BRC Food ISSUE 7: Key Changes for the Requirements of BRC FOOD ISSUE 7

The BRC Global Standards are internationally recognized as leaders in the market setting the reference point for good manufacturing practices in food, packaging, storage and distribution, agents and brokers, and consumer products. Certification enables customers to have confidence in their suppliers, and helps providers by enabling them to show they are maintaining high standards of safety, quality and legal compliance.

The requirements of the BRC Food Issue 7 Documents are an evolution of the above, with a continuous focus on management commitment, analysis and critical points of risk and (HACCP) - food safety program and support the quality management system. The aim was to direct the focus of the audit to the implementation of good manufacturing practices in the production areas with more emphasis on areas that have traditionally led to recalls and withdrawals .

Key changes for the Requirements of Issue 7:

• Stability: The BRC Food Issue 6 has been well received and we recognize that the standard is used as the basis for quality management systems to thousands of sites worldwide. In reviewing and rewriting the standard, we tried to focus on a few major areas where the standard should be revised to reflect the landscape of food security in evolution. The vast majority of requirements of the standard are unchanged or with minor changes to the wording to add clarity. This should mean that, for most of the sites for the development to prepare for the number 7 is concentrated on a few key areas.
• Supply chain traceability: Supply chains for products became increasingly complex, often including raw materials around the world and may include agents or brokers as intermediaries. This led to a lack of transparency that manifests itself all too often when a problem occurs requiring complete traceability of raw material. Retailers and Food service companies are increasingly looking for more information on the source of raw materials used in their products and confidence in food safety systems managed by suppliers of raw materials. In recognition of this issue 7 extended traceability requirements to include assurances on the traceability system operated by suppliers of raw materials.
• Customer Focus: Most companies' audits on customer sites of BRC certified have a focus on customers' own policies. A new set of requirements has been added to provide customers greater confidence that the sites are aware of and act on the customer's specific policies in the production of products for customers.
• Ambient Area with New High Care: BRC Food Issue 6 introduces more on environmental controls for high care and high-risk chilled and frozen products. Since the Issue 6, there have been a number of highly publicized incidents of food security affecting ambient products. In response a new requirement has been introduced to ensure that there is environmental risk based controls to protect ambient products where the product is cross-contamination from raw material after treatment.

Source: brcglobalcertification.wordpress.com

Hazard Analysis Critical Control Points to Ensure Food Safety

HACCP was introduced as a food safety system within the USA within the 1950. It absolutely was originally developed to forestall malady with astronauts throughout area flight it originated from quality systems that were antecedently getting used for jet engines and was afterward custom-made for food safety functions. Hazard analysis is used at each stage of the food operation to confirm freedom from contamination. Since 1stJanuary 2006 all food businesses should have a Food Safety Management System supported the HACCP principles. Most producing facilities can use a full system, however line of work businesses can use a method loosely supported this method. This will be achieved employing a diary system.

A crucial management purpose could be a purpose within the method that is classed because the last line of defense, for instance change of state could be a crucial management purpose. If there's a breakdown within the system then corrective action must be taken that might embody extra change of state, disposal of food or recall.

Control measures area unit actions needed to eliminate or scale back a food safety hazard to a suitable level, very like an impression live in an exceedingly health and safety risk assessment. In reality HACCP could be a food safety risk assessment. The hazards area unit known, details of individuals World Health Organization may well be injured area unit documented, extra management measures area unit introduced, the system is documented, communicated to all or any workers and reviewed as and once changes occur to the most method.

Corrective action is taken once results of observation at a crucial management purpose indicate a loss of management, that is, a crucial limit is broken. Observation should be administered at or as close to as is feasible to the crucial management points. There mustn't be quite in any line of work operation, or prices of observation might skyrocket and therefore the complete method would be troublesome to regulate. Several corporations have way too several of that area unit management points, not crucial management points, that don't seem to be crucial to food safety.

A crucial management purpose could be a step within the method wherever management are often applied and is crucial to forestall or eliminate a food safety hazard or scale back it to a suitable level.

Key Elements of Food Safety System Standards

There could also be many food safety system standards however their goal is usually identical. Every set of clauses aims to confirm that food things won't cause damage to customers. There are not any distinct boundaries to inform these standards apart, though there are alternative ways to seem at it. These rules may be sorted per food service, import or distribution. Every division is ruled by totally different agencies, which can enforce numerous sets of standards:

Imports

Food safety standards that trot out this division are measure the foremost widespread among all rules. Government agencies for agriculture are typically on top of things of those standards. Politics may additionally play associate degree authoritative role in decision-making, particularly since this division deals with trade and import. European countries, as an example, have firmer rules on commercialism genetically changed crops compared to the U.S. Some countries may additionally limit dairy farm merchandise created with unpasteurized milk.

Distribution

Another way to seem at food safety standards is thru distribution. Process is associate degree example of this division. Most cases of contamination begin throughout production and process that is why interference is crucial at this stage. Standards food safety that specialize in this division emphasize the importance of stopping contamination at associate degree early level, before it causes widespread damage. A country-wide contamination will simply unfold to a full-blown worldwide disaster if food safety isn't practiced from the terribly starting. Not solely can it need large effort in recalling contaminated things, however food safety malpractice may additionally cause poisoning and unhealthiness. Each consequence has a colossal impact on the country's economy and will cause larger expenses and losses in profit.

The national agency of agriculture is command answerable for ensuring that standards in distribution are met. All strategies and precautions ought to be exercised to stop cross-contamination and guarantee food sanitation.

Food Service

Food safety rules that are enclosed during this division are additional centered on food presentation and handling. This includes maintaining the acceptable temperature in dish bars and storage freezers. Meat and poultry ought to be ready in accordance with the suggested heat level. Otherwise, customers ought to a minimum of be told that the meat was undercooked. as an example, customers could have totally different preferences with however their cut is ready.

Good hygiene goes hand in hand with food safety. Workers WHO are directly in reality with food things ought to apply correct hygiene in food preparation and handling. The native health department is answerable of implementing these pointers within the food industry. Counting on the, these policies could need overall hygiene within the work and repair space. Some workers are even inspired to wear hairnets whereas getting ready food.

Food safety shouldn't be taken gently, particularly by those that are engaged within the food industry. Business WHO are non-compliant to those standards are in danger of losing their license to control, and will even be needed to pay fines. The authorities reprimand uncooperative businesses by revoking their licenses till correct action is taken.

Elements of BRC Global Standard

A key feature of Issue 6 of the BRC Global Standard for Food Safety is the format and content of the audit that assesses compliance with the requirements of the Standard. The audit is designed to be a complete assessment of the site’s compliance and is challenging and fair, and consistent across all manufacturing sites.

Audits against the BRC Food Standard shall include specific elements and auditing techniques to fully assess the company’s food safety systems. These include:

• Production staff interviews
• Product changeover assessment
• Line start check review
• In depth hygiene checks of equipment
• Traceability exercise
• Vertical audit

This document highlights and explains some of the auditing techniques which shall be incorporated in the audit and aids awareness of the expectations in terms of content and structure.