News Update07 Sep 2020GFSI
New GFSI Japan Local Group Chair Kotani and New Vice-Chair Ishikawa Talk About Their Aspirations In January, Masanori Kotani (Amazon Japan G.K.) assumed office as the Chair of the GFSI Japan Local Group, with Atsushi Ishikawa (Harada Tea Processing Co., Ltd.) assuming office as the Vice-Chair. This interview was postponed due to COVID-19 crisis, and was conducted in June for the two to speak on future policies and activities […]
Press Release06 Jan 2022Benchmarking
Japan GAP Foundation Gains GFSI Recognition for ASIAGAP Programme PARIS and Tokyo, 6 January 2022 – The Global Food Safety Initative (GFSI), The Consumer Goods Forum’s Coalition of Action on food safety, and the Japan GAP Foundation (JGF) are pleased to announce that ASIAGAP version 2.3 has successfully achieved recognition against GFSI’s Benchmarking Requirements Version 2020.1. The recognition encompasses the control points and compliance […]
News Update18 Jun 2025Certification
Japan Gap Foundation Withdraws from GFSI Recognition Japan GAP Foundation has decided to discontinue the ASIAGAP Scheme and to withdraw from the GFSI recognition process. Timeline ASIAGAP’s recognition by GFSI will therefore cease as of 27 June 2025. Impact on Currently Certified Sites: Any site holding a certificate issued following an audit undertaken against the following standards recognised before the withdrawal on […]
Press Release14 Sep 2021Consultation
GFSI Opens New Stakeholder Consultation for The Japan GAP Foundation GFSI is opening a new stakeholder consultation, one of the final stages in the benchmarking process against the GFSI Benchmarking Requirements Version 2020.1. for the Japan GAP Foundation’s ASIAGAP certification programme version 2.3. ASIAGAP is one of the certification programmes that achieved GFSI recognition more recently, we’re very pleased to support the Japan GAP Foundation […]
News Update31 Jan 2020Certification
GLOBALG.A.P Certification at Closed Plant Factories in Japan GFSI Japan Local Group Communication WG (GFSI): We spoke with Takao Akita, Executive Officer of Vitec Vegetable Factory Co., Ltd., one of the largest plant factory operators in Japan, which obtained GLOBALG.A.P. for all 5 factories in Japan. Vitec Vegetable Factory Co., Ltd. (VVF): Our parent company is Restar Holdings Corporation (HQ: Shinagawa-ku, Tokyo) which […]
Blog08 Jun 2020GFSI
What is Food Safety Culture? In February 2020, Version 2020 of the GFSI Benchmarking Requirements was announced at the GFSI Conference in Seattle. Version 2020 includes a new element: food safety culture. GFSI Japan’s Communications Working Group spoke to Ayako Okada of BSI (British Standards Institution) Group Japan K.K., who is familiar with trends in international certification. Ayako Okada: […]
News Update24 Jan 2020Certification
“We Aim to Foster an Unwavering Food Safety Culture”: How House Foods America Leverages GFSI to Ensure Continuous Improvement House Foods America is a tofu manufacturer that has achieved GFSI-recognised certification with SQF. Recently, members of GFSI’s Japan Local Group conducted an interview with House Foods America representative Rina Yamada to discuss the company’s journey to GFSI-recognised certification and how they “aim to foster an unwavering food safety culture by allowing each […]
Press Release15 Dec 2021Benchmarking
JFSM Gains GFSI Recognition Against Version 2020 PARIS and Tokyo, 15th December 2021 – The Global Food Safety Initiative (GFSI), The Consumer Goods Forum’s Coalition of Action on food safety, and the Japan Food Safety Management Association (JFSM), are pleased to announce that JFS-C Standard Version 3.0 has successfully achieved recognition against the GFSI Benchmarking Requirements Version 2020. Tetsuro Ohba P.h.D, President of […]
News Update28 Oct 2021Benchmarking
New Stakeholder Consultation: Japan Food Safety Management Association UPDATE: 22nd November 2021: Please note that this Consultation is now closed. GFSI is opening a new stakeholder consultation, one of the final stages in the benchmarking process against the GFSI Benchmarking Requirements Version 2020.1 for the Japan Food Safety Management Association’s JFS-C version 3. JFS-C is one of the certification programmes that achieved GFSI […]
Press Release24 Oct 2022Benchmarking
USDA AMS Harmonised GAP Plus+, V3.0 Achieves Technical Equivalence Paris and Washington, DC, 24 October 2022 – The Global Food Safety Initiative (GFSI), The Consumer Goods Forum’s Coalition of Action on food safety, and United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS), are pleased to announce that USDA Harmonised GAP Plus+, Version 3.0 standard (published 8 February 2021) has successfully achieved Technical […]
News Update16 Feb 2024
GFSI Opens New Stakeholder Consultation for USDA AMS Update 18 March 2024: Please note that this consultation is now closed. GFSI is opening a new stakeholder consultation today for the Technical Equivalence Programme, USDA AMS Harmonized GAP Plus+ version 4.0, issued on 1st July 2022. The deadline for consultation responses is 16th March 2024. The Technical Equivalence programme is destined to benchmark […]
