The basic objectives of the International Food Standard (IFS) are:

• Establish a common standard with a uniform evaluation system.

• Work with accredited and well-qualified certification bodies and authorized auditors.

• Ensure comparability and transparency throughout the supply chain.

• Reduce costs and time for both suppliers and retailers.

Currently, the majority of IFS certificates are issued in Europe, but due to the outsourcing and globalization of European distribution, Federation is increasing worldwide.

IFS is a standard supported by GFSI (Global Food Safety Initiative), like SQF, the Dutch HACCP, and the BRC standard.

Some distributors, such as Carrefour, Tesco, Ahold, Wal Mart, Metro, Migros and Delhaize, announced their recognition of all standards accepted by GFSI.

Supplier audits have been, for years, a very important aspect of the systems and procedures of companies dedicated to the distribution of food, mainly as a consequence of ensuring high quality standards in those products whose purpose is to be marketed under “private brand” (better known as “White Label”). Until 2003, these audits were being carried out by the quality management departments themselves. There are several factors that have contributed to a change in this trend, and the consequent need to develop a uniform standard focused on quality assurance and food safety:.

• Growing consumer demand.

• The increasing responsibility of distributors (retailers and wholesalers).

• The increase in legal requirements regarding food safety.

• The globalization of the product offering.

Added to all this is the need to reduce the time and resources dedicated to carrying out a multitude of audits, both on the part of the distribution (if they wanted to audit all their suppliers) and on the part of manufacturers (suppliers who wish to work with a multitude of clients and distributors).

In 2003, HDE developed and published version 3 of this standard, the result of the experience obtained in the implementation and audits of systems and companies.

In January 2004, and with the collaboration of the CDF, a fourth updated version of the standard was designed and presented. Throughout 2005 and 2006, Italian distribution associations also showed their interest in IFS standards. The development of the new version of the IFS-Food, version 5, is now a collaboration of the three distributor federations of Germany, France and Italy.

The basic objectives of IFS are:

• Establish a common standard with a uniform evaluation system.

• Work with accredited certification entities and qualified auditors.

• Achieve greater ease in comparing systems and companies and transparency throughout the entire supply chain.

• Reduce costs and time for both suppliers (manufacturers) and distributors.

The experience and legal changes produced in Europe regarding food safety highlighted the need to work on a revision of version 4. To encourage participation and experience in the revision of the standard, a detailed and extensive questionnaire was developed that would allow all users (auditors, suppliers, distributors, specialists) to get involved in the subsequent development of IFS.

The analysis of the questionnaires led to the definition of the following objectives, pillars of version 5:.

• Reduce the number of requirements, excluding duplications.

• Verify that the requirements were understandable and not misleading.

• Adapt the standard to current legal requirements.

• Write the standard in clear and simple language.

• Carry out a complete review of version 4 of the IFS standards.

• Review and simplify the scoring system.

The in-depth review of the regulations, in addition to achieving the indicated objectives, led to the introduction of a significant number of changes. As a result, IFS version 5 standards have significantly improved compared to previous versions. They also include:

• A single checklist (the distinction between basic and higher requirements is eliminated).

• The elimination of “Recommendation” type requirements.

• More requirements regarding the risk analysis approach.

• Greater emphasis on processes and procedures.

• Development of a scoring system that allows greater transparency between audited companies, through a simpler comparison of results.

• Homogenization of audit frequency to 12-month cycles.

• Expansion of Knock Out (KO) requirements focused on food safety.

• More detailed requirements for accreditation, certification and auditor entities.

As with the rest of the Standards revisions, a transition period applies, during which companies can be audited under version 4 or version 5. As of January 1, 2008, audits can only be carried out against version 5.

For companies in the food sector, the adoption of Quality and Food Safety Standards and especially the IFS standards, brings a multitude of advantages and benefits, such as the following:

• Establishes a common standard with a common evaluation system, which allows evaluation by accredited certification bodies.

• Reduction in the number of audits supported, the certification avoids audits by distribution companies and other clients, which recognize the certification audit as their own.

• It constitutes evident proof of compliance with food safety legislation.

• The audit provides a qualitative summary of the results, allowing the organization to prioritize areas for improvement.

• Allows you to reconcile food safety and quality control.

• Facilitates the control of all stages of production, minimizing the dangers of contamination, ensuring the safety of the food produced and/or packaged.

• Provides clients with a panoramic view of suppliers' strengths and weaknesses.

• Ensures greater ease of comparison and transparency throughout the entire supply chain.

• It represents a competitive difference.

• Allows access to new markets thanks to its increase in quality and compliance with the requirements of many large distributors.

• Easily integrated with other food safety standards such as BRC or ISO 22000.

