It is normally expected that major non-conformities will be correctedwithin 28 calendar daysof the audit taking place, either permanently or temporarily (providing the solution is acceptable to the certification body) and the certification body can verify that corrective action hastaken place. This can be achieved either by objective evidence being submitted to the certification body such as updated procedures, records, photographs or invoicesfor work undertaken etc., or by.the certification body unde-rtaking a furttJer on-site visit.

For initial audits only, if there is no'temporary solution or if there is a justifiable delay to implementing a permanent solution, e.g. lead time for capital expenditure, then provided that an acceptablestatement . of explanation is received by the certification bodywithin'28 calendar days, the company may remain in the certification programme for up to 90 calendar days,but will remain uncertificated and will only be certificated following verification of the corrective action being implemented. If the major nonconformity cannot be closed out within the 90-day period, the process of certification will commence again, i.e. a full audit. If there isno formal commitment to implement corrective action received by the certification body within the 28 calendar day post-audit period, or if there isafailure to meet the timescale proposed in the nonconformity summary sheet without justification, the company does not remain in the certification programme. The company will then require a further full audit in order to be considered for certification.

Certification will only be awarded where minor non-conformities have been addressed, the corrective action taken and evidence (e.g. photos, invoices) for work completed has been provided to the certification body, within 28 calendar days following the audit. The certification body may undertake further site visits to verify that action hasbeen taken. Where documentary evidence is provided, absolute verification may be left until the next audit. At the subsequent audit, if verification cannot be confirmed, then a non-conformity may be raised and may be elevated to a major non-conformity.

For certificated companies, where deemed appropriate, the certification body may carry out further audits or question activities to validate continued certification at any time. These visits may take the form of announced or unannounced visits to undertake either a full or part audit. Where justifiable, suspension or withdrawal of certification may be implemented pending the outcomes of such further reviews by the certification body. The ultimate decision to suspend or withdraw certification remains with the certification body. If there is no intention on behalf of the company to take appropriate corrective actions or the corrective actions are deemed inappropriate, certification shallbe withdrawn. In the event that certification is withdrawn or suspended by the certification body, the company shall immediately inform its customers and make them fully aware of the circumstances relating to the withdrawal or suspension. Information on the corrective actions to be taken in order to reinstate certification status will also be provided to customers.

10

Grading of the Audit

The purpose of the certification grading system isto indicate to the user of the report the commitment of the company to continual compliance and will dictate the future audit frequency (full detailsavailable in Appendix 4). The grade is dependent on the number and severityof the non-conformities identified at the audit and verification by a technical review by the certification body management where the number and severity of non-conformities may change. The certification body will review objective evidenceof corrective action completed prior to awarding a certificate, but this will not improve the grade awarded.

After a successful re.'iiewof the audit report and documentary evidence provided in relation to t~e nonconformities identified, a certification decision shall be made by the designated independent certification manager and a certificate issuedby the ceitifi~ation body typically within 42 calendar days

of the audit. The certificate shall conform to the format shown in Appendix S,using BRC and accreditation body logo usage rules. 11 All dates specified on the certificate shall be the format of: day, month, year,e.g. 11 November 2007, The certificate will detail the scope of the audit as agreed in paragraph 4.1. Where the on-site audit has been undertaken by an auditor trained by the BRCwho has been issued with a BRCThird Party Auditor Certificate for this Standard, the BRCTrained Auditor Logo may be added to the certificate. The date of audit specified on the initial certificate shall be the date of the audit relating to the granting of that certificate (the date of the initial audit) irrespective of whether further audits were made to verify corrective action arising from the initial audit.

The usersof certificates are advised that they should verify that the scopeof the certificate isclearlystated and that this information is consistent with their own requirements. Whilst the certificate is issuedto the company, it remainsthe property of the certification body who control its ownership, useand display.

The company has the right to appeal the certification decision made by the certification body and any appeal should be made in writing within seven calendar daysof receipt of the certification decision. The certification body shall have a documented procedure for the consideration and resolution of appeals against the certification decision. These investigative procedures..shallbe independent of the individual auditor and certification manager. Individual certification bodies' documented appeals procedures will be made available to the company on request. Appeals will be finalised within 30 calendar days of receipt. A full written responsewill be given after the completion of a full and thorough investigation into the appeal. In the event of an unsuccessful appeal, the certification body hasthe rightto charge costsfor conducting the appeal.

