Hygiene standards a must for tea exports to EU countries

Tea exports to the EU countries will have to meet the standards for hygiene of food products. No EU country could import food items that do not comply with the directive introduced by the EU Parliament for hygiene of foodstuff, said Chairman Quality International Certification Services (Pvt) Ltd. (QICS), Dr. Srilal de Silva.

Dr. de Silva was addressing a seminar on 'ISO 22000 (HACCP) Food Safety Certification for Tea Exports' organised by the QICS at the BMICH on Tuesday.

The EU Parliamentary directive requires all food manufacturing factories to have an internationally accredited certification ensuring safety. This requires all in the food chain from the primary grower to the end user to have a Hazard Analysis Critical Control Point (HACCP) system.

HACCP is a technique that examines the production process, identifies critical areas and introduces preventive measures of potential problems. The directive on hygiene of foodstuff was in effect from April 2004 and applied to the tea industry from January 1, 2006.

Ceylon tea is acclaimed the best in the world but today the industry is not in the frontline due to strong competition from Kenya and Vietnam. The tea industry must use effective marketing tools to sustain its 'best tea image' globally and counter challenges from competitors, Dr. de Silva said.

He said meeting food safety standards is extremely important to sustain a healthy export market in the EU. There had been instances where EU countries have rejected food items which are not in keeping with safety standards. The quality of products cannot be compromised and has to be a priority in a competitive environment.

People have the right to expect safety of the food they consume. Food-borne illness and injury could be fatal. The outbreak of food-borne illnesses can tarnish the trade and tourism and lead to heavy losses, unemployment and litigation. Dr. de Silva said an accredited certification means equal international recognition by all concerned parties.

An accredited certification body assures that the management system adopted by the manufacturer complies with international food safety standards and there is no risk of re-certification.

QICS offers ISO 22000:2005 (food safety), ISO 9001:2000, ISO 14000:2004 and ISO 27000 certificates from Certification International (UK).

(LF)