For consumers; The conformity of products to the IFS Food Standards provides assurance of their quality, food safety and reliability, which implies greater reliability in “private label” (or white label) products.

General structure

Each standard has exactly the same general structure, and is divided into 4 different parts:

Part 1: Audit Protocol. In this specific chapter, the following topics are described:.

1. Explanations about the entire audit process: from the company's initial request to the issuance of an IFS certificate.

2. Details about the evaluation and scoring system (A, B, C, D scoring, KO requirements and major nonconformities).

3. Frequency of the audit (annual).

4. Types of audits (initial, renewal and follow-up audits).

5. Selection of the Certifying Entity - contractual agreement.

6. Conditions for issuing the certificate.

Part 2: List of requirements (technical Check List). The checklist is different in each standard and contains all the requirements, good practices to be applied by a company that wants to be certified IFS.

Part 3: Requirements for accreditation bodies, IFS certification bodies and auditors (requirements on training, experience and competence).

Part 4: Requirements for the audit report, action plan and certificate: This part provides all the document layouts, so that each of the audit reports has the same appearance, regardless of the audit country, the language and the certification body that performs the audits.

IFS Food

IFS Food was the first IFS standard. As described in the history of the IFS, the IFS Organization began with its version 3 in 2003, then its version 4 in 2004 and currently its version 6.1 (which applies as of November 2017).

The IFS Food standard is an audit standard applicable to suppliers of food products under private label and only affects food processing companies or food packaging companies. The IFS Food standard can only be used when a product is "processed", or when there is a danger of contamination of the product during primary packaging.

As a result, IFS standards will not apply to the following activities:

• Offices or companies dedicated to import tasks.

• Only transportation, storage and distribution.

The current IFS standard, version 5, contains 250 requirements. The checklist is divided into 5 chapters:.

Chapter 1: Management Responsibility. This chapter contains requirements on business policy, structure, customer orientation and management system review.

Chapter 2: Quality Management System. This chapter mainly deals with the implementation and requirements of the HACCP (hazard analysis and risk control) system, documentation and registration requirements.

Chapter 3: Resource Management. This chapter contains requirements for personal hygiene, protective clothing, training and personnel services.

Chapter 4: The production process. This chapter is the largest of the standard. It includes, among others, product specifications, purchasing process requirements, packaging, the factory environment, facility cleanliness, pest control, traceability, etc.

Chapter 5: Analysis and Improvement. This last chapter includes internal audit, product analysis, product withdrawal and recovery, corrective action management, etc.

IFS Logistics

The IFS Logistics standard is the 2nd IFS standard and was published in 2006. It is an objective of most distributors and producers to ensure transparency and security in their supply chain as a whole. Auditing is a tool often used to obtain information about how well suppliers meet specifications. Various international 3rd Party audit initiatives have already been successfully introduced in many other parts of the supply chain in order to avoid duplication of audits. For logistics chain activities, however, there was no international standard yet available. Purchasing managers and quality directors in the distribution and industrial sectors are demanding more transparency and more information about the way their products are treated in the logistics chain and were working to find a solution.

The IFS Logistics standard is a standard to audit all logistics activities in food and non-food products, such as transportation, storage, distribution, loading and unloading activities, etc. It applies to all types of activities: delivery by road, rail or ship, frozen/refrigerated or non-refrigerated products. The IFS Logistics standard deals with logistics activities where companies have physical contact with packaged products (transport, packaging of pre-packaged food products, storage and/or distribution, transportation and storage of pallets, bags in the box).

The IFS Logistics standard also deals with bulk products (for example: oil, corn, etc.), where the product is not packaged, nor is there any processing activity. When the food processing company has its own logistics and/or transport department and activities (storage and distribution), it is included in the IFS Food standard, under the specific subchapter on transport or storage, if the logistics and/or transport activities are outsourced, the IFS Logistics standard would apply.

The Check List of version 1 of the IFS Logistics standard contains 98 requirements.

The checklist is divided into 3 main parts, with the basic requirements for all types of business, the requirements for storage and distribution and the requirements for transportation.

In total there are 7 chapters of IFS logistics:

Part 1: Basic requirements for all audits (46 requirements).

Chapter 1: Quality Management System. This chapter contains the requirements for risk management, HACCP study, procedures, documentation and registration.

Chapter 2: Management Responsibility.

Chapter 3: Resource Management.

Chapter 4: Performance of the service. The chapter contains requirements for contract review, enterprise monitoring and measurement, and specific handling requirements.

Chapter 5: Analysis and Improvement. This chapter deals with internal audit, claims management, corrective actions, etc.

