The food industry is constantly evolving, and product quality and safety are fundamental. In this context, the BRCGS Food Safety standard is one of the essential pillars for guaranteeing excellence and compliance in this highly demanding sector.
BRCGS Food Safety is an internationally recognized standard established to assist organizations in the safe production of food by defining strict hygiene, safety and quality standards. It provides detailed guidelines to ensure that food production and handling processes comply with the highest food safety standards.
Since 1998, BRCGS Food Safety has supported this industry on issues related to food safety, including HACCP, traceability, food fraud prevention, management commitment and food safety culture. The growing recognition of the standard by the markets has led to an increase in demand for BRCGS certifications, which have an impact on more than 800 billion dollars in product sales.
Revisions to the BRCGS standard ensure the incorporation of industry trends, experiences and best practices and allow the standard to keep up to date with evolving expectations, regulatory requirements and consumer needs.
Version 9 of BRCGS Food Safety was launched in 2022 and introduced 2 new themes:
- Food safety culture development
- Development of core competencies
The development and continuous promotion of a strong food safety culture should be the main objective of the entire food industry, as it is fundamental to guaranteeing the effective implementation of product safety management systems and helping to prevent incidents.
Core competencies, on the other hand, are an inherent part of the daily activities of an organization that aims to provide safe food products to consumers. They include basic knowledge such as regular monitoring, continuous improvement of traceability, Good Manufacturing Practices, foreign body controls and complaint handling, and more complex knowledge such as risk assessment, effective internal audits, among others.
The main advantages of the BRCGS Food Safety Certification are:
- Credibility and Customer Confidence: BRCGS Food Safety certification offers an internationally recognized quality mark. This increases customer confidence, demonstrating an unwavering commitment to product safety and quality.
- Legal and Regulatory Compliance: The BRCGS Food Safety standard covers the legal and regulatory requirements of the food sector, ensuring that companies comply with the standards required by the competent authorities.
- Continuous Process Improvement: Implementing the BRCGS Food Safety standard promotes continuous improvement in processes, leading to more effective and efficient food safety management. This results in less waste, reduced costs and maximized operational efficiency.
- Access to new markets: BRCGS Food Safety certification is often a requirement for accessing certain markets and establishing solid business partnerships, both nationally and internationally.
- Reducing Food Safety Risks: By following the rigorous standards established by the standard, companies can identify and mitigate risks related to food safety, thus reducing the likelihood of product recalls and damage to brand reputation.
- Fostering Innovation and Efficiency: The quest for BRCGS Food Safety certification often stimulates innovation in processes, encouraging the adoption of new technologies and sustainable practices in food production.
In a world where food safety is crucial, BRCGS Food Safety certification stands out as a key tool for the success and sustainable growth of companies in the food industry.
