FSSC 22000 for Spice Exporters: Why EU and US Buyers Demand It Before Onboarding

The global spice industry is witnessing exponential growth, but along with it comes more inspections. Being an Indian company dealing in spices, that is keen to make exports in the international markets of Europe and America, chances are that you have been asked only one question in the process of becoming an exporter. The one thing that you cannot bargain on is, “Are you FSSC 22000 certified?”

This blog post will deal with FSSC 22000 certification for spice exporters, which includes what is FSSC 22000 certification, why is this certification important for western buyers, and how to get it.

What Is FSSC 22000 for Spice Exporters?

The term FSSC 22000 represents Food Safety System Certification 22000 and is an internationally recognized standard of food safety management system developed by the Foundation for Food Safety Certification. The food safety standard certification involves requirements that are taken from ISO 22000, sector-specific PRPs, and FSSC.

As for the specific FSSC 22000 requirements for spice exporters, the standard covers aspects such as:

• Physical, chemical, and biological hazard control
• Management of allergens and possible contamination when blending spices
• Traceability from farm sourcing to shipment of finished goods
• Hygiene, pest control, and cleaning records

Global acceptance of the GFSI organization is essential since the GFSI organization supports the FSSC 22000 standard. The reason why the FSSC 22000 certification is considered to be an essential requirement and not just an additional one in most buyer contracts is that the GFSI organization supports it.

FSSC 22000 for Spice Industry: Understanding the Global Regulatory Landscape

To appreciate the significance of FSSC 22000 in the context of spices, it is necessary to learn what the EU and US customers are obligated by law to guarantee when buying food components.

The EU Regulatory Framework

In terms of food safety compliance, the EU follows strict rules as specified in Regulation (EC) No 178/2002, where the responsibility to ensure food safety falls on the importer of the foods being brought into the EU territory. For example, when one imports spices into Europe, he should be sure that the supplier complies with the food safety rules of the EU. The FSSC 22000 certificate of a spice exporter is the proof.

The US Regulatory Framework

For the US market, under the FSMA legislation, food producers must implement controls, whereas importers have the responsibility to ensure their suppliers are safe through the FSVP program. The FSSC 22000 is therefore the best certification scheme that meets the requirements of the FSVP for the spice exporter.

The following is a fast comparison of what European and American purchasers expect:

Why EU and US Buyers Demand FSSC 22000 for Spice Exporters Before Onboarding

Incorporation of a new spices provider is a very dangerous decision for foreign customers. One little problem of contamination, one simple recall or just an audit failure may cost millions of dollars of liabilities, damage, and lawsuits. Compliance with FSSC 22000 export reduces all these dangers greatly. Here are some of the reasons why:

It Is a GFSI-Benchmarked Standard

The Global Food Safety Initiative provides benchmarking guidelines based on the degree of strictness of the food safety standards. Being one of the accredited standards, the FSSC 22000 assures that its certification holders shall automatically receive approval from thousands of organizations.

It Proves Hazard Control Is Systematic

It is without any shadow of doubt that spices are among the most dangerous components of food owing to the presence of several kinds of contaminants such as salmonella bacteria, aflatoxins, heavy metals, and pesticides. The requirement of documenting HACCP controls under FSSC 22000 makes it necessary for identifying and minimizing all possible risks.

It Reduces the Buyer’s Due Diligence Burden

Without the FSSC 22000 certification from the spice exporter, the buyer must perform his own audit before bringing the supplier aboard. However, in the case of an FSSC 22000 certified firm, it is guaranteed that the job is done already.

It Satisfies Retail and Institutional Requirements

The suppliers need to have particular codes for their food products when working with Tesco, Carrefour, Rewe of Europe and Whole Foods, Walmart of the USA. The FSSC 22000 Export compliance will help achieve the requirements set out by all the private label and retail buyers. The exporters who manage to get their FSSC 22000 certification for export USA Europe requirements in advance end up being much quicker with their approval lists than those who don’t do it.

