CONSULTANCY

We provide technical and logistical consultancy to companies that export to international markets.

MANAGEMENT SYSTEMS DEVELOPMENT

We develop management systems according to voluntary schemes, allowing companies to keep up with the due diligence demands of the market.

CERTIFICATIONS

We offer support for obtaining the most important certifications in the agri-food sector:

TRAINING AND CONSULTING FOR US EXPORT

The Food Safety Modernization Act:

The new FSMA regulation requires all food business operators who produce, handle, hold or stock products intended for the US market to use a food safety management system that complies with FDA guidelines.

This package of laws requires the implementation of a Food Safety Plan that includes a hazard analysis and the implementation of preventive, risk-based controls to minimize or prevent identified hazards, and the Food Defense Plan, to protect food from acts of intentional contamination (“Mitigation Strategies to Protect Food Against Intentional Adulteration” (21 CFR Part 121).

CONSULTANCY

INCOS Team supports companies that want to comply with the legal requirements for USA, according to the Food Safety Modernization Act, with:

Registration of the organization on the FDA portal
Preparation of the SID forms
Food Safety Plan
Food Defense Plan

HI-LEVEL TRAINING

INCOS Team has FSPCA-recognized Lead Instructors, qualified to provide high-level training courses for export to the U.S. market.

PCQI course (Preventive Control Qualified Individual) to implement a Food Safety Plan
IA.VA course (Intentional Adulteration Vulnerability Assessment) to implement a Food Defense Plan + workshop for the Food Defense Plan Builder tool

Support in FCE registration and in filling out the “Process Filling” (SID) form:

Companies that produce, process or package Acidified Food or Low-Acid Food packaged in hermetically sealed containers must obtain a Food Canning Establishment (FCE) registration with the FDA.

Once FCE registered, companies must provide the FDA with information regarding the manufacturing process of these foods by completing a form called “Process Filling”. This form, submitted and validated by the FDA, will be assigned a number called the “Submission Identifier” (SID) (21 CFR parts 108, 110, 113, 114).

Low-Acid Canned Food (LACF): any food, excluding alcoholic beverages, with a final pH greater than 4.6 and a water activity (aw) greater than 0.85.
Acidified Food (AF): a low acidity food to which acids or acidic foods are added, for which the final pH is less than or equal to 4.6 and the water activity (aw) is greater than 0.85.

GAP ANALYSIS

GAP Analysis is a tool to analyze the business situation, which becomes the starting state of a growth path towards the desired condition, such as obtaining or updating certain certifications (BRCGS, IFS, ISO).

1

Situation analysis
(through a specific checklist)

2

List requirements of the desired situation by setting achievable and measurable goals.

The differences and the strategy to be implemented are identified.

3

Identification of the GAP (= distance) between the starting and the arrival point

The actions necessary to achieve the set objectives are quantified and the strategy to achieve them is implemented.

GAP Analysis is a very useful tool for companies that want to certify themselves according to a specific standard, or for those already certified with respect to previous editions.

Analysis results are written in a detailed report and presented at the end of the activity.

These results will be used by the company to understand the procedure and adapt its management system to the requirements.