What is International Food Standard (IFS)??
Supplier audits in trade and industry have been a fixed part of cooperation for years. Increasingly heavier demands of consumers, the risks of their increasing indemnity claims and globalization of product flows required a single type quality assurance standard to be developed.
On ground of these developments, HDE (Handelverband Deutschland - German Retailers Association), FCD (Fédération du Commerce et de la Distribution - French Retailers Association) and Italian Retailers Associations CONAD, COOP and “Federdistribuzione” member companies have developed the International Food Standard (IFS) being the quality and food safety standard for trademarks. Standard is of service to equal control of the food safety and quality levels of producers. It may be used for all stages of the production in which the food is “processed” also by following the agricultural production.
Merchants from Austria, Poland, Spain and Switzerland supports IFS and uses it as the food safety standard.
What are the targets of the International Food Standard?
International Food Standard aims at the following primary objectives:
- A joint standard having a single type evaluation system;
- Acceptance of the accredited and qualified certification bodies and auditors;
- Ensuring the comparability and transparency in the entire supply chain;
- Reducing the expenses both in supplier and trade.
Which merchants support IFS?
All retailers and wholesalers organized in HDE food rights committee, FDE quality committee, Federdistribuzione quality committee and besides at CONAD and COOP support IFS and request these standard from their suppliers. The merchants being members to these committees are, for instance, Metro Group, Edeka, Rewe Group, Aldi, Lidl, Kaufland, Kaiser’s Tengelmann, Auchan, Carrefour Group, EMC – Groupe Casino, Leclerc, Monoprix, Picard, Surgelés, Provera (Cora and Supermachés Match), Système U, COOP, CONAD and Unes.
Is IFS International being applied?
IFS is a standard accepted by GFSI (Global Food Safety Initiative) such as the standards SQF, Dutch HACCP and BRC.
Some companies such as Tesco, Ahold, Wal Mart, Metro, Migros and Delhaize have stated that they will accept all the GFSI standards.
Who are subjected to an audit according to IFS?
For the time being, all food producers supplying trademarks for retailers and wholesalers are subjected to an audit based on IFS. IFS may be applied in the entire food chain except for primary production.
How has IFS International Food Standard been structured?
IFS is categorized in 4 sections:
- Section 1: Auditing Protocol (Auditing evaluation, performing the audit, various stapes until issuance of the certificate, etc.)
- Section 2: Basis requirements: Control lists contains 250 requirements split into 5 sections:
o Company responsibility
o Quality management
o Personnel management
o Production process / manufacturing process
o Measures, analyses, improvements
- Section 3: Those requested by accreditation agencies, certification bodies and auditors
What other advantages does being listed under IFS audits in IFS database provide to food industry?
IFS certificated companies have various advantages when using the IFS auditing portal. Firstly, they may manage their own IFS audit reports and measure plans over this system. Certification bodies are responsible for uploading the audit data (including report, measure plan). Companies may present these data to their customers (e.g. merchants) with one “click”.
Besides, companies may upload the certificates of other standards they use such as bio-certification, QS, KAT, BRC, SQF, etc. online and offer them into service over the database. All certificates may be viewed from a general list.
Certificated companies may also search for other certificated companies on the database and arrange them over the function “My Audit”. Thus, for instance, it may be controlled whether its preliminary suppliers are IFS certificated or not. They may receive the general information; however, cannot receive the report and measure plan. For this, a specific activation is necessary.
And finally, companies may download the original auditing file of AuditXpress software online and if they have the “AuditXpress software for in-company audits” necessary for this, this may be used for their in-company audits.
Does IFS have a software tool in order to realize in-company audits?
IFS has developed the “AuditXpress software for in-company audits” in order to be able to perform in-company audits on IFS database. The software provides step-by-step information on how to realize certain requirements at the company. The software also provides an evaluation tool for complete control list and audit results. What is more, the additional requirements of the company may be recorded over the software and thus the companies are also provided with the flexibility of drawing up the in-company audit list according to their needs beyond IFS.
For the time being, IFS certification bodies use this software in order to perform IFS audits. The companies may download the audit file online and use this as a basis for their in-company audits. This tool helps the companies in their daily operations. If companies intend to download this audit file, the certification bodies should upload the file online. Companies may read the data only and cannot change anything.
The software may be obtained from www.ifs-online.eu online store and is available in German, English, French, Italian and Spanish. Other languages have been planned. The software will be ready for use from the summer of 2008.
What are the requirements of IFS certification bodies?
Certification bodies should submit the accreditation in EN 45011 standard for certification according to IFS. From the moment at which this exists, the certification bodies will be listed and displayed on IFS website. Upon submission of the accreditation, certification bodies sign agreement with IFS standard holders. Other requirements requested from certification bodies have been defined in Section 3 of IFS Food Version 5.
What are those requested from IFS auditors?
IFS defines those requested from IFS auditors in detail in section 3 pf Food Version 5. The basic requirements are:
• Auditing experience (minimum 10 audits within the past 2 years),
• Provable information HACCP principles,
• Quality management information,
• Auditors may perform audits only on basis of their field knowledge (minimum 2-year professional knowledge in a field or minimum 10 audits in a field),
• Requirement of succeeding in both written and verbal exams
Besides, auditors may perform IFS audits for an authorized IFS certification body only.
IFS is the only food safety standard subjecting the auditors to written and verbal exams. Every auditor is required to attend this exam held every 2 or 4 years according to the recent exam results. By means of this exam method, IFS ensures the qualified auditors to be authorized only.
What are the procedures to be done in order to obtain IFS certificate?
First steps:
◦ Deciding on the standard (IFS Food or IFS Logistics)
◦ Placing order for the currently valid version of the standard from the address www.ifs-online.eu
◦ Evaluation of the current situation (by the company itself)
◦ Choosing the certification body
◦ Determining the audit date, audit time and audit area (coverage area of the audit)
◦ Upon request: Preliminary audit in order to receive the final situation
◦ Performance by experienced and competent auditor of the audit in the related product category on the date of audit determined
How long should an IFS audit last?
In order to determine the estimated time of an audit, the certification body has a suitable system ensuring that the sufficient duration for an audit is calculated. The experiences gained have shown that a typical audit duration is 1.5 days plus the additional time for preparation of the audit report is approx. 0.5 day.
Are the standards accepted by GFSI recognized?
Certain merchants supporting IFS accept also the GFSI standards. However, they place more reliance on IFS since they are included in the development of the standard and qualification of auditor.
Are there other IFS standards apart from IFS food standards?
Yes, the businesses of HDE and FCD have developed IFS Logistics (for transportation, storage and sale). Apart from this, for instance, other projects are at the stage of development for IFS house holding and cosmetics and IFS Cash & Carry.
All IFS standards are developed in line with the demands of businesses.