Food Inspections

Food Inspections

In a world where food products often travel thousands of miles before reaching the consumer, safeguarding the quality and safety of your food is paramount at every stage. Professional food inspections give you an accurate picture of your product’s state before it is shipped, as well as upon arrival at the destination.

QIMA's food inspections allow you to spot inconsistencies in your production lots before they leave the farm or factory, helping you react timely and avoid costly rework, sorting or recalls. With detailed inspection reports delivered the same day and real-time data intelligence on your suppliers, you can make fast and informed decisions for your food supply chain.

Food Inspections Expertise

QIMA offers fast and reliable product inspection services in the following categories:

• Fresh Produce

• Processed Food

When your product is ready to be inspected, one of QIMA's professional inspectors will visit your supplier and check the quantity, packing, labeling, dimensions, weight, and visual characteristics of a randomly selected sample. In our inspections, we follow the guidelines of the World Health Organization Food Code and use the internationally recognized ANSI/ASQC Z1.4 (ISO 2859-1) statistical sampling procedure. This guarantees that we check a sample that properly represents your food production lot, and not a sample your supplier wants you to check.

Our product inspectors are highly experienced in their respective areas of specialization, which include Fresh Produce, Processed Foods, Seafood, Meat, and Poultry, and others. During inspections, they follow detailed inspection protocols prepared by our experts. QIMA's food inspection protocols merge your instructions and specifications with industry standards and our extensive know-how, ensuring a comprehensive check of your food products’ quality, safety, and compliance.

Food Inspections Process

1. Booking: using your online account or the QIMA mobile app, you can book your food inspection quickly and easily. Our user-friendly booking forms will guide you through the process, making sure you include all key specifications of your order, such as:

• Factory contact detail

• Product description

• Pictures

• Key tests to perform on-site

• Defects to look for

• Sampling method

You will receive a price quote for your food inspection immediately after placing the order.

2. Processing: our team will liaise with your supplier to confirm the date and place of the inspection, while our experts prepare a comprehensive food inspection protocol for our inspector to follow.

Change of plans? Not a problem: you can reschedule or cancel your order until 4 pm of the day before the inspection.

3. Inspection: on the day of the food inspection, a QIMA inspector will visit your supplier’s facility and carry out such standardized steps as:

• Random sampling (determined according to product type)

• Visual check

• Product-specific tests

• Defect sorting and counting

• Packing and labeling check

4. Report delivery: a detailed food inspection report with photographs will be sent to you on the same day, letting you make an informed decision regarding the shipment of your lot.

Why Perform a Food Inspection?

• To safeguard the quality and safety of your food product at every stage

• To identify any potential damage during transit

• To maintain consumer confidence and brand reputation

• To avoid safety recalls

• To comply with statutory regulations and standards of your destination market