11

Audit Reporting
Following each audit, a full written report shall be prepared in the agreed format. The report shall be produced in open text format in English or in another language dependent upon user needs. The detailed audit report section shall include both comment where criteria have been met, particularly where improvement or enhancement is evident, and objective evidence to support any nonconformities that have been identified. The detailed audit report section must assistthe reader to: gain greater understanding of individual clauseseither for conformity or for non-conformity be informed of corrective action taken be informed of improvements made sincethe last audit be informed of 'best practice' systems, procedures, equipment or fabrication in place be informed of any additional pertinent comments the auditor made.

The report shallaccurately reflect the findings of the auditor during the audit. Reportsshallbe prepared and dispatched to the company within a period typically no longer than 42 calendar daysafter the audit date. Audit reports shall remain the property of the company commissioning the audit and shall not be released, in whole or part, to a third party unlessthe company hasgiven prior consent (unless otherwise required by law). This may be by a consent form, or may be contained within a contract between the company and'user or the company and th~ certification body. The certification body will retain a copy of the audit report. The audit report and associated documentation shallbe stored safely a~d securelyfor a period of five years by the' certification body. A copy of the audit report shall be sent bythe certification body in the required format to the BRC.

12

Ongoing Audit Frequency and Certification

The ongoing audit schedule will be agreed between the company and the certification body. The minimum frequency will be 12 months, but this could vary according to the performance of the company at an audit as reflected by the grade, as stated in Appendix 4. The due date of the subsequent audit shall be calculated from the date of the initial audit, irrespective of whether further site visits were made to verify corrective action arising from the initial audit, and not from the certificate issue date. The subsequent audit shall be scheduled to occur within a 28 calendar day time period up to the next audit due date. This allows sufficient time for corrective action to take place in the event of any nonconformities being raised, withoutjeopardising continued certification. Appendix 4 provides worked examples in accordance with the six month and twelve month audit frequencies. It isthe responsibility ofthe company to maintain certification. Where an audit is delayed beyond the due date, except in justifiable circumstances, this shall resultin a major non-conformity being awarded at the next audit. Justifiable circumstances shall be documented in the audit report.

There will be some circumstances where the certificate cannot be renewed on the six month and twelve month basis due to the inability of the certificatio'1 body to conduct an audit. These justifiable circumstanceswhich would not result in the assigningof a major non-conformity (refer to Section IIclause 1.11) can include when the site is: situated in a specific country or an area within aspecific country where there is government advice to not visit and there is no suitable local auditor within a statutory exclusion zone that could compromise food safety or animal welfare in an area that has suffered a natural or unnatural disaster, rendering the site unable to produce.

If the renewal of the certificate is prevented due to these exceptional circumstances, the customer may still decide to take products from that site for an agreed time, as they may still demonstrate legal compliance by other means such as risk assessmentand complaints records, to show that the site is still competent to continue production until another audit can be arranged.

Refer to glossary for definition of seasonal products. A site that is open for 12 months of the year may processproducts in different seasons,but would not be classed as a seasonal products site asit would operate all the year round. If specific seasonalproducts are in scope there may be a caseto visit the site more than once a year. For true seasonal products there may be circumstances where the frequency could be more than 12 months. The on-site audit date will be dictated by product harvest which may be affected by the weather. The certificate expiry dates in these circumstances will be controlled by the actual audit date rather than the anniversary of the initial audit date. Justification needs to be included on the audit report. Certain seasonal products are manufactured for only six or fewer months in any annual cycle.The audit must take place during the production of the product, irrespective of grade assigned from the previous audit. Verification of corrective action in relation to critical and major non-conformities must take place within the seasonal period that the product is manufactured.

