THE IMPORTANCE OF FOOD SAFETY IN THE CORK SECTOR

Certification ensures competitiveness and is a key factor in a company's success. The cork industry is no exception.

If, on the one hand, for companies it acts as a stimulus for continuous improvement, for customers and consumers it is proof of trust in the product.

The Portuguese cork industry, in its various areas, has strived to achieve the highest quality standards, with special emphasis on the cork stopper industry, where the effort to diagnose flaws in processes and products and the investment in technology to eradicate these flaws has been a key factor.
immense. This investment has made it possible to level up the quality of cork stoppers throughout the sector.

Although cork stoppers are not directly a food product, they do come into direct contact with food products such as wine, liqueur and spirits, olive oil and honey, among others, and therefore their manufacture must meet high food safety standards that make them suitable for contact with food.

The standards in force require companies to adhere to the most advanced production techniques, as well as a broad and in-depth knowledge of materials and absolute respect for environmental, health and safety rules at work. The companies are audited annually by an external entity to ensure that all the requirements of the management system in place have been met.

The latest certification in the cork industry in the field of food safety has to do with the ISO 22000:2018 standard, which deals with the monitoring of HACCP (Hazard Analysis and Critical Points) by controlling quality and hygiene during the processing of food/products that will be in direct contact with food throughout the production chain (production, packaging, etc.).

The principles defined by HACCP are:

1st Conduct a Hazard Analysis;
2º Determine the Critical Control Points (CCP);
3º Establish the Critical Limits;
4º Establish a monitoring system for each CCP;
5º Establish Corrective Actions when a CCP is not under control;
6º Establish HACCP System Verification Procedures;
7º Establish a Documentary System of Procedures and Records.

ISO 22000:2018 offers guarantees regarding the implementation of a management system with the subscription of social and environmental responsibility commitments that strengthen the institutional image of companies with their clients.