1. Introduction

This standard is a stand-alone document which includes requirements for safe production and trade of pet food. It was developed in 2003 at the request of the pet food sector with the objective of ensuring the safety and soundness of products intended as feed for pet animals.

The European Commission has approved a European Guide for the production of pet foods within the framework of the Feed Hygiene Regulation. This is the FEDIAF Guide to Good Practice for the Manufacture of Safe Pet Foods*. The pet food sector found it desirable that the TS 3.2 document should be as close as possible to this approved guide. The FEDIAF Guide has therefore been included in its totality as a certifiable standard in the GMP+ FSA module.

Although the FEDIAF Guide is intended to be applied by producers and traders of pet food, it can also be applied by producers and traders of pet food raw materials and semi-manufactured products for pet food. When reading or implementing the requirements you should replace terms such as ‘pet food’ or ‘producer’ with terms which apply to your specific situation.

1.1. Scope and Application of this document

This document contains the conditions and requirements for the feed safety assurance of production of or trade in feed materials and/or feed for pet animals, where pet animals are:

1. Any non food-producing animals belonging to species fed, bred or kept, but not normally used for human consumption in the Community, and/or
2. Any food producing animals, not kept professionally to obtain products for human consumption and/or human usage

The requirements of this document apply to organisations, irrespective of their type or size, which carry out activities covered within the scope of this standard. It is not important whether a company carries out these activities on its own account or as a (sub) contractor (‘service provider’).

This document describes as accurately as possible the requirements with respect to the various risks -- and the associated control measures -- for activities or feed which are covered by the scope of this standard. A GMP+ certified company may make these control measures part of a prerequisites programme or may implement them as specific measures for controlling a particular Critical Control Point.

If a pet food producer is already certified for production of feed for food-producing animals, that certification is sufficient for the production of both types of feed. All of the relevant requirements must be met. Additional certification under TS 3.2 Production and Trade of Pet foods is not needed.

If a GMP+ certified company carries out activities with feed which are outside the scope of this document, then it may be necessary to apply another GMP+ FSA document instead of, or in addition to, this standard. See for exact details F 0.3 Scopes for certification.

The FSMS must ensure that the safety of the feed products and services, covered under GMP+ certification, is not negatively affected by (feed and non-feed related) activities, processes, products or services which are not covered under the scope of GMP+ certification. Control measures, based on a HACCP analyses, must be implemented and monitored to ensure this.

1.2. The structure of this document

This standard is structured in a specific way. After the more general chapter 1 this document includes the “FEDIAF Guide to Good Practice for the Manufacture of Safe Pet Foods” in its totality.

When this document makes such a reference, the GMP+ certified company must ensure that the requirements from that document are met. These documents can be consulted on the GMP+ International website (www.gmpplus.org).

1.3. Additional GMP+ requirements

1.3.1. Exclusion of requirements

Possibilities for exclusions from scope of the Feed Safety Management System:

1. The GMP+ certified company may purchase feed from a supplier who is not GMP+ certified, as long as the GMP+ certified company guarantees that the feed complies with the GMP+ requirements. Feed purchased under this "gatekeeper principle" may only be sold as GMP+ feed when it is intended for use as pet food.
2. If the GMP+ certified company purchases or produces feed materials which are only processed in pet food, it is not necessary to include a generic risk assessment of those feed materials in the Feed Support Products.
3. If the GMP+ certified company makes use of an external storage or external carrier for the storage and transport of pet food, this external storage or carrier does not have to be GMP+ certified or equivalent. Risk assessments must consider any potential hazards and ensure that controls effectively preclude any serious risk of contamination of pet food.

It is possible that certain other requirements do not apply to a GMP+ certified company. A certified company may therefore exclude these requirements. Exclusions must, however, be justified and recorded. The exclusions may not, in any event, lead to the certified company supplying feed or offering services which do not comply with feed safety as defined in the GMP+ FSA module.

Requirements may not be excluded because the certified company does not consider them to be relevant. For example, because customers do not ask for them, or because compliance with these requirements is not a legal obligation; or because the certified company considers itself too small.

1.3.2. EWS

In addition to § 1.2.5 of “FEDIAF Guide to Good Practice for the Manufacture of Safe Pet Foods” the following applies:

1. The certified company must notify GMP+ International and the Certification Body within 12 hours of detection or confirmation that products are unsafe. Products must be considered as unsafe if;

1. the feed safety limit(s) of undesirable substances in feed are exceeded, as mentioned in legislation or/and TS 1.5 Specific feed safety limits,
2. the certified company has determined that the nonconformity or irregularity related to feed safety aspects are not controlled and can have consequences for other companies, even if there is no legislation and/or under TS 1.5 Specific feed safety limits.

2. GMP+ International must be notified via the EWS notification form which is available on the GMP+ International website.
3. The certified company must establish and maintain documented information for notifying GMP+ International, the Certification Body and other relevant interested parties.

Note: Interested parties can, for example, be statutory and regulatory authorities, customers and/or suppliers. If the certified company assesses the situation as being under control, the 12-hour notification deadline may be extended.

2. FEDIAF Guide to Good Practice for the Manufacture of Safe Pet Foods

See FEDIAF GUIDE TO GOOD PRACTICE FOR MANUFACTURE OF SAFE PET FOODS

Feed Support Products

That was a lot of information to digest and one might ask, what is the next step? Luckily we can offer support for the GMP+ Community when doing this. We provide support by means of various tools and guidances but as each company has a shared responsibility to feed safety, and therefor tailor-made solutions cannot be offered. However, we do help by explaining requirements and provide background information about the requirements.

We have developed various supporting materials for the GMP+ Community. These include various tools, ranging from Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) lists to webinars and events.

Supporting materials related to this document (Guidelines and FAQ’s)

We have made documents available which give guidance to the GMP+ requirements as laid down in the module GMP+ FSA and GMP+ FRA. These documents give examples, answers to frequently asked questions or background information.