SAFE QUALITY FOODS (SQF)

Safe Quality Food (SQF) is a Food Safety Management System (FSMS) designed to provide organizations with a rigorous system to manage food safety risks, provide safe product and provide customers with a recognized food safety certification.

SQF is GFSI Recognized and benchmarked to provide you with the recognition you need to supply products to leading manufacturers and retailers worldwide.

SQF Highlights:

• Managed by the Safe Quality Food Institute (SQFI)

• GFSI Recognized to give you access to leading food and retail customers worldwide

• Ability to choose from Level 2 (Food Safety) or Level 3 ( Food Safety and Quality)

• Ability to choose GMP/PRP requirements specifically for your industry sector. For example, food processing or food packaging manufacture.

• Over 5000 companies registered worldwide

• Certified companies are listed in a supplier database for potential customers to search

SQF Basics:

The SQF System is a Food Safety Management System (FSMS)

It contains requirements for integrated processes that work together to control and minimize food safety hazards.

SQF has two levels of certification to choose from that are GFSI recognized:

Level 2: This level is focused on food safety, and does not include quality requirements.

Level 3: This level includes both food safety and quality management requirements.

Your organization can choose which level you will pursue certification for. The SQF code outlines both levels of requirements. It is also possible to start at Level 2 and move to Level 3 in the future. Level 2 is GFSI recognized; in most cases when a customer asks for certification, the Level 2 will satisfy them.

The system includes requirements to build management commitment and involvement, a documented system and document and records control, specifications and product development processes, food safety practices, verification of the processes and system, product identification, traceability and recall processes, site security and food defense processes, allergen management and a training program.

The company must designate an SQF Practitioner. This person will be responsible for overseeing the development and implementation of the system, as well as the maintenance of the system. They must be an employee of the company and be trained on SQF and HACCP. For training options see our Complete Training Package, recommended for the SQF Practitioner.

Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points (HACCP) must be used to control hazards, and the people assigned responsibility for the HACCP Plan must be trained in HACCP.

To implement the SQF System you will need to:

• Learn what is required for the food safety management system

• Select the applicable modules for your industry segment and activities

• Register in the SQF database (Reliance database at www.SQFI.com)

• Designate your SQF Practitioner

• Design, document and implement the required processes and food safety fundamentals

• Run your system, collect records, perform internal audits, management review and HACCP team meetings.

• Make corrections and improvements to your system