PAC and IFS launch IFS PACsecure globally
The IFS PACsecure food safety standard for individual packaging materials is in the process of benchmarking to the Global Food Safety Initiative (GFSI).
The Packaging Association (PAC), which along with its partner, IFS Management, have already started the recognition process with GFSI.
Between thirteen to fifteen packaging companies are being audited to the new IFS PACsecure standard. Once this is completed, their names are being submitted to GFSI as part of the benchmarking process.
For its part, IFS is one of the world’s largest safety and quality standards organizations with about 13,000 certifications for its GFSI recognized food safety standard. In addition to packaging, it manages standards governing logistics, brokers, cash and carry/wholesale, household and personal care goods.
One-day training
More than 70 U.S. and Canadian firms have recently completed a one-day IFS PACsecure training course to help them become compliant with the standard. Plans are also underway to hold at least 12 one-day training session throughout North and South America as well as Europe in 2013.
IFS PACsecure was created by PAC through a 100 plus-member steering committee to provide packaging manufacturers the ability to certify primary and secondary packaging materials for the food industry.
Identifying risks
Over the past decade, PAC developed the food safety standard based on Hazard Analysis Critical Control Point (HACCP) criteria for individual packaging materials, covering the 24 common manufacturing processes required for flexible plastics, rigid plastics, paper, metals and glass.
This meant developing individual workbooks for each of the processes, better allowing individual firms to use a science and risk-based approach in the development of their HACCP program.
FSAP recognized
The IFS PACsecure standard is already recognized by the U.S.-based Food Safety alliance for Packaging (FSAP) which includes firms as General Mills, Nestle, Kraft, Conagra Foods, Unilever, Sara Lee and Campbell Soup. It will also be submitted to the Canadian Food Inspection Agency.
Pac has also developed a number of related services for the IFS PACsecure product. They include an on-line training tool about food safety for employees to help change the corporate culture in an organization, as well as “how to” guidelines covering recall and traceability issues.
IFS PACsecure Implementation Support Tools:
- Individual workbooks - these workbooks cover the 24 most commonly used manufacturing processes in packaging material conversion.
- Hazard analysis implementation tool - outlines the physical, chemical and biological implications of almost every material, chemical, and process currently used in the manufacture of all paper and flexible plastics packaging. Work is underway to complete the same for rigid plastics, metal containers and glass packaging.
- Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP) audit tool - identifies acceptable limits, monitoring, deviation and verification procedures, and supports records maintenance for the same above mentioned materials, chemicals and processes.
For further information:
Larry Dworkin
Government Relations Director, PAC
larrywdworkin@gmail.com
416.645.3282
OR
George Gansner
IFS Management GmbH
Director, Marketing & Business Development
gansner@ifs-certification.com
314.686.4610
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The Packaging Association is holding a one-day training session in Laval on April 17 for its new IFS PACsecure food safety standard for individual packaging materials that is being submitted in January to the Paris -based Global Food Safety Initiative (GFSI) for global recognition. 
Packaging Digest Magazine, one of North America’s leading trade journals dealing with the food and packaging industry, will be holding a free webcast March 28, highlighting the need for improved safety for food packaging.
A key component of the webcast will focus on the IFS PACsecure food safety standard for packaging materials developed by Toronto-based PAC - The Packaging Association in conjunction with the IFS GmbH of Berlin, whose food safety standard is recognized by the Global Food Safety Initiative (GFSI).
The Packaging Association is holding a one-day training session in Vancouver on Mar. 6 for its new IFS PACsecure food safety standard for individual packaging materials that is being submitted in January to the Paris -based Global Food Safety Initiative (GFSI) for global recognition.
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