With the GMP+ Feed Certification (GMP+ FC) scheme, we are striving together for Feed Safety Worldwide. In conjunction with a crisis in 2000, the GMP+ community (represented by our committees/IEC) issued a statement. The message was clear: we only use feed material that was tested for safety; we want to know in good time whether a product contains an undesirable substance; and we inform each other quickly to avoid consequential damages. In order to get a better insight into the risks, we collect and share data (analysis resultats) with each other.
This precautionary principle is at the heart of the GMP+ FC scheme. Each individual GMP+ certified company has its own responsibility in this context. But together we are stronger and we know more. The added value of the GMP+ FC scheme is that the members of the GMP+ community join forces and combine their knowledge to jointly reduce the risks in the chain to a minimum. The product list, the risk assessments, the monitoring database, and the early warning system are inseparable parts of this.
The product list contains all feed materials that may be produced and traded within the GMP+ chain. Thus, it is clear to all GMP+ certified companies which products can be safely produced; and the risks are manageable. The list is drawn up in collaboration with independent experts and is updated several times per year. Always check whether a given product is on the list to prevent damage. The product list plays a crucial role in the scheme.
If you want to produce or add a feed material that is not (yet) on this list to the GMP+ chain then a risk assessment must be performed first. GMP+ certified companies provide information about the production process, the possible risks, and how these are managed. After providing the information, this is checked by independent experts. If the experts conclude that the risks are manageable, then the feed material is approved and added to the product list. By using only accepted feed materials, we assure the feed safety in the entire chain.
Analyses are essential for the management of feed safety. Thus, for certain products, analyses must be performed and the results must be shared in the GMP+ Monitoring database. This information is used, among others, to update the analysis protocols, for instance for aflatoxin. Besides, the analysis results (anonymised) can be requested by the other GMP+ certified companies. With this transparency, we reduce risks to a minimum and monitor feed safety in the chain.
Unfortunately, sometimes things go wrong. We have to do with climate changes, people can make mistakes, and sometimes there is fraud, too. The Early Warning System (EWS) helps us here. The EWS prevents unsafe ingredients and contaminations from spreading throughout the chain. GMP+ certified companies are required to report incidents within 12 hours of the contamination or deviation to GMP+ International and their Certification Body. By quick reporting and by passing on a warning, GMP+ International prevents further damage to your organisation and the production chain.
We have a joint responsibility for Feed Safety Worldwide. GMP+ certified companies join forces and combine their knowledge to reduce the risks to a minimum. GMP+ International manages the data and makes them accessible for GMP+ certified companies. This provides your organisation with current, practical, and scientific information about feed safety. You can use this knowledge directly for your own business opertions, for instance to strengthen your own HACCP system. For more information please see the newsletter from March 2022.
The product list, the risk assessments, the GMP+ Monitoring Database, and the EWS are found in the online GMP+ portal. On workdays, the GMP+ helpdesk can be reached by telephone between 9:00 am and 5:00 pm (CET) under +31 (0)70 307 41 44. Or send a mail to info@gmpplus.org.
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