Part 2: Storage and Distribution (39 requirements)

The basic objectives of the International Food Standard (IFS) are:

• Establish a common standard with a uniform evaluation system.

• Work with accredited and well-qualified certification bodies and authorized auditors.

• Ensure comparability and transparency throughout the supply chain.

• Reduce costs and time for both suppliers and retailers.

Currently, the majority of IFS certificates are issued in Europe, but due to the outsourcing and globalization of European distribution, Federation is increasing worldwide.

IFS is a standard supported by GFSI (Global Food Safety Initiative), like SQF, the Dutch HACCP, and the BRC standard.

Some distributors, such as Carrefour, Tesco, Ahold, Wal Mart, Metro, Migros and Delhaize, announced their recognition of all standards accepted by GFSI.

Supplier audits have been, for years, a very important aspect of the systems and procedures of companies dedicated to the distribution of food, mainly as a consequence of ensuring high quality standards in those products whose purpose is to be marketed under “private brand” (better known as “White Label”). Until 2003, these audits were being carried out by the quality management departments themselves. There are several factors that have contributed to a change in this trend, and the consequent need to develop a uniform standard focused on quality assurance and food safety:.

• Growing consumer demand.

• The increasing responsibility of distributors (retailers and wholesalers).

• The increase in legal requirements regarding food safety.

• The globalization of the product offering.

Added to all this is the need to reduce the time and resources dedicated to carrying out a multitude of audits, both on the part of the distribution (if they wanted to audit all their suppliers) and on the part of manufacturers (suppliers who wish to work with a multitude of clients and distributors).

In 2003, HDE developed and published version 3 of this standard, the result of the experience obtained in the implementation and audits of systems and companies.

In January 2004, and with the collaboration of the CDF, a fourth updated version of the standard was designed and presented. Throughout 2005 and 2006, Italian distribution associations also showed their interest in IFS standards. The development of the new version of the IFS-Food, version 5, is now a collaboration of the three distributor federations of Germany, France and Italy.

The basic objectives of IFS are:

• Establish a common standard with a uniform evaluation system.

• Work with accredited certification entities and qualified auditors.

• Achieve greater ease in comparing systems and companies and transparency throughout the entire supply chain.

• Reduce costs and time for both suppliers (manufacturers) and distributors.

The experience and legal changes produced in Europe regarding food safety highlighted the need to work on a revision of version 4. To encourage participation and experience in the revision of the standard, a detailed and extensive questionnaire was developed that would allow all users (auditors, suppliers, distributors, specialists) to get involved in the subsequent development of IFS.

The analysis of the questionnaires led to the definition of the following objectives, pillars of version 5:.

• Reduce the number of requirements, excluding duplications.

• Verify that the requirements were understandable and not misleading.

• Adapt the standard to current legal requirements.

• Write the standard in clear and simple language.

• Carry out a complete review of version 4 of the IFS standards.

• Review and simplify the scoring system.

The in-depth review of the regulations, in addition to achieving the indicated objectives, led to the introduction of a significant number of changes. As a result, IFS version 5 standards have significantly improved compared to previous versions. They also include:

• A single checklist (the distinction between basic and higher requirements is eliminated).

• The elimination of “Recommendation” type requirements.

• More requirements regarding the risk analysis approach.

• Greater emphasis on processes and procedures.

• Development of a scoring system that allows greater transparency between audited companies, through a simpler comparison of results.

• Homogenization of audit frequency to 12-month cycles.

• Expansion of Knock Out (KO) requirements focused on food safety.

• More detailed requirements for accreditation, certification and auditor entities.

As with the rest of the Standards revisions, a transition period applies, during which companies can be audited under version 4 or version 5. As of January 1, 2008, audits can only be carried out against version 5.

For companies in the food sector, the adoption of Quality and Food Safety Standards and especially the IFS standards, brings a multitude of advantages and benefits, such as the following:

• Establishes a common standard with a common evaluation system, which allows evaluation by accredited certification bodies.

• Reduction in the number of audits supported, the certification avoids audits by distribution companies and other clients, which recognize the certification audit as their own.

• It constitutes evident proof of compliance with food safety legislation.

• The audit provides a qualitative summary of the results, allowing the organization to prioritize areas for improvement.

• Allows you to reconcile food safety and quality control.

• Facilitates the control of all stages of production, minimizing the dangers of contamination, ensuring the safety of the food produced and/or packaged.

• Provides clients with a panoramic view of suppliers' strengths and weaknesses.

• Ensures greater ease of comparison and transparency throughout the entire supply chain.

• It represents a competitive difference.

• Allows access to new markets thanks to its increase in quality and compliance with the requirements of many large distributors.

• Easily integrated with other food safety standards such as BRC or ISO 22000.

