The board of directors of The Global Food Safety Initiative (GFSI), Paris, announced that three additional scopes of the IFS (International Featured Standards) Food Standard Version 6 have been successfully re-benchmarked by the GFSI and have achieved recognition against the GFSI Guidance Document Sixth Edition.

Last September, the IFS achieved recognition against EI processing of animal perishable products, EII processing of plant perishable products, EIII processing of animal and plant perishable products (mixed products) and EIV processing of ambient stable products. Following this successful round of benchmarking, the IFS submitted the three additional scopes for benchmarking: C animal conversion; D pre-process handling of plant products; and L production of biochemicals, bringing the total number of recognized scopes to seven.

The GFSI benchmark committee for these scope extensions was the same committee that undertook the original benchmarking exercise for the first four scopes. The committee, led by Vince Craig, managing director at Meadowbrae Technical Services Ltd., was joined by Andrew Sheard, director of quality-Europe at Campbell Soup Co., and Petro Zapata, manager of quality assurance for YUM! Brands.

Stephan Tromp, IFS managing director, commented, “Through the successful benchmarking of these scope extensions, IFS is pleased to confirm that there are recognized scopes of IFS Food Version 6, which also apply to companies involved in animal conversion, pre-process handling of plant products and production of (bio) chemicals. IFS would like to thank the GFSI Benchmark Committee for their excellent and thorough work.”