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Food Safety System PAS 223 Launched by BSI

Sunday, July 3, 2011

The British Standards Institution, BSI, has launched a new standard to streamline food safety systems between food manufacturers and the packaging they use for their products.
PAS 223 - Prerequisite programmes and design requirements for food safety in the manufacture and provision of food packaging - provides a common international methodology for developing a prerequisite programme for food and drink packaging safety.
The development of this PAS was sponsored by SSAFE (Safe Supply of Affordable Food Everywhere), with a steering group, consisting of leading global packaging and food manufacturing companies. The broad international consensus and buy-in from packaging manufacturers includes Alpla, Amcor, Owens-Illinois, Rexam and TetraPak and recognised household names in food manufacturing such as the Coca-Cola Company, Danone, Nestle, Kraft Foods and Unilever.
Developed by industry for industry, the new standard will be of particular interest to food and drink packaging manufacturers across the world, as well as food certification bodies and public authorities.

Against a global backdrop of recent food scares in countries such as Germany and China, many organisations are looking to ISO 22000, the global food safety management system, to manage their food risks. PAS 223 is aligned with, and supports the implementation of ISO 22000, by setting out specific requirements for the development and implementation of prerequisite programmes in the manufacture of food and drink packaging. The PAS is also in line with the Global Food Safety Initiative (GFSI)'s new guidance for food packaging certification.
PAS 223 aims to ensure confidence in food and drink packaging safety systems and bring consistency across global packaging industry practices. It could also potentially reduce tendering costs for packaging manufacturers who adhere to it and as help align packaging activities more closely with their clients' requirements.

Source: More Information on PAS 223