For consumers; The conformity of products to the IFS Food Standards provides assurance of their quality, food safety and reliability, which implies greater reliability in “private label” (or white label) products.

General structure

Each standard has exactly the same general structure, and is divided into 4 different parts:

Part 1: Audit Protocol. In this specific chapter, the following topics are described:.

1. Explanations about the entire audit process: from the company's initial request to the issuance of an IFS certificate.

2. Details about the evaluation and scoring system (A, B, C, D scoring, KO requirements and major nonconformities).

3. Frequency of the audit (annual).

4. Types of audits (initial, renewal and follow-up audits).

5. Selection of the Certifying Entity - contractual agreement.

6. Conditions for issuing the certificate.

Part 2: List of requirements (technical Check List). The checklist is different in each standard and contains all the requirements, good practices to be applied by a company that wants to be certified IFS.

Part 3: Requirements for accreditation bodies, IFS certification bodies and auditors (requirements on training, experience and competence).

Part 4: Requirements for the audit report, action plan and certificate: This part provides all the document layouts, so that each of the audit reports has the same appearance, regardless of the audit country, the language and the certification body that performs the audits.

IFS Food

IFS Food was the first IFS standard. As described in the history of the IFS, the IFS Organization began with its version 3 in 2003, then its version 4 in 2004 and currently its version 6.1 (which applies as of November 2017).

The IFS Food standard is an audit standard applicable to suppliers of food products under private label and only affects food processing companies or food packaging companies. The IFS Food standard can only be used when a product is "processed", or when there is a danger of contamination of the product during primary packaging.

As a result, IFS standards will not apply to the following activities:

• Offices or companies dedicated to import tasks.

• Only transportation, storage and distribution.

The current IFS standard, version 5, contains 250 requirements. The checklist is divided into 5 chapters:.

Chapter 1: Management Responsibility. This chapter contains requirements on business policy, structure, customer orientation and management system review.

Chapter 2: Quality Management System. This chapter mainly deals with the implementation and requirements of the HACCP (hazard analysis and risk control) system, documentation and registration requirements.

Chapter 3: Resource Management. This chapter contains requirements for personal hygiene, protective clothing, training and personnel services.

Chapter 4: The production process. This chapter is the largest of the standard. It includes, among others, product specifications, purchasing process requirements, packaging, the factory environment, facility cleanliness, pest control, traceability, etc.

Chapter 5: Analysis and Improvement. This last chapter includes internal audit, product analysis, product withdrawal and recovery, corrective action management, etc.

IFS Logistics

The IFS Logistics standard is the 2nd IFS standard and was published in 2006. It is an objective of most distributors and producers to ensure transparency and security in their supply chain as a whole. Auditing is a tool often used to obtain information about how well suppliers meet specifications. Various international 3rd Party audit initiatives have already been successfully introduced in many other parts of the supply chain in order to avoid duplication of audits. For logistics chain activities, however, there was no international standard yet available. Purchasing managers and quality directors in the distribution and industrial sectors are demanding more transparency and more information about the way their products are treated in the logistics chain and were working to find a solution.

The IFS Logistics standard is a standard to audit all logistics activities in food and non-food products, such as transportation, storage, distribution, loading and unloading activities, etc. It applies to all types of activities: delivery by road, rail or ship, frozen/refrigerated or non-refrigerated products. The IFS Logistics standard deals with logistics activities where companies have physical contact with packaged products (transport, packaging of pre-packaged food products, storage and/or distribution, transportation and storage of pallets, bags in the box).

The IFS Logistics standard also deals with bulk products (for example: oil, corn, etc.), where the product is not packaged, nor is there any processing activity. When the food processing company has its own logistics and/or transport department and activities (storage and distribution), it is included in the IFS Food standard, under the specific subchapter on transport or storage, if the logistics and/or transport activities are outsourced, the IFS Logistics standard would apply.

The Check List of version 1 of the IFS Logistics standard contains 98 requirements.

The checklist is divided into 3 main parts, with the basic requirements for all types of business, the requirements for storage and distribution and the requirements for transportation.

In total there are 7 chapters of IFS logistics:

Part 1: Basic requirements for all audits (46 requirements).

Chapter 1: Quality Management System. This chapter contains the requirements for risk management, HACCP study, procedures, documentation and registration.

Chapter 2: Management Responsibility.

Chapter 3: Resource Management.

Chapter 4: Performance of the service. The chapter contains requirements for contract review, enterprise monitoring and measurement, and specific handling requirements.

Chapter 5: Analysis and Improvement. This chapter deals with internal audit, claims management, corrective actions, etc.

Part 2: Storage and Distribution (39 requirements)