Meat and Poultry Certification, Inspections and Audits

QC Tailored for the Meat and Poultry Industry

When it comes to food safety, raw meat and poultry are among the highest-risk categories, as evidenced by frequent recalls and safety scandals that impact even major brands. To comply with the stricter safety requirements, protect consumer health and uphold their brand reputation, meat and poultry manufacturers must guarantee the safety of their products at every stage: from farms and processing facilities to distribution centers and stores.

QIMA quality control and compliance services help brands and retailers ensure that the meat and poultry products in their supply chain are manufactured to their standards, stored and shipped under proper conditions, and comply with the regulations of their destination market.

We offer product inspections, supplier audits and certification to a number of internationally recognized food safety schemes, helping you secure your supply chain globally. Our product expertise covers all categories of meat and poultry, including:

• Fresh, frozen, processed, cooked meats and poultry

• Carcasses, cuts, fillets, organ meats, sausages

• Beef, pork, lamb, veal

• Chicken, duck, turkey

• Game meat and birds

Meat and Poultry Inspection Expertise

QIMA offers a broad range of inspection services that provide you with accurate and reliable information about the quality and safety of your meat and poultry products. Our inspection protocols are prepared based on our extensive know-how, regulatory standards, and your in-house specifications. To ensure effective and objective sampling, we strictly follow the World Health Organization Food Code guidelines and sampling plans.

Solutions for Meat and Poultry Safety

• Freshness control using the Quality Index Method (QIM) and organoleptic checks (smell, look, texture)

• Grading (A, B or C) based on meat and poultry quality

• Process control with a glazed/deglazed test and drip loss test to prevent food fraud

• Standard size control to ensure uniform production in terms of size and weight

• Defectives check against international regulations, national standards, and your specifications

Meat and Poultry Audits

QIMA food supplier audits provide you with reliable information about the state of manufacturing and ethical compliance in your food supply chain. Our auditors will conduct an on-site check of your supplier’s facilities, including farms, ranches, slaughterhouses, cutting plants, game handling establishments, processing plants, and storage.

Hygiene audits (GHP) are designed to ensure that your food suppliers’ facilities abide to international regulations on hygiene.

Good Manufacturing Practice (GMP) audits help you achieve GMP compliance and secure safety in your meat and poultry supply chain.

Ethical audits investigate your suppliers for social compliance, including working conditions and worker rights, helping you eliminate any instances of labor abuse from your meat and poultry supply chain.

Certification for Meat and Poultry

QIMA, through our subsidiary QIMA/WQS, can audit your processes and systems against the requirements of applicable standards to achieve certification under the following schemes:

• HACCP (Hazard analysis and critical control points)

• GFSI approved schemes:

  • SQF

  • BRC Global Standards

  • IFS

  • PrimusGFS

  • GlobalG.A.P.

• Animal welfare certification

• Cage Free Certification

• Antibiotic Free Certification