Purpose: Whilst food safety management systems, ranging from CODEX Alimentarius, GFSI guidance, laws, and norms to retails standards, are well established in the food industry and applied equally to manufacturers and the food supply chain, hygiene services and technology providers, i.e. the chemical industry, achieve effective quality management by different means. This presentation explores select key differences, potential consequences, and the need for revised standards and convergence.
Methods: A comparative assessment of safety and quality management systems, used in the food and the chemical industry, indicated significant differences and potential for improvement and closer alignment between business partners.
Results: Neither standards IFS nor BRC, norms ISO 22000/22001-2, FSSC 22000 nor HACCP-steps and principles are applied in or applicable to the hygiene services industry. Additionally, packaging-related regulations EU 1935/2004, 10/2011, 19/2007 and allergen-related regulations 1169/2011 are not applicable. The quality management systems observed include ISO 9001/14000ff; in select cases, ISO 13485 and GMP ISO 15378; and, furthermore, B2B-contractually agreed specifics.
Significance: Clearly, in contrast to the hygiene industry's importance to ensuring food safety, this industry does not, seamlessly, integrate into the food industry's supply chain and the gaps exist between applicable legislations, norms, and systems are only bridged via bilateral quality agreements. While this approach seems to provide workable processes, today, future revision of IFS, BRC standards, and ISO norms ought to aim at closing the gap for good; thus, providing for seamless partnerships between industries, higher-standard food integrity, and quality for consumers around the world.