Indexpo Certification to ensure quality of food products

by Lalin Fernandopulle

The Ceylon National Chamber of Industries (CNCI) set up Indexpo Certification Ltd., a company to support industries to obtain food safety certifications and thereby ensure the quality of food products exported to EU countries.

CNCI Chairman A.K. Ratnarajah said the company will assist industries to obtain the ISO 22000 and Social Accountability (SA 8000) certifications on food safety management and monitor the maintenance of standards which are required for international trade.

He was speaking at a seminar on Certification of Food Safety Management System and Social Accountability for the International Market organised by the CNCI, National Chamber of Exporters of Sri Lanka and the Sri Lanka Standards Institute in collaboration with UNIDO and the Ministry of Industrial Development on Tuesday.

To achieve growth in businesses and maintain the standards of food items exported to developed countries an internationally recognised certification is a requirement for industries. Low quality food products exported to the EU were rejected since it did not comply with the food safety and hygiene standards, Ratnarajah said.

The ISO 22000 and SA 8000 certifications provide an independent assessment of the organisation's capability, offers third party assurance of quality, safety and reliability and facilitates regulatory bodies to identify products or services complying with a standard.

Indexpo with the support of the Colombo Municipal Council will conduct inspections on the standard of food and its processing systems in hotels and restaurants and request them to obtain food safety certifications.

CEO, Sri Lanka Accreditation Board B. S. P. Mendis said stringent measures have been introduced by importing countries to ensure that the food items that are imported are safe for consumption.

Concerns on safe food have increased with countries imposing new regulations on imported items. The US government banned the import of meat following the outbreak of the madcow disease in Europe. Similarly the EU has introduced regulations on the import of food products.

People have the right to demand safe food and it is the duty of the government to ensure the supply of good food, he said.

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