Food Control Consultants Ltd (FCC) has extensive international experience in the development, assessment and strengthening of food safety systems and official controls.
For more than two decades, FCC specialists have worked with governments, competent authorities, international organisations and the food industry to translate food safety legislation and policy into effective systems of control.
Our work covers the complete control chain — from legislation and institutional organisation to inspection, auditing, laboratories, enforcement, training and practical implementation at food-business level.
Food Control Systems
An effective food safety system depends on much more than legislation alone. Responsibilities must be clearly allocated, competent authorities must have appropriate powers and resources, and controls must be planned and implemented according to risk.
FCC assists governments and competent authorities in assessing and developing national and sectoral food-control systems.
This may include:
- organisation and responsibilities of competent authorities;
- food safety legislation and implementing measures;
- risk-based planning of official controls;
- ante and post mortem inspections in slaughterhouses;
- inspection and audit systems organisation and tools;
- registration and approval of food establishments;
- sampling and laboratory controls, including IT tools;
- import and export controls;
- certification;
- traceability and recall systems;
- enforcement and follow-up of non-compliance;
- information and data-management systems;
- procedures, guidelines and inspection manuals;
- staff competence and training; and
- monitoring, evaluation and continuous improvement of control systems.
The objective is to develop control systems that are not only legally compliant, but also practical, risk-based, consistent and sustainable.
Risk-Based Official Controls
Official-control resources are inevitably limited. Effective systems therefore need to direct resources towards the activities, establishments and products presenting the greatest risk.
FCC supports competent authorities in developing and implementing risk-based systems of official control.
This can include establishment risk classification, determination of inspection frequencies, development of inspection and audit procedures, prioritisation of sampling and monitoring activities, and systems for recording and evaluating control results.
Particular attention is given to ensuring that risk classification is transparent, reproducible and capable of being updated as new information becomes available.
The company carried out a large project for the UK Food Standards Authority in 2016: Improved Food Chain Information (FCI) and Collection and Communication of Inspection Results (CCIR), project FS 517005. This project focused on the FCI and how the results from Ante and Post Mortem (AM-PM) can be utilized to implement risk based AM-PM, benefiting the primary producer, the slaughterhouse and the official controls.
For more information about this project, go to FS-517005
Inspection and Audit Systems
FCC has extensive practical experience in the development and assessment of inspection and audit systems.
Assignments may include:
- development of inspection procedures and checklists;
- assessment of existing inspection systems;
- establishment classification and prioritisation;
- supervision and verification of inspection activities;
- development of audit systems;
- assessment of inspection quality and consistency;
- procedures for documenting non-compliance;
- corrective-action and follow-up systems; and
- training of inspectors and auditors.
FCC can also undertake independent audits and assessments on behalf of competent authorities, projects and food businesses. Please note that we also offer IT support for audits and inspections, see page Resources for more information.
Food Hygiene, GHP and HACCP
Official controls must assess whether food businesses have effective systems in place to control food safety hazards.
FCC specialists have extensive experience with Good Hygiene Practice (GHP), Good Manufacturing Practice (GMP), prerequisite programmes and HACCP-based food safety systems.
This includes both assessment by competent authorities and practical implementation within food establishments.
Particular experience has been gained in establishments handling meat and meat products, slaughter and cutting, milk and dairy products, fish and fishery products and other foods of animal origin.
Competent Authorities and Institutional Development
The effectiveness of official controls depends heavily on the organisation and capacity of the competent authorities responsible for implementing them.
FCC assists authorities with:
- definition of mandates and responsibilities;
- organisational structures;
- coordination between central, regional and local authorities;
- delegation of official-control tasks;
- development of standard operating procedures;
- planning and reporting systems;
- supervision and internal audit;
- performance indicators;
- training systems; and
- institutional capacity development.
Where several authorities share responsibility for food safety, particular attention is given to coordination, communication and avoidance of gaps or duplication in official controls.
Laboratories, Sampling and Surveillance
Laboratory capacity is an essential component of an effective food-control system.
FCC can assess the relationship between official-control programmes, sampling strategies and laboratory capacity, helping ensure that analytical resources support regulatory priorities.
Work may include assessment of laboratory networks, sampling programmes, analytical capacity, quality-management systems, reporting arrangements and the use of laboratory results for enforcement and surveillance.
Specialist support for laboratory systems and quality management is also available through FCC’s laboratory services (see there).
Legislation and Implementation
FCC has considerable experience in assessing and developing food safety and veterinary legislation, including systems based on or aligned with European Union food and veterinary requirements and international standards.
However, legislation is effective only when it can be implemented.
FCC therefore places particular emphasis on the connection between legal requirements and the institutions, procedures, personnel, facilities and resources needed to apply them in practice.
Our work can extend from legal and institutional gap analysis through development of implementing measures, procedures and guidance to training and practical implementation.
EU Compliance and International Market Access
FCC has particular experience assisting countries and food sectors seeking to meet the requirements for access to the European Union and other international markets.
This may involve assessment of the entire control system, including:
- legislation;
- competent authorities;
- official controls;
- establishment approval and supervision;
- laboratories and monitoring programmes;
- residue and contaminant controls;
- animal-health and public-health requirements;
- certification;
- traceability; and
- preparation for international assessments and audits.
The emphasis is on identifying gaps and developing realistic measures that enable authorities and businesses to demonstrate effective implementation of the required controls.
Training and Capacity Building
Training has been an important component of many FCC assignments.
FCC develops and delivers training for inspectors, veterinarians, laboratory personnel, food-business operators, managers and other personnel involved in food-control systems.
Training may cover:
- food hygiene and HACCP;
- inspection and auditing;
- risk-based official controls;
- sampling;
- enforcement;
- traceability;
- legislation and regulatory requirements;
- establishment approval;
- supervision and verification; and
- preparation for international audits.
Where appropriate, FCC uses Training of Trainers approaches to build sustainable national or institutional training capacity.
Assessment, Development and Implementation
FCC’s approach is based on the principle that food-control systems must work in practice.
Assignments can therefore cover the complete development cycle:
Assessment → Identification of Gaps → System Design → Implementation → Training → Verification → Improvement
This allows FCC to support clients not only in identifying what needs to change, but also in developing and implementing the systems needed to achieve lasting improvement.
International Experience
FCC specialists have undertaken food safety and official-control assignments in Europe, Africa, Asia, Central Asia, the Caribbean, the Pacific and Latin America.
This experience includes work with national competent authorities, international organisations, development programmes and food businesses, ranging from targeted technical assignments to comprehensive assessments and capacity-building programmes.
The combination of regulatory expertise and practical implementation experience is central to FCC’s approach to food safety and official controls.
Contact FCC
Contact Food Control Consultants Ltd to discuss assistance with the assessment, development or implementation of food safety and official-control systems, institutional capacity building, inspection and audit systems, or preparation for international market requirements.