GFSI – Global Food Safety Initiative

Food safety is a major challenge for the global food supply chain. Support your company by deploying the internationally recognized Global Food Safety Initiative (GFSI). This voluntary program aims to enhance food safety worldwide, by encouraging quality food production, safe product handling and exemplary hygiene practices.

GFSI - Global Food Safety Initiative

What is GFSI?

Launched in February 2000 by a group of food safety specialists from a variety of sectors, including distribution, production and services, the Global Food Safety Initiative (GFSI) is a collaborative effort to establish a universal standard for food safety management systems. Its aim is to ensure the confidence and traceability of food products in an international market.

Contrary to popular belief, GFSI does not directly award certifications in the food sector. It acts as a recognition body, assessing and approving pre-existing certification programs, known as CPOs or Certification Programme Owners, according to rigorous, harmonized criteria. GFSI standards are therefore considered equivalent and integrated by the many players in the food supply chain.

The steering committee includes delegates from food industry giants such as Mondelez, The Kroger Co, Pick n Pay and GAP Plus+. The project also benefits from the expertise of specialized technical committees, regional groups, strategic partners and other key players. Every year, GFSI holds an international congress, bringing together thousands of experts dedicated to food safety, to discuss best practices, innovative advances and obstacles to be overcome.

Why was GFSI created?

The creation of the GFSI was prompted by a series of alarming health crises at the dawn of the 21st century, including the mad cow disease epidemic, cases of dioxin contamination and incidents of Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy or BSE. These events represented a threat both to public health and to the reputation of the companies affected.

Moreover, the food safety field was characterized by great heterogeneity, with a range of disparate standards and regulations across countries, regions and even sectors, generating considerable costs and complexity for those operating in the supply chain. Faced with this scattered approach, the need to establish a universal framework and reference for food security has become obvious on a global scale.

As a result, GFSI was set up in 2000, under the impetus of leading European retailers such as Carrefour, Tesco, Metro and Ahold. By combining their efforts, these pioneers aimed to standardize and improve food safety management. Their aim was to restore consumer confidence and guarantee impeccable traceability of foodstuffs worldwide, thanks to well-recognized standards used by all players in the supply chain.

GFSI’s mission is to reduce public health risks, increase transparency, foster innovation and support sustainable growth in the food sector.

What does GFSI do?

To better understand GFSI, let’s take a look at what it does. This system plays a crucial role in building responsible food businesses, by harmonizing food safety management systems worldwide. By providing a uniform point of reference, GFSI supports organizations in verifying the effectiveness and reliability of their food safety management systems. It draws up standards in this field, certifies organizations according to these criteria, and offers recommendations and support to companies wishing to optimize their food handling and safety methods.

How does GFSI operate? Its action is based on three fundamental pillars:

  • Evaluation of supplier policies: GFSI ensures that suppliers are aware of applicable food safety standards and regulations.
  • Observation and inspection: GFSI monitors and inspects suppliers during their operations to ensure compliance with current safety protocols and guidelines. This includes interviewing personnel, examining facilities and more.
  • Monitoring progress: GFSI checks suppliers’ files to confirm that they are actually meeting the commitments they have made to their customers.

What are the existing GFSI standards?

The GFSI Global Food Safety Initiative recognizes several certification programs that help to secure the food supply chain. These cover various sectors, including agricultural production, food processing, transport, marketing, storage, retailing, packaging and materials in contact with food.

GFSI recognizes the following certification programs:

  • FSSC 22000 or Food Safety System Certification ;
  • BRCGS or Brand Reputation through Compliance of Global Standards;
  • IFS Food or International Featured Standards;
  • GlobalGAP or Good Agricultural Practice;
  • Safe Quality Food or SQF ;
  • PrimusGFS or Primus Global Food Safety ;
  • CanadaGAP or Canadian Horticultural Council On-Farm Food Safety Program ;
  • HACCP or Hazard Analysis Critical Control Point certification;
  • BAP or Best Aquaculture Practices;
  • GlobalGAP certification for Aquaculture;
  • ISO 22000 or International Organization for Standardization.
GFSI - Global Food Safety Initiative

How do I obtain GFSI certification?

To obtain GFSI certification, a company must first set up a preventive food safety management system, often based on the HACCP system. The aim is to identify and understand the risks associated with food safety.

Once an effective HACCP strategy has been implemented, the company can choose the GFSI program best suited to its operations and begin the certification process.

Once you’ve selected a plan, you’ll need to submit an application and meet all the necessary requirements. The next step is to implement and document the process.

What are the key criteria for GFSI certification?

