What Is a Food Safety Management System and Why Does It Matter?

Food safety is one of the biggest concerns for all enterprises engaged in the processes of food manufacturing, handling, storage, packaging, and distribution. One small failure in the process of food manufacturing can influence customers, harm the brand image, and result in economic losses. That is why all enterprises need a Food Safety Management System (FSMS) that would help to manage food safety hazards.

The implementation of the FSMS in food businesses will allow them to identify food safety hazards, develop safety procedures, monitor their activities, and make corrections in case of failures. With the help of FSMS consultants, food businesses will be able to develop a useful FSMS.

What Is a Food Safety Management System?

Food Safety Management System (FSMS) is a systematic framework implemented by an organisation in order to assess, manage, control, and monitor food safety risks during the entire processes within an organisation. It involves various steps in the food supply chain starting from raw material intake, production, storage, transport, and delivery.

The main idea of a good food safety management system is based not on the reaction but on the prevention of risks. It gives the staff certain guidelines to follow every day.

The FSMS may involve the following aspects:

• Hazard identification
• Hygiene and sanitation practices
• Raw material control
• Control of the food processing
• Temperature control
• Employee training
• Equipment maintenance
• Suppliers evaluation
• Traceability and documentation
• Corrective and preventive measures

Why Is FSMS Important for Food Businesses?

The primary concern of food companies is to ensure the safety of the products delivered to the consumers. Inadequate food safety management results in contamination, recall of the product, customer complaints, and loss of reputation.

An efficient FSMS facilitates the development of a uniform approach to the management of food safety issues in a company. In addition, it increases awareness among employees and develops the culture of food safety at work.

For many organisations, the introduction of an FSMS also leads to increased efficiency of work. Standard procedures simplify work and eliminate unnecessary confusion regarding the tasks to be performed at each stage of the process.

FSMS for Food Manufacturers

FSMS for food manufacturers is essential due to the fact that the facility of the manufacturer deals with considerable amounts of raw materials and finished products. The potential risks for the manufacturer include biological, chemical, or physical contamination.

A reliable food safety system allows controlling these risks through the implementation of a system of measures. The manufacturer can control suppliers, production lines, storage facilities, packaging and distribution of the product.

What Is FSMS Certification?

FSMS certification ensures that the food safety management system of an organisation is evaluated against applicable requirements by an authorised certification body.

Certification may offer more confidence in the food safety management processes. Furthermore, certification may show the organization’s commitment to the customer, partner, and other stakeholder groups.

Nevertheless, certification does not guarantee once-off performance, since food safety requires constant monitoring, development, staff awareness, and evaluation.

Difference Between Food Safety Certification and FSMS

Terms like food safety certification and FSMS certification are used at times together, but in reality, the requirements for certification depend on the applicable standard and the organisation.

While FSMS represents the system for managing food safety risks, certification is an independent evaluation of the compliance of the organization’s management system with the applicable standard.

Organisations need to identify their specific needs before opting for a certification path

How FSMS Consultants Can Help

Adopting an FSMS can be a difficult task, especially for those who are adopting such formalities for the first time. FSMS consultants can assist organisations to comprehend requirements, identify gaps, develop documentation, adopt procedures and prepare employees for the audit.

FSMS consultants can also aid organisations in finding areas where improvements can be made before the certification audit. The experience of such consultants can make the implementation process easier and more practical.

Benefits of FSMS Implementation

Some of the benefits of implementing an FSMS include:

• Improved control over food safety hazards
• Improved hygiene and sanitation practices
• Improved awareness among employees
• Improved food production processes
• Improved documentation and traceability
• Lower contamination risk
• Improvement in customer confidence
• Regulatory compliance support
• Improved preparedness for certification audit
• Continuous improvement in food safety practices

Why Choose Professional Certification Support?

There are always differences between food businesses with regard to processes, risks, products, and other features. As a result, an FSMS should be tailored to the organisation according to its actual activities and not seen as a set of documents.

Global Certification for Quality and Sustainability provides assistance for organizations which need professional consultation in the implementation of the management system and obtaining the certification.

Conclusion

Food Safety Management System is one of the most important components of a responsible production of food products. With the help of this tool, food production organisations can identify the risks, control them, monitor the process and constantly improve their activities.

For food manufacturers and other organisations related to the food industry, the creation of a reliable Food Safety Management System will be a good opportunity to improve the processes and gain the trust of customers. No matter what the goal of the food organisation is, whether it is preparation for the FSMS certification, search for the food safety certification or improvement of the system – all these objectives require professional consulting.