TRAZA receives favorable result from ENAC for the extension of the scope in its agrifood product test laboratory

This new technical competence recognition allows TRAZA to expand its analytical control offer to companies in the food sector (agricultural, industrial and retail) that need results of maximum reliability and rigor, in accordance to the most demanding standards with international recognition.

The National Accreditation Entity -ENAC- is the entity designated by the Government to operate in Spain as the only National Accreditation Body.

Founded 14 years ago, TRAZA has the mission of protecting the health of the final consumer through implementation, consulting and auditing Food Safety and Quality management systems (BRC, IFS, ISO), in all the operators of the food chain, as well as the training of the food handler and the analytical control of the processed foods.

In Vicente de Pablos’ own words, partner of TRAZA, «the extension of the scope of accreditation shows the firm commitment of our company to provide quality services, allowing us to be a reference in the control of Food Safety, from primary production to the final consumer»

The accreditation annex can be consulted on the company’s website www.traza.net as well as on ENAC’s website www.enac.es. Standard UNE-EN ISO/IEC 17025 (ENAC N.º 1242/LE2264).17025 (ENAC No. 1242 / LE2264).

TRAZA ACCREDITED BY ENAC TO TEST ON AGRO-FOOD PRODUCTS

TRAZA has been successfully accredited by Entidad Nacional de Acreditación (ENAC), the Spanish National Accreditation Body guarantying our total technical competence to test on agro-food products according to UNE-EN ISO/IEC 17025 standard.

This new standing shows TRAZA’s total commitment with food sector, offering a complete service delivery within the Food Safety field whose main objective is to protect the final consumer’s health.

For further information about our testing laboratory services, contact us at + 34 968 932 312 or at [email protected]

Brazilian companies accused of exporting rotten meat internationally

Brazilian police raided last 17th March BRF and JBS companies as part of Operation Weak Flesh. BRF and JBS are Brazil biggest meat exporters. Both companies are facing charges for bribing Health inspectors and politician to make them overlook unsanitary practices like processing rotten meat or shipping export with traces of salmonella. Police has also presented evidence of the companies forging paperwork to export their products to Europe, China and Middle East.

JBS is the most important meat producer internationally, whereas BRF is the greatest exporter of poultry meat, booking net revenue of 170 billion reais and 39 billion reais respectively.

The fraudulent meat was being processed with acid and chemical products to hide its characteristics and it was being exported to more than 150 countries.

For further information, check out the complete text

A guideline through EFSA’s new retailers plan

Nowadays, food hygiene regulations are tricky and challenging to handle for most of the small businesses. Considering retailers are normally under a budget and none of the staff hired is an expert on the matter, food safety management becomes a heavy burden. In this context, the European Commission demanded the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) to develop a new approach adapted to these retailers needs.

EFSA has tried to simplify Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points (HACCP), Pre-Requisite Programs (PRP) and biological hazards identification and ranking. Their food safety management system (FSMS) is based on the needs of a butcher, fishmonger, bakery, grocery, and an ice cream shop. However, according to EFSA’s staff, it should be considered for wider application within the food industry.

It is thought and designed to keep the work derived from the FSMS low and easy for those who scarcely have time or resources to spend on it.

This ‘simplified approach’, as EFSA named it, highlights the stages of identifying hazards and taking action to counter them, rather than the stages of ranking and prioritizing hazards, as the classical approach does.

Flow diagrams, a simple Y/N questionnaire, an Ishikane diagram and some pre-designed easy-to-go-through tables will be the main items used on the approach.

There are five basic steps that set the system: a) Hazards Analysis, b) Hazard Identification, c) Identifying activities that may increase/decrease occurrence of hazard, d) Control Measures, e) Corrective Actions.

There are many notorious differences between EFSA’s plan and the current regulation.

Unlike now, this simplified approach considers that no ranking of the hazards identified is needed. Likewise, record keeping and documentation will not be compulsory –except for those issues with non-compliances or issues that require some work.

Following this simplicity, EFSA proposes to batch every possible hazard in four different groups: biological, chemical, physical and allergen. This way, a butcher won’t have to know if Salmonella can be present on poultry –they will just need to be aware that a biological hazard can occur when receiving the food.

This is just an example of what EFSA published last Monday. If you would like to know more about EFSA’s retailers plan, check out the complete text here or contact us at [email protected]

Article written by Vicente De Pablos, Food Safety Consultant and Managing-Director at TRAZA.

GULFOOD: AN ANNUAL FOOD EVENT AT DUBAI

From 26th February to 2nd March 2017, Dubai International Convention and Exhibition Centre will host GULFOOD 2017, an international event for food companies.

Every food and beverage company, except for those producing alcoholic beverages, chocolate and fresh or frozen seafood, will be welcomed to display their products internationally.

Gulfood is a great chance for any exporting food company to expand and reinforce their opportunities in this rising market.

For more information, check out the official web page of the event:

http://www.gulfood.com/welcome

 

 

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