Brasil Pack Trends 2020

BrasilPackTrends2020 223 safety & regulatory issues HACCP through the food chain with the aim of controling and reducing any danger to the safety of the final product to an acceptable level. This standard combines key elements to ensure safety at all points of the food chain: • Requirements for Good Manufacturing Practices or Prerequisites Programs. • Requirements for HACCP according to the principles of the Codex Alimentarius. • Requirements for the management system. • Interactive communication among providers, users and regulators. ISO 22000 is widely used by food companies and also applies to package manufacturers, although, in Brazil, for the latter, the application of that rule is still restricted. The advantage of implementing this system is the fact that it is an international standard recognized and accepted in many countries. Other specific safety management systems for packages and certification have been developed and used by various package manufacturers. The advantages and disadvantages of each system must be evaluated by the package producer although it is recommended to use one that has greater recognition among those involved in the manufacturing of the package. Table 8.2 presents some of these systems and their country of origin. Currently, many organizations are working to harmonize the rules and regulations referring to food quality and safety – the American National Standards Institute, ASEAN - Association of Southeast Asian Institute, the Codex Alimentarius Commission, the FDA - Food and Drug Administration, GFSI - Global Food Safety Initiative, GHI - Global Harmonization Initiative, IFT - Institute of Food Technologists, ILSI - International Life Science Institute, and ISO - International Organization for Standardization, among others (MERMELSTEIN, 2012). Some of these organizations, from 2011, also began working on the establishment and harmonization of safety requirements for food packages with GFSI being among the most active. The Global Food Safety Initiative is a business initiative aimed at continuous improvement of food safety management systems to ensure consumer confidence in food around the world. This initiative was launched in 2000 and provides a platform for collaboration among food safety experts in the retail market, manufacturers and food service companies and other services in the food chain as well as international organizations, academia and government. Among its activities, the GFSI currently defines the requirements of food safety throughout the supply chain. The GFSI, through the harmonization of food safety standards, hopes to reduce duplication of audits throughout the food chain. The main objectives of GFSI are: 1. Reduce risks to food safety by offering equivalence and convergence among efficient systems of management of food safety. 2. Managing costs in the global food system, eliminating redundancies and improving operational efficiency. 3. Developing skills and training in food safety to create consistent and effective global food systems. 4. Provide a unique international platform for stakeholder collaboration, knowledge exchange and networking. Regardless of the standard, certification brings benefits and ensures that legal requirements are met, the package produced is safe and that it was manufactured within Good Manufacturing Practices, thus promoting access to the most demanding markets that prioritize compliance with safety requirements. An example of what makes the market more challenging was the approval of the Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA) by the United States in January 2011. This law promoted a historic shift in the food safety system: from reaction to prevention (U.S. DEPARTMENT..., 2012). The emphasis in this legislation is on imported products and is very demanding in the registration and inspection of foreign food manufacturers. The FSMA was designed to prevent problems with food before they occur and require the implementation of HACCP, risk control programs and certifications to suppliers. Although directly impacting food producers, this law will also affect package manufacturers, as they will require certifications and evidence that the package was produced within the standards of quality and safety.