IFS Food Standard 8 – the requirements
The changes summarised for you
Aug 2023 (update). In April 2023 the version 8 of the IFS Food standard was published. From 1 October 2023 you can optionally choose the new version for the audit. From 1 January 2024 an audit according to version 8 will be mandatory.
The main reasons for revising the standard shortly after the introduction of IFS Food 7 were the adaptation and innovations from other guidelines and standards. Codex Alimentarius, ISO 22003-2 for auditing food safety systems or the GFSI benchmarking requirements are considered here. In addition, practical user feedback for the continuous improvement of the IFS was considered.
What changes apply to the audit protocol?
Structure and principles of the standard
- The IFS Assessment is an IFS Audit again. This is defined via the definition in the glossary including several audit techniques.
- The IFS Split Audit has been included in the IFS Standard as an audit type. The application is only possible under exceptional circumstances (e.g. due to a generally recognised crisis) only.
- Claims in the scope of certification are only possible for geographical indications according to Regulation (EU) No. 1151/2012. Other claims are not permitted.
Requirements and deviations
- In the rating system, a "B" is now classified as a deviation and assigned 15 points again. For a "B" rating, verified corrections must have been made and corrective actions must be planned before the certificate is issued. A "B" rating of KO requirements is possible again, however, in this case 0 points are awarded instead of 15. A "C" rating of KO requirements is no longer possible in IFS Version 8.
- Deviations from a central audit can only deteriorate in the site audit and not improve or even become an "A". Central audits can be performed remotely and without a site visit.
Conduct of the audit
- At least every third audit will continue to take place unannounced. All audit days must fall within the audit time window. Unannounced audits are marked with an asterisk from the audit day until the next announced audit in the IFS database and on the certificate.
- Audit preparation and follow-up, including reporting, are defined by the scheme owner as a total of at least 8 hours.
- Approximately 30 minutes after the opening meeting, the auditors shall start the on-site evaluation.
- A preliminary audit report is available only upon request. Until the final report is provided, the action plan will be used only.
What are the main changes to the IFS checklist?
Structure of the checklist
- The requirements catalog in version 8 consists of 5 chapters only. The requirements from chapter 6 of IFS Food version 7 are now included in chapter 4.
- 5 new requirements have been added to the checklist. 10 requirements have been deleted or merged with others.
Checklist requirements
- The requirements for product authenticity are consistently anchored in the standard in almost all chapters.
- Requirements with a previously specified annual or regular frequency, are now only defined as 12 months. In the requirements for management review, the recall test and internal audits, a flexible period of a maximum of 15 months for implementation has been granted.
- In various requirements listings are made mandatory as part of the requirement by the wording "in minimum”.
- The topics of sustainability and food safety culture are even more in focus due to the mandatory anchoring in the corporate policy. Concrete goals on food safety culture must at least consider the areas of communication, training, employee feedback, and performance measurement.
- Deviations and non-conformities shall be documented with corrections and corrective actions. Root cause analysis is required for deviations and non-conformities regarding safety, legality, authenticity and/or in case of recurrence.
- Preparation recommendations for consumers are to be validated.
- Suitability of product packaging shall be validated for each relevant product.
- All chemicals on site have to be suitable for use and handled appropriately.
- A risk-based environmental monitoring programme with defined criteria has been implemented.
Hygiene criteria
- GMP and good hygiene practices are now linked to the HACCP plan. Furthermore, validation and revalidation are required for the plan.
- Personnel hygiene requirements are reviewed on a risk basis but at least once in a three-month period.
- Risk-based cleaning and disinfection plans shall be validated. Records of cleaning and disinfection activities shall be reviewed by a designated person.
Eurofins services for IFS Food 8
We are happy to provide you with continuous information and news e.g. by holding different webinars and training courses according to our training plan.
The Eurofins Food Control Services GmbH is an approved and accredited certification body and offers certification audits according to the new IFS Food Version 8.
In the field of analytics, we are happy to support you with regard to rapid tests for "free from" products, chemical-physical tests, authenticity tests or relevant parameters from environmental analytics, which are now more explicitly addressed by IFS Food 8. We will be happy to advise you on your sampling plan, product analyses and process analytics.
Get in touch
Would you like to find out more about our testing solutions, or do you need tailored analytical support? Contact us today to get in touch with our experts.
Written by:
Dr. Anna Fecke
Eurofins NDSC Food Testing Germany GmbH
Nevin Rühle
Eurofins Food Control Services GmbH