It Supports Traceability and Recall Management

The requirement for traceability systems in FSSC 22000 guarantees that the spice exporters will be able to supply the required data in case any issues arise regarding the food safety of the concerned product.

Key Differences Between FSSC 22000 and Other Certifications for Spice Exporters

The majority of spice export companies have certifications like ISO 9001, FSSAI, and Indian Spices Board certification. However, despite their high significance, such certifications cannot be seen as adequate replacements to the FSSC 22000 certification for the clients from Europe and America.

How Indian Spice Exporters Can Get FSSC 22000 Certified to Meet EU and US Buyer Requirements

The process of obtaining FSSC 22000 certification for spice exporters usually takes place along the following path:

1. Gap Analysis: Conduct an internal or third party audit of your organization based on the FSSC 22000 requirements to see what changes need to be made in your food safety management system in order to improve it.
2. Development of the FSMS: Develop your food safety policy, your HACCP plan, PRPs and other procedures in line with the ISO 22000 requirements and additional FSSC 22000 requirements for spice exporters.
3. Training of Your Food Safety Team: Train your employees in accordance with the ISO 22000 and HACCP requirements.
4. Internal Audit: Conduct a complete internal audit to make sure all your FSMS elements are fine and your documentation is ready for the external audit.
5. Choosing of an Accredited Certification Body: Choose an accredited certifying organization from the members of the International Accreditation Forum (IAF), such as Bureau Veritas, SGS, TUV, DNV etc.
6. Stage 1 Audit (Review of Documentation): The certification agency will evaluate the documentation of your Food Safety Management System.
7. On-site Audit (Stage 2): Your sites will be audited to ensure that the documented system is being applied in practice.
8. Issue of Certificate: If all goes well, you will receive a certificate valid for three years.

This whole certification procedure will take 3 to 12 months, depending on how compliant you are at the beginning of the process.

FSSC 22000 Export Compliance: Business Benefits Beyond Certification

It’s just the start of something bigger. FSSC 22000 certification for spice exporters offers real business benefits far beyond meeting regulations:

• Access to premium customers: The certified exporter will automatically get onboarding to the top European retail customers, top US processors, and institutional buyers.
• Premium prices for your products: Certified suppliers will enjoy premium prices for their products because the audits will be carried out more easily and economically.
• Risks of product rejections minimized: Regular hazard control will minimize risks of product rejections once the shipments reach the destination ports.
• Efficiency within: The process documentation, including HACCP plan, is bound to reduce losses and increase production.
• Reputation of being a global business player: As a certified spice exporter, you prove that you mean business internationally.
• Competitive edge over other exporters: Other spice exporters have not obtained their GFSI certifications yet.

Is FSSC 22000 Mandatory for Exporting Spices to Europe and the USA?

Although FSSC 22000 certification is not officially required for EU and US, it is necessary in practice if one wants to set up a legitimate business relationship with buyers in these markets.

The point is that big producers, retailers, and service providers in the EU and the USA require suppliers’ compliance with GFSI-certified requirements as food producers and distributors. Unless one holds FSSC 22000 export compliance, it would definitely lead to rejection in the tender process. There are many exporters who already start preparing themselves long before they receive an order; this serves at the same time as FSSC 22000 export certification preparation process.

There may be some small companies that do not apply this requirement, however, it does not make FSSC 22000 less important.

Key Takeaways

• Certification under FSSC 22000 is currently becoming more popular as the minimum requirement for spice suppliers seeking to export their produce to EU and US customers.
• EC No 178/2002 and FSMA/FSVP are EU and US requirements respectively, and they mirror the principles outlined in the FSSC 22000.
• FSSC 22000 certification for spice exporters will ensure that the factory audit by the buyer is avoided, thus improving the whole registration process.
• Hazard control, traceability, hygiene, supplier verification and HACCP compliance are some of the issues covered under FSSC 22000 certification, which is what the international buyer seeks.
• Although FSSC 22000 Export Compliance is not legally required, it is almost a prerequisite for order from major retailers and food processors in Europe and the US.