13

Optional Unannounced Audits

In order to demonstrate confidence in their quality and safety systems, companies may elect to undertake optional unannounced audits. This scheme provides a company's customers with an independent unannounced review of systems and procedures, and therefore a further means of reviewing their risk rating of suppliers. This may influence the frequency of customer audit, where conducted, and other performance procedures applied by the customer. The decision to participate in the scheme restswith the company, and is open to those companies who have been awarded certification grades A or Bin their normal annual audit. The company must indicate to the certification body their intention to participate in the schemeat the time of the annual audit. The unannounced audit will occur at any stage within the twelve month duration of the existing certificate, but will typically occur within the six-twelve month time frame. The BRCshall monitor the operation of this scheme to ensure consistent management by certification bodies. The audit will, asfor the normal annual audit, examine all aspectsof the company's systems against the requirements of the Global Standard for Food Safety.The grading criteria will be as for an announced audit asdetailed in Appendix 4. Successful completion of the audit will result in the awarding of certification grade A, B or C. The unannounced audit will be distinguished by an asterisk (*), so companies completing the audit will be awarded Grade A*, B* or C* where * indicates an unannounced audit. This grade will appear on the certificate, which will supersede the existing certificate. The existing certificate will be revoked. If the company wishes to remain in the optional unannounced audit sc~me the next audit will occur at any stage within the duration of the certificate. If the company wishes to withdraw from the optional unannounced audit scheme, the next audit will be announced and will occur at the end of the period covered by the certificate awarded at the unannounced audit, in compliance with Appendix 4.

In the event that the company becomes aware of legal proceedings with respect to product safety or legality, or in the event of a product recall, the company shall immediately make the certification body aware of the situation. The certification body in turn shall take appropriate steps to assessthe situation and any implications for the certification, and shall take any appropriate action.

15

Certification Body Performance Monitoring

Companies audited against the Global Standard for Food Safety may wish to provide feedback to the certification body on the performance of the auditor or the BRC.A standard format for this purpose is provided by the BRC. Such feedback will be considered by the TechnicalAdvisory Committee of the Global Standard as part of performance management of the certification body.

The BRChas implemented a formal referral processwhich isavailableto organisations involved with the Global Standards. From time to time failure to apply the principles and criteria of the BRCGlobal Standards at certificated sites may be reported to the BRCby, for example, retailers and companies conducting their own audits. In this event, the BRCwill request a documented report of the reasonsfor the complaint, and refer this report to the ro:ertificationbody conducti~g the audit. The BRCwill require a full investigation of the issuesraised and a report from the certification body submitted to the BRCwithin 28 calendar days.

SECTION IV THE BRC GLOBAL STANDARDS DIRECTORY

The BRe Global Standards Directory

The Global Standards Directory is an online searchable directory of certificated Food, Packaging, Consumer Products and Storage and Distribution companies. Each entry includes relevant company details, contact and certification 'Information. The Directory also includes details of certification bodies approved by the BRC and delegates who have successfully completed the BRC third party auditor training course. The Global Standards Directory was developed to provide key information to retailers and to improve the management of the BRC Global Standards scheme. It provides a system of data storage of audit information, both live and archived. Data is centrally managed and controlled to maintain accuracy and integrity,

Benefits of the Directory to Companies

use of the BRCGlobal Standards logo, which can be used on all of the company's communications, including stationery, brochures and websites significant discounts on all BRCtraining courses a quarterly electronic newsletter pre-release notification and special offers on BRCpublications, conferences and events.

Directory Functionality
Information about certificated suppliers is provided to the BRC by certification bodies. The Directory provides the following facilities: a searchable list of certificated companies including contact details, the Standard against which they are certified, scope and web site links a searchable list of approved certification bodies, including local offices and contact details a searchable list of delegates who have successfullycompleted the BRCthird party auditor training course.

The Global Standards Directory will continue to evolve providing additional functionality to key user groups including companies, customers and certification bodies. These developments will allow user specific accessto certification information and management reporting, further enhancing the value of obtaining BRCcertification.

