At Unimark Pet Food, ensuring the quality and safety of our products is a top priority. Consumers increasingly demand transparency, and quality standards have become essential to ensure that products are safe (i.e. free from physical, chemical and microbiological hazards) and healthy for dogs and cats. Certifications such as ISO 22000, ISO 9001 and IFS play a crucial role in this respect, ensuring that our company complies with the highest international standards. In the following, we will detail what these certifications mean and their importance in pet food manufacturing.
ISO 22000: Food Safety Management System
ISO 22000 is a specific international standard for food safety that applies to the entire food supply chain, from farmers to distributors. In the context of pet food, this standard ensures that strict procedures are followed to minimise contamination risks and guarantee the safety of the final product.
Main objective: To ensure that dog and cat food is safe for consumption and complies with global food safety standards.
What it involves: ISO 22000 requires the company to implement a food safety management system, based on principles such as Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points (HACCP). This helps to identify, assess and control risks along the entire supply chain.
Benefits: ISO 22000 certification provides a structured methodology to proactively manage food safety. It ensures that manufacturers have comprehensive control over the quality of ingredients, the production process and distribution, minimising risks to pet health.
ISO 9001: Quality Management System
Main objective: ISO 9001 is perhaps the best known quality standard in the world. Unlike ISO 22000, which focuses on food safety, ISO 9001 focuses on the overall quality of products and processes within a company. This includes operational efficiency, continuous improvement and customer satisfaction.
What it implies: ISO 9001 requires the company to adopt a systematic approach to quality management, which includes identifying and managing the critical processes that affect the quality of the final product. Internal and external audits play a key role in ensuring that best practices are followed.
Benefits: ISO 9001 certification ensures that we manufacturers are committed to continually improving our processes and products. This means that the kibble or wet pet food not only meets safety standards, but also delivers a consistent level of quality, meeting customer expectations.
IFS (International Featured Standards)
IFS certification is a highly respected food safety and quality standard worldwide, especially in Europe. This standard is designed to assess the food safety and quality of processed products, including pet food.
Main objective: The IFS standard focuses on ensuring that products are safe, comply with legal and contractual specifications, and offer a consistent level of quality.
What is involved: To obtain IFS certification, manufacturers must implement a rigorous management system covering all stages of production, from receipt of raw materials to final delivery of the product. This includes risk management, cross-contamination control and traceability.
Benefits: IFS certification provides confidence to both consumers and retailers that products are safe and manufactured to the highest standards. It also helps to improve efficiency and reduce costs by implementing consistent production practices.
The importance of certifications in pet food manufacturing
In dog and cat food manufacturing, these certifications provide an assurance of quality and safety that benefits all parties involved. For manufacturers, meeting ISO 22000, ISO 9001 and IFS standards means being able to operate in global markets and compete effectively in an increasingly regulated industry.
For consumers, these certifications are a sign that the food they buy for their pets has been manufactured with care, control and a high level of attention to safety and quality. In a market where recalls and health issues related to pet food have raised concerns, certifications offer an additional layer of confidence.
CONCLUSIÓN
ISO 22000, ISO 9001 and IFS certifications not only ensure the safety and quality of pet food, but also promote transparency and continuous improvement within the industry. By adopting standards, manufacturers demonstrate a commitment to excellence, innovation and pet welfare by providing products that not only meet nutritional needs, but also meet the highest standards of quality and safety. In an increasingly demanding consumer environment, these certifications are an invaluable tool for building trust and long-term loyalty.
