Assuring Food Safety and Quality

The limitations of end-product testing means that chilled food manufacturers must focus on additional ways to assure food quality and safety. Chilled food companies, therefore, use HACCP-focused systems as the most effective way of assuring food safety and quality.

Good Practice

HACCP is a system that identifies, evaluates and controls hazards which are significant for food safety. It applies to all aspects of food preparation, from farm to fork including the design of premises, product and process, the management of hygiene procedures and control of the process. The principles of HACCP are embodied in our Guidelines for Good Hygienic Practice in the Manufacture of Chilled Foods which are widely recognised as the benchmark for best practice in the chilled food industry. All our members commit to comply with these Guidelines.

A requirement of our Guidelines is that our members must use suppliers that are audited according to documented procedures to ensure compliance with specifications, legal compliance requirements, and have appropriate Certificates of Analysis and systems certification. Raw materials, for example, are bought to agreed specifications through approved/audited suppliers. Suppliers are required to provide appropriate documentation with analyses carried out by competent laboratories and full traceability.