Packaging testing and preparation for BRCGS

For years we have used a proven production technology and consistent material-selection standards. Our packaging is made from high-quality European board, with inks and varnishes of the lowest possible migration and low odour emission.

The tests confirm the in-use safety of the packaging in the context of food contact and the stability of parameters relevant to the quality of the finished product. They cover, among others, migration, organoleptic properties and the compliance of materials with requirements for food packaging.

• regular verification of selected packaging types
• control of the materials used in production
• conformity documentation available at the customer's request
• the option to include new packaging in subsequent test packages
• consistency between tests, declarations of conformity and the actual production process

AS-INTER-BOX has entered the certification path under the BRCGS Global Standard Packaging Materials Issue 7. We have selected specialist implementation support, accepted the proposal, defined the planned certification scope and provided information about the plant, the products and the course of our production processes.

BRCGS Packaging Materials is an international standard for manufacturers and converters of packaging materials, including plants that print and convert packaging. The standard sets requirements for product safety, legal compliance, quality and operational control of the production process.

It is not a one-off test of a particular box or a single sheet of board. Certification covers the plant and the scope of activity included in it: supplier qualification, raw-material purchasing, production planning, hygiene, storage, traceability, quality control and the handling of non-conformities.

This means moving from a declaration that the company operates correctly to an independently audited confirmation that safety and quality are managed systematically, repeatably and on the basis of documented rules.

Food safety does not end with the recipe, the oven, the cold store or storage conditions. It also concerns the packaging with which a cake, bread, dessert or other product may have direct or indirect contact.

For the customer, working with a manufacturer preparing for BRCGS Packaging Materials means:

• better safety control of board, inks, varnishes, adhesives, window films and other components
• documented traceability of materials, batches, orders and finished packaging
• greater quality repeatability
• structured hygiene rules and reduction of contamination risk
• systematic management of complaints, non-conformities and corrective actions
• easier supplier qualification by larger food plants, brands, retail chains and export customers

For a small or medium patisserie this means access to a packaging control standard similar to the one required by large food plants. For an industrial producer it means a supplier better prepared for audits, formal risk assessment and extensive documentation.

Materials intended for food contact must meet legal requirements, including good manufacturing practice. For printed packaging, it is particularly important to control the risk of substances transferring from inks, varnishes and other materials to the food-contact side, through the substrate or by set-off within a stack of sheets.

The HACCP system in a patisserie or bakery focuses on hazards related to food production. On the packaging manufacturer's side, BRCGS requires a tailored hazard analysis and risk assessment for packaging materials and for the production process.

In this way both systems complement each other in the supply chain: the patisserie or bakery oversees food safety, while the packaging manufacturer oversees the safety, compliance and repeatability of the material that is to protect that food.

Traceability of materials intended for food contact should be ensured at all stages of distribution. In practice this means an orderly chain of information:

For AS-INTER-BOX this is consistent with the documentation and traceability system we are developing. Its elements include order numbers, control of the materials used, supplier documentation and QR codes leading to the relevant product specifications and documents.

BRCGS will allow these solutions to be combined with a formal, independently assessed packaging safety management system.