What is SQF Certification?
If You Care about Your Food Products, Shouldn’t You Care About the Quality of How They’re Handled?
If you’ve just started in the food industry, you might ask, “What is an SQF Certification?” In this post, we’ll answer that question. We’ll also provide some details of what the standards are.
What is an SQF certification?
SQF stands for safe, quality food. It’s an internationally recognized system designed and administered by the SQF Institute. The institute sets the standards for companies in the foodservice industry. They’re designed to keep food production and preparation safe.
What are SQF standards?
These are standards put in place to ensure that companies manage food safety risks appropriately. A company may apply for certification as a way to assure clients that they are practicing good hygiene and handling food correctly.
Basic food hygiene, like workers washing their hands before handling the food, make the world safer for all of us.
What are the SQF Levels?
There are three levels in total:
- Level 1: This applies in cases where there are fewer risks, and it is the most basic level.
- Level 2: Here, they set more rigorous standards. GFSI has created the benchmarks. Level 2 is a food safety plan that is HACCP certified.
- Level 3: This is the highest standard and includes the same processes as Level 2. It’s a more comprehensive application of the rules.
The SQF Institute publishes the full list of codes here.
Why is SQF certification important?
There are several reasons why it’s so important. Let’s go over these.
It Helps You Manage Your Risk
Companies today are held accountable for any negligence in production. Being held accountable is especially important when it comes to food. This certification ensures that your company is effectively managing the risks associated with food.
It’s Essential if You Want to Expand Your Business
If you’ve been considering licensing your brand or expanding your market, it’s essential to be compliant. If you want to work with more prominent brands, certification is critical.
Your Customers Expect It
One out of four companies who are certified expects their suppliers to get certified as well. Can you afford to lose a quarter of your clients?
New Regulations will Make it Essential
Governments are changing their regulations concerning food safety. They’re becoming a lot stricter. Getting certified now will help you meet the new requirements.
What is the difference between GFSI and SQF?
SQF is the standard set by one institute. GFSI is a network made up of many manufacturers and retailers. This organization determines what the basic benchmarks are when it comes to food safety.
There are several food safety certifications out there. The GFSI helps to set the basic standards for all of those. They’ll also monitor the different standards bodies to ensure that they’re meeting the minimum food safety requirements.
The standards body certifies your company. The GFSI ensures that the standards are in line.
Final Notes
These food safety standards are imperative in dealing with the risks of handling food. Without them in place, we’d have no way of ensuring that suppliers were hygienically handling the food.
