BRC – Food Safety System

BRC Food Safety System is the standard for ensuring food safety and quality in establishments in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. The BRC (British Retail Consortium) standard was first developed by the British Store Chain Association. This standard requires establishments in the sector to comply with standards to ensure food safety and quality and obtain approval for its documentation. The BRC Food Safety System provides a framework for managing operational controls in food production, processing, and packaging to ensure food safety, integrity, legality, and quality. The BRC Food Standard is designed for all food producers regardless of the size and capacity of the organization. With the BRC Food certification, establishments that produce private label products for retailers or manufacturers who wish to sell their products in the UK market demonstrate that they meet the product requirements.

This standard focuses primarily on encouraging the development of a food safety culture in industrial establishments, expanding the scope of environmental monitoring conditions to reflect the importance of preventing food fraud, encouraging industrial establishments to develop food safety systems and protect them from fraud and contamination following the requirements of the Saudi Food and Drug Authority, clarify the regulations for high-risk and high-maintenance production risk areas, and provide global application and measurement.

Standard versions are also available for food packaging, manufacturers, storage, and distribution companies. The requirements of the BRC Food Standard address the basic elements that must be met to ensure safe food production by enterprises. In addition to the BRC Food Safety System, there are other food standards such as the ISO 22000 Food Safety Management System Standard, the FSSC 22000 Standard, and the SQF, which is a reliable food quality standard (safe food quality) developed and published by the International Standards Organization (ISO).

The BRC Food Safety System Standards specify requirements for processed foods and other product preparation. In this regard, enterprises that have obtained the BRC Food Certificate have strengthened their food safety management and networks. This document demonstrates the enterprise’s commitment to reliable food production and sales. Therefore, the reputation of consumers and their commercial value are increased. Thus, the enterprise’s new goals for customers in the new market are developing rapidly. At the same time, due to compliance with legal regulations, enterprises have fulfilled their obligations regarding food.

Objectives of the BRC Food Safety System

• Support the retailer’s objectives at every level of the supply chain.
• Continuously review and improve standards and support processes.
• Promote best practices in food safety and quality.
• To improve supplier standards and consistency and prevent manufacturing errors.
• Reduce the number of inspections conducted for food manufacturers.

BRC Food Certificate expresses an organization’s commitment to producing safe food and provides the following key benefits:

• Defines risk-based requirements
• Assures all aspects of food safety operations
• Ensure that due diligence requirements for suppliers and retailers are met
• Supports the ideals of continuous improvement through ongoing corrective actions
• Provides reduced supplier audit requirements
• Integrates easily with other systems such as ISO 9001 and HACCP
• Provides improved references to supply retailers and food service providers
• Increases customer satisfaction and confidence in product safety and quality

The BRC Food Safety System Standard is divided into nine parts:

• Top Management Commitment is an indispensable standard for developing a good food safety culture. It is essential for any food safety system to be effective and fully implemented and to ensure continuous improvement.
• Food Safety Plan (HACCP) An effective hazard and risk analysis enables the identification and management of hazards that pose a risk to the quality and safety of food.
• Food Safety and Quality Management System. Systematic management systems must be established that form the basis of the product and process controls necessary to produce safe products for the organization, meet customer expectations, and provide employee training.
• Operating Standards. It covers business suitability, cleanliness, and control and includes factory conditions, cleaning, equipment, pest control, foreign material controls, and defense security.
• Product Control. Establishing product controls such as preventing food fraud and testing products is important for reliable product delivery.
• Process Control. Regular inspections with effective procedures for food production must be carried out consistently and accurately.
• Employees. Employees must be deficient in training, protective clothing, and hygiene practices.
• High-risk and high-maintenance production risk areas. Requirements for products sensitive to potential pathogen contamination and therefore require additional controls to ensure product safety must be specified.
• Requirements for traded products This part of the standard is a voluntary requirement. It covers unprocessed or unprocessed food products.

What is BRC Certification

BRC Certification is an abbreviation for “British Retail Consortium”. It is a certification system to ensure the quality and safety of food and related products. The BRC standard is developed by BRC Global Standards, a non-profit organization based in the United Kingdom. The main aim of BRC Global Standards is to improve food manufacturing and distribution practices and enhance consumer safety.

BRC Certification provides a standardized framework for assessing food suppliers and ensuring they meet quality and safety standards. Many food manufacturers, suppliers, and distributors use this system to improve their regulatory status and ensure they deliver safe and high-quality products.

Achieving BRC Certification involves regular site and process reviews and detailed reporting demonstrating how well the organization is adhering to BRC standards. This includes risk management, quality control, product safety, and staff training.

A BRC certification is a positive signal to customers and business partners that products meet high standards in food safety and manufacturing quality.

