Non-GMO products have no laboratory and artificial modification in their genes that are explained in What is GMO and Non-GMO product? However, if you claim that your product is non-GMO, you should have its certification to prove your claim. Non-GMO certification standard covers from the seeds through the growing process and harvest, transportation, collection, storing, and processing to the market channel. In addition, certification includes the verification of legal requirements relating to the labeling and traceability. The organization should be certified with ISO 17025 for the specific activity of genetically engineered material testing before non-GMO laboratory tests. The European regulations for non-GMO are Directive 2001/18/EC and regulations 1829/2003 and 1830/2003.
The standards concern all processes and services in the supply chain such as seed supply, farming, trading, processing, storage, transport, sampling, and analysis.
Products certified under this standard are verified to have been formulated to minimize the risk of the genetically engineered organisms during the production or manufacturing process all over the supply chain. This standard is the synthesis of a combination of risk assessment and corresponding quality management systems including analytical testing at key points across the production chain and strict control of processes to assure identity preservation of all allowed products.
Foodlord Company considers all the requirements in the food supply chain from seed to the final product to provide the best-quality dried fruits and nuts which are non-GMO.
Why Non-GMO standard?
Non-GMO is one of the voluntary standards which can improve the creditability of the issued organization and increases the added value. Therefore the products can get a higher position in the international market. In addition, this standard can assure heath care and safety due to not having genetically modified organisms with any hazardous impact on the body.
Benefits of Non-GMO standard
- Having higher access to the global market by the increased opportunities for their market difference.
- Satisfying the consumers’ demands to assure them of consuming non-GMO products.
- Meeting the retailers’ demands to compete in the market
- Accessing the global non-GMO market
- Comprehensive risk management
- Compliance with emerging retail, industry, and government requirements
- Increased consumer confidence and loyalty
- Independent creditability for non-GMO claims.
- Compliance with various domestic and international GMO labeling regulations.
Certification process
- Conducting self-assessments against the standards
- Determining role, responsibility, authorities, leader, identify, and assemble the main team members
- Management system documentation including an organizational chart, process flow diagrams of the non-GMO, floor plan, risk assessment plan to identify GMO risks, inputs, and final products list, sampling, and testing plan
- Awareness training to the assembled team
- Training the internal auditors for the internal audits
- Management review meeting
- Mandatory laboratory testing for non-GMO approval
- Application to certification body (CB)
- Pre-audit (external audit) by CB for readiness
- Final certification audit
- Submitting the non-conformance to CB
- Issuing certificate by CB
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