APPENDICES

Appendix 1

The Global Standard for Food S'afety and its Relationship with Other BRCGlobal

Standards
The BRC has developed a range of Global Standards which set out the requirements for the wide range of activities undertaken in the production, packaging, storage and distribution of food. The Global Standard for Food Safety isan auditing Standardthat sets out the requirements for food businesses that process food or are involved in the preparation of primary products for supply as retailer branded products, branded products, and food or ingredients for use by food servicecompanies, caterers or manufacturers. It can only be used where food is processed or when there is a contamination hazard during the primary packing or handling of loose food. Certification will only apply to products that have been manufactured or prepared at the site where the audit has taken place, and will include storage facilities that are under the direct control of production site management. Companies whose primary occupation isthe processing of product or supply of prepacked product may have factored goods (refer to glossary)included in the scope of the certification, where they can demonstrate that appropriate controls are in place and the scope specifically excludes the processing or preparation of these products. The BRC Global Standard for Storage and Distribution isan auditing Standard that setsout the requirements for the storage, distribution and wholesaling and contracted servicesfor pre-packaged and loose food products, packaging materials and consumer goods. There are specific modules for each activity undertaken and the Standard specifies the requirements for storage, distribution, wholesaling and contracted services. Companies that offer contracted chilling/freezing/thawing and defrosting operations will not be covered by this Standard as these operations are deemed to be processing activities and are covered by the Global Standard for Food Safety. Application of this Standard only commences when the food enters third party storage premises, third party vehicle or premises owned by the manufacturer not covered by the scope of the Global Standards for Food Safety, Packaging or Consumer Products. The Standard is not applicable to: storage facilities under the direct control of the production site management operations where product processing, handling or packing/repacking of open food occurs.

The Global Standard for Storage and Distribution does not cover:

In addition companies such as trade agencies, brokers and importers that do not have manufacturing, packing, storage or transport facilities cannot apply for certification under the Standard but such companies may request certification from their suppliers involved in these activities. The BRC Global Standard for Packaging and Packaging Materials is an auditing Standard that laysdown the requirements for the manufacturing of packaging materials used for food and consumer products. Food businesses may request this from their suppliers of packaging. The BRChas also developed the Global Standard for Consumer Products, which is not applicable to food, and specifically excludes food associated products such asvitamins, minerals and herbal supplements which fall within the scope of the BRCGlobal Standard for Food Safety.

Appendix 2

Qualifications

Training a'nd Experience Requirements for Auditors

1

The following identify the minimum requirements for auditors to conduct audits against the BRCGlobal Standard for Food Safety.

The auditor shall have a degree in a food-related or bioscience discipline, or as a minimum have successfully completed a higher education course in a food or bioscience-related discipline,

The auditor shall have a minimum of five years post-qualification experience related to the food industry. This shall involve work in quality assurance or food safety functions within manufacturing, retailing, inspection or enforcement and the auditor shall be able to demonstrate an understanding and knowledge of specific product categories for which they are approved, The verification of the auditor's ability to carry out work within specific product categories is the responsibility of the certification body,

passed a registered Management System Lead Assessor Course (e,g, IRCA)or the BRCThird Party Auditor course delivered by a BRCApproved Trainer. completed a training course in HACCP (as evidenced by examination), based on the principles of Codex Alimentarius, of at least two days' duration, and be able to demonstrate competence in the understanding and application of HACCP principles, It is essential that the HACCPcourse is recognised by the industry (and its stakeholders) as being appropriate and relevant

Audit Training
Auditors must have successfully completed a period of supervised training, including witnessed audits, in practical assessmentthrough 10 audits or 15 audit days involving third party food safety audits against Global Food Safety Initiative (GFSI)approved Standards, ISO22000 or ISO9000 series(at a food company) of which at least five must be against the Global Standard for Food Safety. Certification bodies must be able to demonstrate that every auditor has appropriate training and experience for the particular categories for which they are considered competent Auditor competence shall be recorded at least at the level of each category as indicated in Appendix 3, Certification bodies must establish training programmes for each auditor, which will incorporate: a Global Standard for Food Safety Awareness Course delivered by a BRCApproved Trainer a period of initial training covering product safety, HACCP and prerequisite programmes, and accessto relevant laws and regulations a period of supervised training to ,cover quality managemen~ systems, audit techniques and specific category knowledge

II II

assessment of knowledge and skillsfor each categot"'j documented sign off after the satisfactory completion of the training programme.

Eachauditor's training programme shall be managed and approved by a technically competent person within the certification body who can demonstrate technical competence in the categories in which training is given. Full detailed training records of the individual shall be maintained by the certification body throughout the term of employment, and retained for a minimum period of five yearsafter leaving the employment of the certification body.

