International certification classification, processing threshold, and mandatory access requirements for food export factories in various countries

All pre packaged food exported to overseas markets must match the corresponding mandatory food qualification certification of the target country. The market access standards vary greatly in different regions, and the mainstream core certifications include FDA, HALAL, BRC, and HACCP.

All pre packaged food exported to overseas markets must match the corresponding mandatory food qualification certification of the target country. The market access standards vary greatly in different regions, and the mainstream core certifications include FDA, HALAL, BRC, and HACCP. The scope of application, testing standards, processing costs, and audit cycles of each certification are completely different. The HACCP hazard analysis and critical control point system is the basic general certification for all food processing plants. Canned, tea and dry goods processing plants, regardless of category, need to handle it. The core audit is the whole process food safety control of the factory. The risk control account is established from the whole process of raw material acceptance, workshop sanitation, production sterilization, finished product testing, storage disinfection and sterilization. The customs and overseas ports give priority to the recognition of the production enterprises holding this certification. The probability of goods inspection without this qualification is increased by more than 80%. The BRC global food safety standards belong to the entry threshold for high-end supermarket channels. Large chain supermarkets in Europe and North America only accept food produced by factories holding valid BRC certificates. The audit standards are strict, and they will conduct surprise inspections on workshop hygiene, employee operating procedures, raw material traceability records, and warehouse temperature and humidity control. They need to be reviewed annually, and small and medium-sized processing plants find it difficult to pass the audit due to insufficient workshop hardware.
FDA certification is a mandatory qualification for exporting food to the United States and Canada. It is not a single paper certificate, but a dual filing system for factories and products. All canned food, tea, agricultural and sideline products entering the North American market, factory information, product formulas, production processes, and packaging materials are all entered into the US food and drug regulatory system. The filing number of each batch of exported goods is bound to the container bill of lading, and port customs can verify it online. Unregistered goods are directly prohibited from entering the country. HALAL Halal certification is aimed at markets with concentrated Muslim populations in the Middle East and Southeast Asia. Certification agencies are divided into domestic certification and overseas local certification. Some Middle Eastern countries only recognize Halal certificates issued by authorized domestic agencies. Canned food and tea production workshops must be independently divided into Halal production lines, and cross contact with pork and alcohol related raw materials is prohibited. Workshop tools and storage trays are specifically designated for use. Certification agencies conduct on-site inspections of workshops every year, and those who violate regulations will have their qualifications revoked.
In addition to the four core certifications, the EU market requires third-party testing reports for pesticide residues and heavy metals in food, the Japanese market enforces a mandatory food ingredient labeling system, and African countries such as South Africa and Nigeria require certification with the seal of the Certificate of Origin Federation Chamber of Commerce. There are significant differences in the threshold for obtaining certification. Small workshops have insufficient space, no standardized quality control laboratories, and no independent isolation production lines. They can only apply for basic HACCP and cannot obtain the full set of BRC and FDA qualifications; Large scale comprehensive food base, multi workshop zoning operation, supporting self owned quality inspection laboratory, capable of completing multi country certification for all categories at once, while serving customers in multiple regions around the world. For overseas importers, cooperating with factories that hold a full set of international certifications can significantly reduce the risk of goods being detained or returned, reduce customs clearance time and additional testing costs. Therefore, a complete certification system has become the first criterion for overseas buyers to select cooperative factories.