13 replies to this topic

[Pukar]

does anyone know what Food safety program is used for candy manufacturing?

[Amber McCreary]

Maybe you could clarify what exactly you are asking... there are several standards out there you could use. What country are you in and what kind of candy do you produce?

[Pukar]

Its in USA, California.... chocolates, nuts, fruit candies, and gelo fruit candy...is HACCP good enough? or the company need SQF and HACCP?

Maybe you could clarify what exactly you are asking... there are several standards out there you could use. What country are you in and what kind of candy do you produce?

[GMO]

Well HACCP is a given IMO. (Do you not have a HACCP plan?) Apart from that, I'd look into what your customers want. If you aren't restricted then I'm sure people here might be able to help but everyone has their personal preference which is as much based on location as other things (for example I quite like BRC but I suspect that won't help you much unless you're exporting to the UK.)

I have some (albeit old) experience in chocolate and starch moulded gelled confectionery and I'm sure there's much more experience on here to help.

[Dr Ajay Shah]

I suggest that you conduct a little reserach on BRC, SQF and HACCP and then decide which system best suits your company's requirements. HACCP is the most basic foundation system which should be in place and then you can decide which system you can add later on.

Just go on the SQF and BRC website and conduct some research.

[Cathy]

I have worked with 4 candy companies in the U.S. They are not all ready for SQF or BRC. One is close to certification. They all intend to get certified in the future. For now, they are each implementing HACCP and seeking out a third party review of that HACCP system to assure their customers they are on the right track.

[GMO]

Wow and I thought UK manufacturing in confectionery was a bit behind the times... Just implementing HACCP now... Eek!

[Cathy]

I agree ! Candy has been considered a low hazard item but the challenges with Salmonella in peanuts increased activity in the industry. GFSI has also been a motivator plus the pending implementation of the Food Safety Modernization Act.

[Amber McCreary]

I would start with HACCP and have an independent auditing company check your readiness before making any huge leaps. (such as AIB) After that my vote is for BRC (It includes HACCP in 2.0 of its standards). I have had experience implimenting both SQF and BRC into older companies. BRC I found was MUCH easier as we could adapt many of the things we were already doing to meet the standards. Either way you go they both take many hours and a lot of committent to impliment (well worth it though) Like someone mentioned above make sure and check with your customers before making a final decision.

Rgds/Amber

[GMO]

If you ever need to convince your confectionery companies that improved food safety is required, take a look at the cadbury's Salmonellae recalls in the UK...

[MQA]

Hi Pukar,

All food manufacturers should be HACCP certified as a minimum.

BRC & SQF are food safety AND food quality. When you start on the path of an international standard, your program moves from a food safety program to a food safety and quality management system.

Implementing a food safety & quality management system will do amazing things for your business. It assists with quality control and can reduce production mistakes, customer complaints, equipment breakdowns, etc. Sure there is a lot of paperwork involved but it also allows for improved communication channels between quality, production, administration and your major customers.

Definitely conduct your own research on both BRC and SQF. You will find mixed reactions for both of them. It comes down to personal preference and the type of industry you are in. Granted though, there is less paperwork in BRC! I am sure everyone on this forum could at least agree on that?

The SQF Standard is for free on their website. Take a look at the one I have attached (I don't think this version is on the SQF website - someone can correct me if they like ).

How do you choose? SQF, BRC, FSSC 22000, IFS? It will come down to a number of things:

• What certification are your major customers requiring from your business?
• Which standard would you be able to receive professional assistance during implementation?
• Which certification can be conducted by external auditors in your area?
• And simply, which standard do you like??

The four standards I mentioned are globally accepted and approved by GFSI. For more information on GFSI, go to http://www.mygfsi.com/. Also check out their expectations from Food Safety & Quality Standards in the attachment.

Hope my waffling has been of some assistance. Good luck in your choice of Standard.

Attached Files

•  GFSI Guidance ed 06.pdf   1.44MB   31 downloads
•  SQF 2000 Code with Guidance.pdf   1.11MB   24 downloads

[Pukar]

hey i think the company will be using International Food Standards (IFS),,,,does anyone has International Food Standards manual? plzzzzzzzzzzzzz post it here thankssss

[MQA]

I very much doubt this forum is permitted to give away standards that you have to pay for. There might be legal ramifications?

You can purchase the standard from their website: http://www.ifs-certification.com

[Dr Ajay Shah]

Nice one GMO