Where a certification body employs an auditor who does not fully meet the specific criteria for education but has been assessedas competent, there shall be a fully documented justification in place to support the employment of the auditor.

Responsibility of the Certification Body

It is the responsibility of the certification body to ensure processesare in place to monitor and maintain the competence of the auditor to the level required by the Standard.

Appendix 3

Product Categories

Category .category: .'..

~o.: Raw products of animalor vegetable origin that require cooking prior to consumption

.> ~~~~d~~iO~~_
:-.-:<.:'.
.:~-'-.(:,::'-.~-":'~;
:1'" .. ;",',:

Fruit, vegetables and nuts . Prepared/semi-processed' fruit,vegetables ~nd salads inciudingprep~redready . 'to ~atsalads.colesl~ws, chips, frozen vegetables

Field of

audit

no.

Ambient stable products with pasteurisation or sterilisation as heat treatment

11

Canned products (e.g. beans, soups, meals)ruit, tuna) Products packed in glass (e.g;sauces, jams, pickled vegetables)

Ambient stable products not involving sterilisation as heat treatment

12

Salad dressings, " mayonnaise, vinaigrettes

Appendix 4

Summary of Grading Criteria Action Reql.lired and Audit Frequency

1

Certification will not be granted and therefore no grade shall be awarded if corrective action is not completed or evidence of completion is not received by the certification body within the 28 calendar-day timescale. The certification body shall justify a high number (more than 20) of minor non-conformities where there is either one major non-conformity or none. This shall be detailed on the audit report.

Appendix 5

Certificate Template
Trained third party auditor logo

COMPANY NAME AUDIT SITE ADDRESS

Has been evaluated by Certification Body name and registration number and found to meet the requirements of

GLOBAL STANDARD for FOOD SAFETY ISSUE 5: JANUARY 2008

Date of audit: Certificate issue date: Re-Audit due date: Certificate expiry date:

Accreditation Body Logo

EJ

Appendix 6

Certificate ValiditY1 Audit Frequency and

Planning

+24 months 1. Data otthe lnillal aucllt (8.g. 17105120(7) o' rllr18Wa audit. not Ia1er1llan (e.g. 17105120(8) 2.
,/I:W:R'r.Q1'f:i!

due date ot1l1. renew aIau cil no t

later than

"'~":;:f!(\_

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7 8 9 10 11 12 1 ,2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 1 I Durati on In \ / Month s
f

1.l.aIaItdllll of '_Idol", CW1fIic*. (CallI of:lUdlt+42 .dIIY'1 21110l!I07)

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)

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2.:5ioh:."ilr.i!c.illm ilil':lf l,~lI.:I'~!-...j;;

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1

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Year 1. Certificate validity: 12 months (initial audit date + 12 months + 42 days)

+6mamhs due date of the renewal

(e,g,l2J0212007)

a udit, not later than

(e.g. 12/0812007)

.4'12mcnlhs dUe datrt of1ll. ren .. laualt. not later than

(e.g. 12f02120081

"
:::'~ill:!Il'l'l!1l< wtnltr =JaDj~

"""

-',

'---j
I

I 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 1 2 Durati on i~""''',
~
1. ~alt" ""' Of 1WI,4.f1lM

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i'lbR"OI-itiCitt- .. 1.i_
1liI"~

Month s
L

./ /

//

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_to \Oalo.'audll">G
days 28/03107)
lLA:f:1I:.',i.!;WJl

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.:0
M!l.'~

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1. Certificate validity:

6 months

(Initial au<fit date + C months + 42 dayS)

Appendix 7

Glossary
Procedure by which an authoritative body gives formal recognition of the competence of a certification body to provide certification services against a specified standard.

