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Frequently asked questions

WHAT IS QUALITY CONTROL (QC)?

Quality control may be defined as a planned system of activities whose purpose is to provide a quality product (FAO Food and Nutrition Paper No. 14/1 Rev 1). QC, often known as quality inspection, consists of carrying out checks at various points in the manufacturing system e.g. net weight, acidity, color.  It was the first formal control mechanism introduced at the start of the last century.  Inspection can only segregate good from the bad – it cannot by itself improve the quality of a processed product.

WHAT DO WE DEFINE AS QUALITY ASSURANCE?

Quality assurance may be defined as a planned system of activities whose purpose is to provide assurance that the quality control program is actually effective.

WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN QUALITY CONTROL AND QUALITY ASSURANCE?

In contrast to QC, QA looks at the whole process – from the purchase of materials, through the manufacturing process, to the point at which the consumer uses the food.

WHAT DOES FOOD SAFETY MEAN?

Is about ensuring that food does not cause injury or harm to consumers when it is prepared and/or eaten according to its intended use.

WHAT DOES FOOD HYGIENE MEAN?

All conditions and measures are necessary to ensure the safety and suitability of food at all stages of the food chain.

WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN HAZARD AND RISK?

A hazard is a physical, chemical, or biological agent, in, or condition of food with the potential to cause an adverse health effect.

A risk is an estimate of the probability and severity of the adverse health effects in exposed populations, consequential to the hazards in food.

Understanding the association between a reduction in hazards that may be associated with food, and the reduction in the risk to consumers of adverse health effects is of particular importance in the development of an appropriate food safety control system.

WHAT IS ISO CERTIFICATION FOR?

ISO certification certifies that a management system, manufacturing process, service, or documentation procedure has all the requirements for standardization and quality assurance. ISO standards are in place to ensure consistency. Each certification has separate standards and criteria and is classified numerically.

WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN ISO 17025 AND ISO 17020?

The difference between both norms is as follows: ISO 17020 regulates test labs which have to provide decisions in terms of pass/fail decision. ISO 17025 regulates test labs that have to provide measurement results.

WHAT IS ISO 9001:2015 QUALITY MANAGEMENT SYSTEMS?

ISO 9001 is defined as the international standard that specifies requirements for a quality management system (QMS). Organizations use the standard to demonstrate the ability to consistently provide products and services that meet customer and regulatory requirements. It is the most popular standard in the ISO 9000 series and the only standard in the series to which organizations can certify.

ISO 9001 was first published in 1987 by the International Organization for Standardization (ISO), an international agency composed of the national standards bodies of more than 160 countries. The current version of ISO 9001 was released in September 2015.