IFS Food Safety Consulting
International excellence in food safety
In the global food market, being IFS certified proves high safety standards and process discipline as well as quality. IFS Food brings product safety, process efficiency and customer focus together. At HRQ we design your production site around IFS Food's demanding criteria and give you a proactive quality system that comes through audits with success.
Global process discipline in food production
We blend the analytical scoring system and strict rules of IFS with the day-to-day operations of your plant.
Full compliance with IFS
In line with the current IFS Food V8 requirements, we build a risk-based product safety approach (HACCP) and legal requirements into all your operational processes end to end.
Traceability and mass balance
We set up your record-keeping for forward and backward traceability, mass balance and process efficiency, some of IFS Food's most critical requirements, and help you keep them under control.
3D culture integration
With our Thought–Emotion–Behavior (3D) methodology, the food safety culture requirements, where the standard is most demanding, become a lasting habit for every employee.
Zero-error audit preparation
Realistic IFS mock audits before the formal certification audit close off potential point losses and KO risks in advance.
A strategic roadmap for your plant
We design all your processes to the GFSI-benchmarked IFS Food approach, from goods receipt to process lines and from laboratory analysis to dispatch.
Gap analysis
We analyze your site's physical infrastructure, hygiene barriers and current documentation against the latest IFS Food standard and produce a technical gap map.
HACCP and risk management
We build dynamic HACCP plans, aligned with the IFS scoring structure, that keep food safety hazards (microbiological, chemical, physical, allergen) on your lines to a minimum.
Documentation and procedures
We design all the documents the standard requires, such as food defense, food fraud risk analysis, cleaning, glass and hard plastic management and the crisis plan, around your business.
Food safety culture training
We give hands-on training that spreads food safety culture awareness, which IFS Food requires and measures through management commitment and staff involvement, from top management to blue-collar staff.
Mock audit
Before the formal audit, we run scored cross-check audits on site from an IFS lead auditor's point of view and work with you toward a Higher Level score.
Frequently asked questions
Key answers on the IFS Food Version 8 updates, the KO scoring system and certification.
What are the biggest changes in IFS Food V8?
IFS Food Version 8 sets stricter rules for defining and tracking food safety culture objectives. The scoring system was revised and a B score is again treated as a deviation. Unannounced audit frequency and food fraud controls were also deepened.
What does a KO (knock-out) requirement mean in IFS audits?
IFS defines 10 critical KO requirements, such as HACCP monitoring, traceability and corrective actions. If any of them scores D or fails as a KO during the audit, the site's food safety system is considered to have broken down, the audit fails outright and no certificate is issued.
How does IFS Food scoring (Foundation / Higher Level) work?
Unlike many standards, IFS uses percentage scoring. The total score is based on how fully the requirements are met. Companies scoring between 75% and 95% receive a Foundation Level certificate, and those scoring 95% or above receive Higher Level, the most respected level.
What are the main differences between BRCGS Food and IFS Food?
Both are GFSI-benchmarked and accepted equally by global retailers. BRCGS comes from the UK and uses letter grades (AA, A, B), while IFS was founded by European (German and French) retailers and uses analytical percentage scoring. IFS puts more focus on process efficiency and KO criteria.
Related training
In-house training in this area from HRQ Academy.
The door to global markets
Our expert team is here to help you crown your food quality with IFS Food, get onto the approved supplier lists of major retail chains in Europe and worldwide, and take your food production to the highest standards.