In the global food trade, the BRC Food Standard is a trusted tool for manufacturers to demonstrate to their customers that they can easily participate in their food safety and supply chain programs. The BRC Food Standard was developed by retailers, food industry experts, and associated organizations. The standard was first published in 1998 and is currently in its seventh edition. The standard framework defines how food safety, integrity, legality, and quality are managed in industries that produce, process, and package food and food inputs.

To comply with the BRC Food Standard, six essential standards must have been adapted to their business.

1. HACCP Analysis

2. Critical Control Point Management System

3. Quality Management System

4. Environmental Standards

5. Product Control

6. Process Control, Staff Competence, and Hygiene Standards.

Enterprises that meet the above requirements can apply for certification by applying to the certification body. Organizations that have this certificate also have many advantages. Thanks to these advantages, food industry suppliers who have established a food safety and management system, BRC Food, have been given a certain privilege in this sector by being evaluated and certified by the certification body.

All organizations operating in the food sector can establish BRC Food and Food Safety Standards in their organizations and operate following these standards. BRC Food Standard has classified food processing and has been reviewed and published under Title 6. Organizations must review these categories and apply through the appropriate category when applying for certification.

Benefits of the BRC Food Safety System

• The standard provides food retailers with legal, technical, and financial benefits in a highly competitive market. Achieving the BRC Food Standard gives consumers strong evidence that a manufacturer can be trusted to provide a safe, legal, and quality product.
• Thanks to the BRC Food Safety System Standard, BRC Food companies and retailers have become more concerned about food safety and product quality. The minimum hygiene requirements in these establishments have been achieved through this standard.
• Whether you are an established global supplier or in an emerging market, the BRC Food Standard will ensure your customers have confidence in your food safety program and supply chain management.
• The BRC Food Standard is a standard for all food manufacturers, regardless of the size and capacity of the organization. With the BRC Food Certification, companies that produce private label products for retailers or manufacturers who wish to sell their products in the UK market can demonstrate that they meet the product requirements.

In addition to all these benefits, other advantages of the BRC can be listed as follows:

• The implementation of these internationally recognized standards increases food safety and product quality.
• The document assures the quality of products and services.
• The trust of business partnerships is gained and their demands are met more easily.
• Thanks to applying the common measurement and evaluation standards in the food sector, it has become easier for companies in the supply chain to conduct assessments with food manufacturers and retailers.
• The food industry supplier that established and managed the food safety system, has a certain privilege in this sector.
• Strengthens the company’s global trade, especially in the UK.
• A significant competitive advantage is obtained in domestic and foreign markets, and the enterprise’s ability to remain competitive rises. Thanks to the improvement in product safety and service quality, production costs and cost increases are reduced.
• The enterprise continuously develops food safety processes, product quality, and hygiene systems, thanks to internal and external audits and corrective actions,

How to install the BRC Food Safety System

a HACCP system must be established and implemented to apply the BRC Food system to the business. In addition, it is expected to implement a quality management system within the enterprise. Considering that the production facility (or factory), environmental standards, product control standards, process control standards, employee competence, and hygiene standards must be determined in addition to these two basic systems, companies that produce food and want to establish BRC Food, engaging a certification body or consulting firm to implement this system will facilitate quicker advancement.

Once the above requirements are met, the first task is to determine the current state of the enterprise. Thus, the applications that will operate within the current system will be the basis of the food safety system that will be established. Then a plan for establishing the system will be prepared. It is important to use the time and strength of the company’s employees effectively. This plan is reviewed regularly throughout the study period and updates are made as necessary.

Who can get the system certification?

Food safety standards include quality, safety, and operational standards and ensure manufacturers comply with legal requirements. These standards are currently required by major retailers, manufacturers, and companies in the food industry.

This standard applies to all food companies (retailers and wholesalers), standard primary processors (slaughterhouses, flour mills, dairies), and retail processing and packaging. Compliance with this standard helps ensure that your products are safe, legal, and of a quality that means customers will buy again.

Enterprises requesting documentation must comply with the categories specified in the BRC Food Safety System Standards.

Foods are classified into different categories according to the method of processing:

1. Raw meat and fish products (red and white meat, fish, raw meat and fish products)

2. Production (fresh and frozen fruits and vegetables)

3. Everyday foods (milk, dairy products, eggs)

4. Frozen meat or fish products ready to cook or cook

5. Environmental heat-resistant, canned food products

6. Other food products resistant to environmental conditions (drinks, dried foods, snack foods and breakfast cereals, bakery products, oils and fats, food additives)

Guidance for Consulting and Training

Pioneers of management consulting, excellence, institutional development, and internationally accredited training according to the Saudi Standards and Quality Organization requirements, the Saudi Food and Drug Authority, and other accredited bodies that impose legal and mandatory requirements in the Saudi market.