Certification to a GFSI standard requires compliance with key criteria based on the principles of the Codex Alimentarius, the world authority on food safety. These criteria are divided into seven main categories:

Category 1: Management system

The first category covers food safety management system requirements, such as implementation, documentation, maintenance and continuous improvement. This includes the organization’s policy, missions, allocation of responsibilities, distribution of resources, communication strategies, management reviews, not to mention records and archives management.

This category focuses on standards relating to good hygiene and safety practices, which must be observed at every stage of the food supply chain. The aim is to ensure impeccable hygiene, prevent any risk of contamination, effectively combat parasites and manage waste appropriately.

This category sets out the requirements for Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point (HACCP), an internationally recognized procedure for the detection and management of food safety hazards.

The essential phases of this procedure involve forming an HACCP group, describing the product, determining its end use, designing and validating the production layout, identifying threats, defining critical points, establishing critical thresholds, deploying a monitoring system, designing corrective measures, carrying out checks and creating the necessary documentation and archives.

This category covers parameters relating to product traceability throughout the supply chain. It is essential to be able to easily identify non-compliant products, manage incidents with a good traceability system, mark products, keep accurate documentation and carry out traceability tests.

This category describes the steps to be taken to prepare for and respond effectively to emergencies and incidents, thus guaranteeing food safety. This involves identifying emergency situations and potential incidents, setting up a response plan, training employees, developing a transparent communication strategy involving all parties concerned, carrying out the required corrective actions, and periodically updating the response plan.

This category focuses on staff training, stressing the need for a well-trained and skilled team, aware of its role in preserving food safety. This involves identifying training needs, organizing and implementing training courses, assessing their impact and updating training documents.

This category deals with industry-specific requirements, emphasizing that compliance with additional standards applies depending on the GFSI program chosen. These may include regulations on allergens, GMOs or Genetically Modified Organisms, the suitability of materials interacting with food, and the use of additives and preservatives, among others.

FAQ

Is GFSI certification compulsory?

Yes, GFSI certification is mandatory. It certifies that safety practices are maintained throughout the food production chain. This certification plays a crucial role in our society, guaranteeing the production of safe food for everyone’s consumption.

When a player in the food sector obtains GFSI certification, it attests to its compliance with international food safety standards, providing consumers with the assurance that products have been produced, processed and managed under optimum safety conditions.

It is essential to emphasize that a company cannot be GFSI-certified directly, but rather through a GFSI-approved standard. The latter assumes an approval role by evaluating and validating various certification programs. Consequently, products requiring certification to a GFSI standard are those that fall within the scope of programs recognized by this entity.

What are the fields of application of GFSI programs?

GFSI-approved programs cover many segments of the food supply chain, identified by specific activity codes (such as agriculture, food processing, transport and logistics, warehousing, retail, not forgetting packaging and food-contact substances) and scope codes (including different product types, including plant and animal foods, dairy, seafood, cereals, sweets, beverages…).

Each GFSI certification program details its areas of application on the organization’s website. The BRCGS program covers farming, food processing, materials and packaging in contact with foodstuffs, warehousing and distribution, consumer services and retailing, and encompasses a wide range of products.

So which products are covered by GFSI standards?

The products that must be certified to a GFSI standard are generally those included in the areas mentioned above. Not only foodstuffs, but also packaging and materials that come into contact with food, because of their potential effect on food safety. Products that are not part of the food supply chain, such as cosmetics, pharmaceuticals or chemicals, are not covered by GFSI standards.

Although not compulsory, GFSI certification is seen as a guarantee of quality and reliability, minimizing health risks, facilitating auditing processes, boosting competitiveness and satisfying consumer demands.

Suitability for business sector

Make sure the certification program you select matches your organization’s activities and scope code. For example, if the company specializes in dairy products, the program will target this segment in particular. Details of GFSI programs can be found on the GFSI website, or on the websites of certification program owners or CPOs.

Compliance with customer requirements

The chosen GFSI certification program must be in line with customer expectations. Preferences may vary according to purchasing policy, target market or country of origin. So it’s a good idea to find out what your customers need and what programs they prefer, and to carry out market research to determine the best certifications in your field.

Estimating expenses, deadlines and resources

Make sure that the GFSI program is compatible with your financial capacity, planned deployment times and your company’s capabilities at various levels. Programs differ in several respects: audit duration and frequency, complexity, documentation and training requirements.

Compare the options available to identify the program that matches your objectives. Specialized consultants can help you in this process.

Choice of several certifications

GFSI programs are generally recognized as equivalent. The operators involved in the food supply chain recognize them as such. So, in absolute terms, it’s not necessary to obtain several certifications. However, this can be beneficial if your company operates in a variety of sectors, wants to stand out from the crowd or access new markets. It is crucial to comply with the requirements of each program while maximizing synergies.