IAS is a third-party certification body providing HACCP Certification to its clients by auditing the HACCP system, products and facilities at their end. HACCP Certification involves two steps – Internal Audit & Registration. The internal audit is to check the system of your organization, whereas registration is done with respect to products that you process.
About HACCP Certification
Saudi Arabia has recently adopted Codex Alimentarius commission HACCP standards in its legislation for the food safety system in the country. Codex Alimentarius is an international food standards body that was established by FAO (UN) and WHO (WHO). The IAS Saudi Arabia office has been working with ISO auditors to set up HACCP group certification and individual HACCP Certification for the food companies. HACCP Certification is one of the requirements that has been set by Saudi Standards, Metrology and Quality Organization (SASO) to register a food business in Saudi Arabia.
The Saudi Food and Drug Authority (SFDA) has instituted new HACCP food safety regulations for all imported food, starting August 1. Under the rules, foreign manufacturers must ensure that their products meet the minimum requirements of Saudi Arabian Standards (SAS) prior to entering the country.
There are 6 steps in IAS HACCP Certification for Food and Drink:
1. Review of the HACCP Certification Application:
IAS reviews the Application:
- a) A copy of the HACCP certification application duly signed by the client.
- b) A complete list of all products that would fall under this certification together with the country of manufacture, the latest inspection certificate (where required) and the Risk Matrix.
- c) A copy of all HACCP plans for products under certification.
- d) A complete list of SFDA laboratory reference numbers and possibly ISO 17025 accreditation where applicable. Please note that IAS requires a letter from the client authorizing IAS to request laboratory results from SFDA. The letter should also include the relevant purchase order number, reference number and product to be certified.
2. Review of Food or Drink Product Documentation:
A review is conducted of the documentation submitted by the client. This includes all lab reports, certificates of analysis, stability datasheets, manufacturing process, raw material specifications, etc. All documentation is checked to meet the requirements of all regulatory bodies and internal company procedures including GMP’s (Good Manufacturing Practices), ISO 17025 accreditation where applicable, IATA (International Air Transport Association) commercial documentation for airline or marine shipments, SEDEX (Society of Economic Dispatch Express Couriers) documentation for road and courier shipments, etc.
3. Review of Food or Drink Product:
After all the documentation is reviewed and approved by IAS, the products to be certified are selected for review on-site at the client’s facility. A food safety officer will go through all product specifications such as ingredients, labeling, processing methods, storage temperatures, packaging materials, and manufacturing equipment.
4. HACCP Certification Pre-Audit:
The IAS food safety officer will then conduct a pre-audit of the client’s HACCP system to ensure that all documentation is in place, there is no cross-contamination between raw and finished products, and that each product has its own appropriate HACCP plan. The system will also be audited to ensure that all equipment is HACCP-compliant and processes are suitable for the product being manufactured.
5. HACCP Certification Audit:
The Food safety officer reviews the documented HACCP systems, records review of the manufacturing facility, reviews all procedures including Quality Assurance, Quality Control, and Production Records. The systems are validated through the review of these records to ensure that they support the HACCP plan for each product.
6. Issuing of HACCP Certificate:
When the IAS auditor is satisfied with the validation of the system, a quality assurance test will be conducted consisting of a review of a sample of the product in the actual plant environment with all relevant documentation available. When this has been successfully completed, a certificate will be issued to cover both the client’s location and the product tested.
The IAS HACCP system is managed by food safety officers who have extensive experience with international clients in Saudi Arabia. Every IAS auditor has to obtain ISO 17025 accreditation in the specific disciplines they cover, and many have additional qualifications such as microbiology or food technology that add value to our auditing services.
The procedures for HACCP certification of food and drink products in Saudi Arabia are set out in the HACCP chapter of IAS’ Standard Operating Procedures (SOP) Manual, one of the most comprehensive and detailed SOP manuals available.
HACCP Certification Benefits
The HACCP certification increases the food safety standards and also offers the following benefits to the organizations:
- – Food safety is improved
- – Ensures regulatory compliance
- – Provides documented proof for customer requirements
- – Improved production yield and quality of the product
- – Helps organizations to comply with more stringent food safety standards (e.g., SQF, BRC, IFS) as opportunities arise.
- – Provides organizations with a competitive advantage
A HACCP certification can be awarded for food processing and packaging, dry foods, dairy, and beverages.
Which products need HACCP Certification?
The HACCP certification applies to all businesses in the food supply chain. But, this certification is necessary for the producers/retailers of food products such as,
- Fruits and vegetables
- Dairy products
- Fish and fishery products
- Nuts and nut products
- Bakery and confectionery products
- Spices and condiments
- Fast foods, ready-to-eat
- Meat and poultry products
- Chocolate, candies, snacks
- Cereals and cereal products
- Snack food products.
- The IAS HACCP team can help in the creation of an appropriate HACCP plan for your organization. IAS is the most trusted name in the field of food safety certification.
Steps in Preparation of HACCP Certification:
There are 7 steps in HACCP certification:
– Initial Registration and Product Validation, which includes verification of registration information provided by the client.
– Facility Evaluation – a physical walk-through of the facility is conducted by to verify that all relevant equipment is present and properly labeled. This is followed by a review of company documentation by including Standard Operating Procedures.
– Initial Product Evaluation – samples of the process are collected and analyzed to determine if the product meets specifications based upon regulatory requirements. Reviews are made of any available lab reports, certificates of analysis, or other documentation relevant to the safety of the product.
– Flow Diagram Development – a flow diagram is developed which shows all steps in the process and documents who is responsible for each step. Protocols are developed for all relevant tests, both incoming raw materials and outgoing finished products.
– Product Stability & Reliability Testing – stability studies are conducted on three production runs of the product at least 14 days apart.
– Test Procedures Review – review of test protocols and lab reports from any available stability data. A review of sampling and testing records for incoming material, product in the process, and finished goods is conducted to verify compliance with specifications.
– Prerequisite Programs – a review of all prerequisite programs such as HACCP training, pest control, cleaning frequency, equipment calibration, and maintenance records.
Once all of the above steps have been successfully completed, the product is deemed ready for HACCP monitoring.
Contact us:
For all your HACCP Certification needs… Contact:enquiry@iascertification.com or call: +6531591803