Global food safety certs for SMEs eyed

certified with global food safety certifications opens wider trade opportunities for Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) especially for export.

More than 20 food manufacturing companies in Davao City had applied for food safety certifications under the develoPPP.de Project, a Public-Private Partnership (PPP) program that aims to assist SMEs with the improvement of food safety standards and auditing techniques.

The program is primarily funded by a German firm Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ). Some 300,000 Euros will be allotted for the entire project which will grant certifications to a total of 30 SMEs from Cebu, Negros Occidental, and Davao.

These 20 food manufacturing companies from Davao City have applied for Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points (HACCP), International Organization for Standardization (ISO), or even the Food Safety System Certification (FSSC 22000) depending on the standards and the capacities of their respective systems.

In the entire Philippines, the partner companies of BMZ for the auditing and certification process are SIGNAsia and TUV-Nord Ltd. Philippines. Yesterday, the first ever Awareness Workshop was conducted by SIGNAsia and TUV-Nord Ltd. Philippines at the Negosyo Center, Magsaysay Park, Davao City. It was attended by representatives of Food and Drugs Administration (FDA), the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI), and different food manufacturing companies in the city.

According to SIGNAsia Project Manager April Thessa L. Diaz, with the increase of number of food establishments comes also the increasing demand for food safety awareness.

“The food safety standards in the Philippines are not that strong although there are a few companies that already have established safety standards. But there are SMEs that are not yet certified primarily because it is expensive. So the SMEs just go for local certification. The main objective of this program is to empower and include them, as well as give them the capacity to import with these global food safety standard certifications,” Diaz said.

With this program targeted towards the assistance of SMEs, Diaz said, it allows bigger chances of competition and more opportunities for growth as well as strengthening the food safety standard in the Philippines in general.

The 20 food manufacturing companies that applied for the grant will still be picked by the SIGNAsia and TUV-Nord Ltd. Phils. After which, picked companies will undergo preassessment and will be decided whether the food safety certification grant for them will be HACCP, ISO, or FSSC 22000.

According to Diaz, for HACCP, a 100 percent grant for certification will be given to approved com-

panies while a 50-50 percent deal will be made for FSSC and ISO 22000. In the long run, Diaz hopes with more food manufacturing companies that are equipped with global food safety certifications, the food safety standards in the Philippines will also improve.

TUV-Nord Ltd. Philippines Marketing Manager Haya Mercano, for her part, said during her presentation that to get a food safety certification is very crucial. Not only does it provides vaster global market access and increased consumer confidence, it also assures safe and quality products for consumption as well as lesser customer audits.