London zoo was the setting last week for UK inspection body Select QA to formally receive certification from the United Kingdom Accreditation Service, involving the company in a new scheme for the food packaging industry.
the company was accredited as a certification body to BS EN45011:1998 The General Requirements for Bodies Operating Product Certification Systems for the evaluation and certification of manufacturers and suppliers of food packaging materials to the BRC/IOP Technical Standard and Protocol for Companies Manufacturing and Supplying Food Packaging Materials for Retailer Branded Products.'
The BRC/IOP Food Packaging Standard was originally published in October 2001, and certification has been available from certification bodies seeking accreditation from UKAS, since this date.
Gill Palmer, technical manager of Select QA commented: "Select QA is pleased to have been involved in the introduction of this scheme to the food packaging industry.
I am confident that food packaging companies seeking certification to this standard will benefit enormously from working to an internationally recognised standard written specifically for their sector of the industry and covering all aspects of the operation that may affect the safety, quality and legality of the products.
This will provide their customers with increased confidence in the products supplied and give the company a competitive edge over non-certified food packaging companies," she added.