Food products certification requirements for exporters set

Filipino exporters are advised to comply with certification requirements for their food products to obtain access to a wider consumer base in the United Arab Emirates and other countries in the Middle East.

“It’s not only halal industry but there are also other certifications and product certifications that you could go for. And there are a lot of opportunities in which you can be one of the exporters here in the Middle East,” Dr. Mary Jane Alvero-Al Mahdi, chief executive officer of Prime Group of Companies, said during the Usapang Exports organized by the Department of Trade and Industry-Export Marketing Bureau.   

Alvero-Al Mahdi said the Good Manufacturing Practice (GMP) certification aims to create a system to eliminate the risk of product failure at the final stage.  

Its scope covers all aspects of production starting from material procurement, manufacturing line, equipment used, employee training and workplace safety, she said. 

“So this is a basic requirement of (the) food safety management system or it is one of the prerequisite programs of ISO 22000 which is the food safety management system,” she added.

Alvero-Al Mahdi said the Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points (HACCP) certification program helps food and beverage (F&B) businesses develop and implement a reliable, cost-effective food safety management system.

“This certification is very good for food catering, they are for restaurants, whether it is a cafeteria or it is a big restaurant and then also for distribution,” she said.

Alvero-Al Mahdi said the HACCP is a management tool used to protect the food supply against biological, chemical and physical hazards.

“The UAE, they always require you to have (a) HACCP certificate or along with the halal certificate so it depends on the product that you are going to export. So for HACCP certification, this is also related to maintenance of hygiene or the hygiene system in your facility,” she said.

“It’s also a basic requirement for your food safety management systems (FSMS) or the FSSC (22000 certification),” she added.