Procedure bywhich accredited certification body based on an audit and assessment of a company's competence provide written assurance that a company ccnforms to a standard's requiremen~. . Provider of certification services, accredited to do so by an authoritative body. Body responsible for establishing internationallyrecognised guidelines of which HACCP is one such standard. standards, codes of practice and

The person, firm, company or other entity with whom a confirmed purchase order is placed, or who owns premises where products in whatever form originate. or who is otherwise responsible for employing or procuring the services of food handlers in the production and preparation of food. Introduction or occurrence of an unwanted contaminant in food or food environment. Contamination includes: physical, chemical. biological contamination. Contamination can also mean correlation of packages among themselves. Any action or activity that can be usedto prevent or eliminate a food safety hazard or reduce it to an acceptable level. Action to eliminate the cause of a detected non,conformitydeviation. step atwhichcontrol can be appliedand isessentialtopreventorelin1inate~foodsafety hazard or reduce it to an acceptable level. ' A business or person to whom a product has been provided,eitheras component part of the finished product. a finis'hedproduct or asa

A structured approach to determining and addressing the needsof~norganisation to whom the company supplies products and which may be measured by the use of performance indicators. The ultimate consumer of a foodstuffwho operation or activity. 'iVillnot use the food as part of any food business

Anyonewho

handles or prepares food, whetheropen(unwrapped}or

packaged. prepared and/oreaten

,'.,

Assurance that food will not cause harm to the consurner"vhenitis according to its intended use.
","
.,'

.... ',

'.

A requirement of the Standard that relates tpa systernwqich must bewellestablished. . ..monitoredpythecof11panyasabsenceorpooradherence serious repercussionsontheintegrityorrafetyqfthe productsopplied.

to the

A biological, chemical or physical agent in. orcandition adverse health effect.

of. food with the potentialto cause an

system that identifies. evaluates and controls hazards which are significantforfoodsafety.

An area designed to a high standard where practices. relating tOpersonnel,ingredients. equipment. packaging and environment aim to minimiseproductcontamination by pathogenic micro-organisms. A physically segregated area, designed to a high standard of hygiene, where practices relating to personnel, ingredients, equipment, packaging and environment aim to prevent product contamination by pathogenic micro-organisms.

High-risk product

Chilled ready to eat/heat product orfood where there isa high risk of growth from pathogenic micro oroanisms.

Identity

Preserved

A product which has a defined origin or purity characteristic which needs to be retained throughout the food chain, e.g. through traceability and protection from contamination. An event that has occurred which results in the production or supply of unsafe, illegal or nonconforming product. The first BRC audit at a company/site. General process of audit, for all the activity of the COmpany.Conducted by or on behalf of the company for internal purposes. A list of the responsibilities for a given position at acompany, An operation where the processing or handling of foods presents leastorminimumrisk of product contamination or growth of micro-organisms; orwhE!rethesubsequentprocessing preparation of the product by the consumer will ensure productsaf~ty. The noncfulfilment of specified product safety, legal orqualityrequirementor requirement.

Incident

Initial audit Internal audit

Job description, Low-risk operation

or

a spE:cified~;ystem

Summaries of quantified datathat provideinformation~nth~le'let()fc6rnPlianceagaihst' agreed targets, e.g. customer complaints, product incidents,JaboratorYdata;.,
'-, .' .... ". .'.',"':'-...,,-: ..... , "."1':"/.""':":"':' "",,1;-."<'

Water being safe to drink and free of poliutantsafJd harmfulorgadi~msandcbAforn1ingtolocal legal requirements. ' , Preparation of prim~,ryprodu~t Primary packaging Food product which has undergone washins, ortrimrning,or"size~gradingorquality-grading, process and is pre-packed. " Packaging which is in direct contact with food. Agreed method of carryingoutan activity or process which is irnPlernentedand the form of detailed instructions or process description (e.g:aflowchart). dOCUmented in ..,

Food product which has undergone anyof thefoII00ingpr~cesses:aseptic filling,baking, ",.. battering, blending, bottling, breading,brewing, canning, coating,c?okil1g,curi~g,cutting" dicing, distillation, drying, extrusion, fermentation,freeze drying;'fre~~ing,frying,hotfilling, irradiation, microfiltration, microwaving, milling, mixing,packedinrn?d,ifjed atmosphere," packed in vacuum packing, packing, pasteurisation,pickling, roastirjg, slising, smoking; steaming or sterilisation. Any substance notconsumed as a foodbyitself, intentionallyJsedin~h~prdcessingofT~w materials, foodsortheir ingredients to fulfil a cE!rtair/techno'ogicalpurposeduringtre~\rn~ntor processing, and which mayresult inthe. unintentionalbuttechnisally~nayoid.~blepr~s,enc~of the residues of the substance or itsderivativesinthefinalproduct,Pfovidedtpattresgresidues do not present any health risk and do not have any tech nolggical. effeq on thefini?hecl prod.qct:
,
.' .,.-",'

:,.','

.. ';.:

...

