A new Voluntary Module for the BRC Global Standard for Food Safety has been introduced covering food products supplied for processing into animal feedstuffs. The introduction of the module has been agreed by the UK Former Foodstuffs Processors Association (UKFFPA) and BRC Global Standards to provide assurance for an important element of the supply chain.
In the UK more than 650,000 tonnes of former foodstuffs are processed into animal feed each year. With increasing pressure from governments, retailers and consumers for sustainability, they make a vital contribution to the supply chain.
The UKFFPA, an affiliate of the Agricultural Industries Confederation, was founded in 2013 to represent the interests of companies processing former foodstuffs and food by-products for use in animal feed.
UKFFPA Chairman Paul Featherstone said: “This is an important step forward for UKFFPA and fills a gap in the assurance chain. It ensures that the highest standards of safety and legal compliance are met from the food manufacturer to former foodstuffs processing and on to the animal feed industry. I think it’s also important that this Module recognises that surplus foodstuffs are not waste, but a valuable feed material.”
The new Module is voluntary and applies to food manufacturers whose primary output is products for human consumption. It covers all food products and by-products of food production which are supplied either directly or indirectly to animal feed processors, and on to the animal feed industry.
A seminar on former food stuffs and the voluntary Module has been jointly organised with Food and Drink Federation (FDF) and will take place on 1 June 2015 at FDF.
The new Module will be published by BRC Global Standards in July 2015 and audits against the Module can then begin.
