Please find below some frequently asked questions:
 

Q: How do you involve the production personnel into the certification process?
A: Let them take training courses and let them take part in writing some of their own procedures. Communicate the progress of the certification project frequently.

Q: How do I choose a certification body?
A: Ask for references and make sure they have a good track-record in your specific business sector.

Q: Does a private standard and a certification add too much documentation for a small company?
A: Not necessarily, try to keep the documentaion as simple and short as possible. Be carefull when devloping the Quality management system.

Q: Is certification obligatory?
A: No it is not, it is voluntary.

Q: Is HACCP obligatory?
A: Yes it is. The implementation of HACCP (Hazard Analysis Critical Control Points) is obligatory. The implementation of HACCP is imposed by the law.

Q: Are “standards” and “HACCP” the same thing actually?
A: No they are not. HACCP is a methodology that it implemented on the production of the food processor/handler. Some standards, such as the BRC, IFS, ISO22000, include the HACCP implementation in their requirements, but they do not constrain themselves only to it. All of them include a number of other requirements relative both to the production and management processes of the food handler/producer. That is way the implementation of the standards constitutes commercial added value.

Q: What is the difference between ISO 22 000 and GFSI standards certification?
A: There are many differences but the main difference is in the subject of certification. In the case of ISO 22 000 the subject of certification is the system of food safety management and in the case of GFSI standards the subject is product.

Q: Is it obligatory to have metal detector if I want to certify the IFS standard?
A: It is not obligatory; the need of metal detector must be justified by the risk analysis. If there is a substantial risk of product contamination by metals, which can not be decreased to the acceptable level, than the metal detector must be installed.

Q: What is it GFSI? How can I get a certification for GFSI?
A: GFSI (global food safety initiative) is the benchmark of private product certification standards. The goal is to show that standards are in fact similar concerning aims and ways to reach them. GFSI can not be certified.

Q: Is it possible to certify BRC and IFS standards during one audit?
A: Yes it is possible, lot of requirements are similar. The audit can be shorter than the total time of two separate audits, but longer than single audit. The decision of the duration is the responsibility of certification body. In the end separate evaluation and report are issued.

Q: What are the main goals of the certification audit of GFSI standards?
A: In the end of audit the auditor must be able to state if the audited company is able to supply safe products in compliance with the specification.

Q: Are there any special requirements concerning allergens in the GFSI standards?
A: Yes the allergens must be managed from the beginning (specifications), trough the production (cross contamination) until the end (specification, labeling and product testing).

Q: How can allergens be detected?
A: Most “allergens” are proteins, so they can be detected mainly by immunochemical methods (e.g. ELISA). But other methods are available as well.

Q: How can GMO be detected?
A: GMO can be detected as genotype or phenotype. It means that we can look for changed genetic information (using PCR or real time PCR), the presence of special proteins (immunochemical method) or the biological assay (e.g. resistance of the crop against herbicides). Unfortunately in food where proteins and DNA is not present the detection is practically impossible.

Q: What is the limit of maximal content of GMO if it is not labeled?
A: The GMO must be labeled in all cases when it is used in the production. The limit of random contamination or contamination from the environment is 0,9 % in the product.

Q: Are there any special requirements concerning traceability in GFSI standards?
A: The standards are containing requirements for the internal traceability, which is not legislative requirement. The internal traceability means the ability to identify lots of raw materials and packaging which were used for lots of final products.

Q: Does the existence of food safety standards help to comply with food safety regulations?
A: Yes, because these standards include the compulsory legal requirements.

Q: What else do food safety standards offer apart from the legal requirements? 
A: They supply criteria for design, establishment and smooth running of a management system. They provide organisational elements which improve efficiency when applying food safety measures.