,:,';: . .','.. ,.'., ... ..;,,:-',:

...

:.-,-.:

.._ ... ,.,:"',,.::,;',:-,

:"

.... ,.:.",.:':, .. :.::

',",::'

Any measures aimed at achieving the return ofan,unfitpr6ddctfrornfin~Lcon~drri~rsand customers. Product withdra,..;j~( Any measures aimed at achieving the return of an unfit productfromcust()mersbutnotfina', consumers. A reconciliation of the amountofincomingraw materialagainsttheamountusedinthe resulting finished produc'"LS, also taking into account process waste and rE!I,york. Laboratory accreditation schemes that have gained nationaFand iQternationalacceptance . awarded by a competent body and recognised by government bodies or users ofthe Standard, e.g. ISO 17025 or equivalents. A trademark, logo, copyright or address of a retailer. Retailer R~tailer-branded fQod products A business selling food to the public by retail. Food products bearing a retailer's logo, copyright or addres~1ngredientsused tomanufilcture within retailer's premises; or products that are legally regariiled as therespc:nsibility ofthe retailer.

Quantity check/mass balance Recognised laboratory accreditation

specifically forthe duration of :he a 12-month cycle.

Appendix 8

Acknowledgements

The British Retail Consortium is grateful to the members of the Working Group who prepared this document:

Alan Botham Northern Foods David Brackston British Retail Consortium Andy Brown Food and Drink Federation Paul Elstone TescoStores Ltd Julie Evans Booker Mark Fincham Lloyd's Register Quality Assurance Susan Fletcher Sainsbury's Supermarket Ltd Karen Hagan British Retail Consortium

Jo Head British Meat ProcessorsAssociation Juliette Jahaj Sainsbury's Supermarket Ltd Ron Kill Micron 2 Phillip Knight Knight International Clive Manvell CMi Amanda McCarthy SGS Rob Nugent Provision Trade Federation Carole Payne SAI Global Assurance Services Ltd

Linda Riley Waitrose Valerie Rumbelow Provision Trade Federation Harriet Simmons National Britannia Geoff Spriegel British Retail Consortium John Tugwell Fresh~Produce Consortium Chris Walker Food and Drink Federation Susan Wright Asda Stores Ltd

The British Retail Con'sortium organisations

is also pleased to acknowledge

the helpful contributions

provided b'y individuals and

from across the globe:

1]1
...

ACM Ltd

DNV Finland

Perishable Products Export Control Board

Agriquality

Limited

DNV Sweden

Prosanitas

Altego Consulting

Eurofins

Provision Trade Federation

Aria Foods

Faccenda Group

QAI Pakistan

II!

ARS PROBATA

Food and Drink Industry Ireland

RBK Consultants

=: ;

Asda Stores Ltd

Food Standard Solutions

Reading Scientific Services Ltd SAI Global Assurance Services Ltd Sainsbury's Supermarkets Ltd

AUS-QUAL Pty Ltd

Hong Kong Inspection Company Ltd

'*

Bakkavor Group

HyGeNieus

,.:]

Bill Cossins

Iceland Foods

Sativa

Bioagricert

Inspectorate

SGS

Bodycote

International Quality Systems

Spar (UK) Ltd

== D
~ ~
i

III

British Meat Processors Association

Intertek

Swiss Technical Services

==
..

BSI

Isacert

Tesco Stores Ltd

Bureau Veritas

JOA International

Tuev Nord

Burger King

LSQA Latu Sistemas

TUV Italy

Cadbury Schweppes

Mack Multiples

UKAS

TakeAway a

Training Course

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You can even 'pick and mix' content from any course materials or we can design a new programme to suit the organisations' and individuals truly exclusive bespoke solutions. needs -

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