IFS Food — safety in poultry processing
IFS Food is a GFSI-recognised food safety and quality standard. It’s audited at processing and packing plants, not on the live farm. We explain who it applies to and how to get it.
verifiedFrom the team that has organised work on poultry farms for years.
IFS Food is an international food safety and quality standard recognised by GFSI (the Global Food Safety Initiative). Importantly, it is audited not on the live farm but at the plants that process and pack food — for poultry that means slaughterhouses, cutting plants, processors and packing facilities. The standard checks whether the finished product is safe, matches the specification and is made in a repeatable, controlled way.
Does a poultry farm need IFS Food?
The farm where the poultry is raised is not itself covered by IFS Food — the standard only kicks in where the bird goes for slaughter, cutting or processing. So IFS Food concerns you if you run such a plant, or if you plan vertical integration and want to process your own poultry. Many retail chains require IFS Food (or another GFSI-recognised standard) from suppliers of poultry products.
What IFS Food requires
The standard combines food safety management with product quality and compliance.
Management responsibility
Top-management commitment, a quality and food-safety policy and a clear division of responsibilities in the poultry processing plant.
Food safety management (HACCP)
An implemented HACCP plan: hazard analysis and critical control points at every stage — from receiving raw material to packing the finished product.
Resource management and hygiene
Requirements for staff, training, hygiene, working conditions and keeping the plant and equipment clean.
Production process and product control
Process oversight, product specifications, control of allergens and foreign bodies, and product conformity with what was declared to the buyer.
Measurement, analysis and improvement
Testing, inspections, handling of complaints and non-conformities, and corrective actions so the plant keeps improving.
Food defense and audit
Protecting the product against deliberate contamination (food defense) plus an independent audit by an accredited body that decides the award and level of the certificate.
IFS Food step by step
- 1
Establish whether IFS Food applies to you
IFS Food applies at processing and packing plants, not on the live farm. Check whether you run a poultry slaughterhouse, cutting plant or processor, and whether your buyers (especially retail chains) require a GFSI-recognised standard.
- 2
Study the current IFS Food protocol
Download the applicable version of the standard and its requirements from the IFS site. Understand the audit structure and the split between ordinary requirements and the so-called KO (knock-out) requirements that must not be breached.
- 3
Implement HACCP and the management system
Develop a HACCP plan for poultry processing, hygiene procedures, allergen and foreign-body control, product specifications and documentation. This is the most labour-intensive stage.
- 4
Choose an accredited certification body
The IFS Food certificate is issued by an independent body accredited under the IFS scheme. Choose one and book a certification audit at your plant.
- 5
Pass the certification audit
The auditor assesses documentation and practice on site, awarding points. The result decides whether you get the certificate and at what level. KO non-conformities can rule out certification.
- 6
Maintain it — recurring audits
The IFS Food certificate requires regular audits (usually annual) and ongoing record-keeping. Neglected records are the most common problem at the next audit.
Frequently asked questions about IFS Food
Can a poultry farm obtain IFS Food?add
The farm where the poultry is raised is not itself covered by IFS Food — the standard is audited at processing and packing plants (slaughterhouses, cutting plants, processors). It concerns you when you run such a plant or process your own poultry as part of vertical integration.
How is IFS Food different from ISO 22000?add
Both address food safety, but IFS Food is an industry standard recognised by GFSI, with an emphasis on product quality and compliance, and is based on a points-scored audit with KO requirements. ISO 22000 is a general management-system standard. Retail chains more often point explicitly to a GFSI-recognised standard such as IFS Food.
Who requires IFS Food?add
Primarily retail chains and retail buyers that expect suppliers of poultry products to hold a GFSI-recognised standard. For a poultry processing plant, IFS Food is often the price of getting onto the shelves of large chains.
How long is an IFS Food certificate valid?add
A certificate is issued for a set period and maintained through regular audits (usually annual). Serious non-conformities, including KOs, can lead to losing the certificate.
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