Blog19 Mar 2020GFSI
GFSI 2020 Discovery Tour in Seattle – Recap Seattle is a city where many global mega corporations started their businesses. For this year’s GFSI Conference, a Discovery Tour was planned and held in Seattle, in partnership with three famous companies. I am here to recap the Discovery Tour, which took place the day before the Conference and included visits to Costco, Amazon and […]
News Update22 Feb 2022Benchmarking
GFSI Opens Stakeholder Consultation for USDA AMS UPDATE: 23rd March 2022: Please note that this Consultation is now closed. GFSI is opening a new stakeholder consultation for the USDA AMS Harmonized GAP Plus+ version 3.0, issued on 8th February 2021. The stakeholder consultation is one of the critical steps in the assessment process against the GFSI Technical Equivalence Requirements Version 2020. The […]
Blog07 Jun 2025
Science in Action Within GFSI’s Benchmarking and Harmonisation Working Group On the occasion of World Food Safety Day 2025, dive into the essential decision-making process behind GFSI’s Benchmarking Requirements. Here, the Co-Chairs of the GFSI Benchmarking and Harmonisation Working Group, Leda Touliatou, Head of Quality and Food Safety at Nestlé Purina PetCare Europe and Andrew Clarke, Senior Director Quality Assurance at Loblaw Companies Limited, discuss […]
News Update08 Mar 2022Consultation
GFSI Opens Stakeholder Consultation for Canadian Grain Commission Update 5th April 2022: this consultation is now closed. GFSI is opening a new stakeholder consultation for the Canadian Grain Commission Food Safety Identity Preserved Quality Management Standard (CGC FSIP-STAN) 1.1.0 issued on 23 September 2021. The stakeholder consultation is one of the critical steps in the assessment process against the GFSI Technical Equivalence Requirements […]
News Update13 Aug 2020GFSI
One Standard for the Food Industry? | Ask GFSI GFSI has recently received some questions around the opportunity to converge towards a unique standard for food safety. In today’s post, we respond to these questions and explain the GFSI position on this topic. For those who know GFSI well, you know that we provide a framework for harmonising food safety Certification Programmes, while leaving […]
Standard: BRCGS Global Standard for Food Safety issue 9 with audit programmes: Announced, Blended Announced, Unannounced – voluntary, Unannounced – mandatory 1 in 3 years
Scopes: BIII – Pre-process Handling of Plant Products C0 – Animal Conversion
CI – Processing of Perishable Animal Products
CII – Processing of Perishable Plant Products
CIII – Processing of Perishable Animal and Plant Products (Mixed Products)
CIV – Processing of Ambient Stable Animal and Plant Products
D – Production of Feed
K – Production of (Bio) Chemicals (Additives, Vitamins, Minerals, Bio-Cultures, Flavourings, Enzymes and Processing Aids)
Standard: Global Standard for Packaging Materials issue 6 only with audit programme announced, unannounced, blended announced Scope:
I – Production of Food Packaging
Standard: Global Standard for Agents & Brokers issue 3 Scope:
FII – Food Broker / Agent
Standard: Global Standard for Storage and Distribution issue 4 only with audit programme announced, unannounced (option 1 and 2), blended announced Scope:
G – Provision of Storage and Distribution Services
CanadaGAP Food Safety Manuals v10.0 – audit options B Group Certification, C Annual Audit and D Repacking and Wholesaling Operations Scopes: BI – Farming of plants (other than grains and pulses)
BIII Pre-Process Handling of Plant Products
Standard: Freshcare Food Safety & Quality Standard – Edition 4.2 Scopes: BI – Farming of Plants (other than grains and pulses) BIII Pre Processing Handling of Plant Products
Standard: Freshcare Supply Chain Edition 2 Scopes: BIII Pre-process Handling of plant products
FI Retail / Wholesale
FII Food Broker / Agent
G Provision of Storage and Distribution Services
Standard: FSSC 22000 version 6 Scopes: BIII – Pre-process Handling of plant products CO – Animal Primary Conversion CI – Processing of Perishable Animal Products CII – Processing of Perishable Plant Products CIII – Processing of Perishable Animal and Plant Products (Mixed Products) CIV – Processing of Ambient Stable Animal and Plant Products (Mixed Products)
D – Production of Feed
G – Provision of Storage and Distribution Services
I – Production of Food Packaging K – Production of (Bio) Chemicals and Bio-cultures Used as Food Ingredients or Processing Aids in Food Production
Standard: Harmonized Produce Safety Standard (HPSS) Version 1.2 Scopes:
BI – Farming of Plants (other than grains and pulses)
BIII – Pre-process Handling of Plant Products
Standard: Integrated Farm Assurance GFS – Principles and Criteria for Aquaculture – Finfish, Crustaceans, Molluscs, Seaweed – version 6.0 Scope:
AII – Farming of fish and seafood
Standard: Integrated Farm Assurance GFS Plants – Principles and Criteria for Fruit and Vegetables – version 6.0 Scopes:
BI – Farming of Plants (other than grains and pulses)
BIII – Pre-process Handling of Plant Products
Standard: Produce Handling Assurance (PHA) Standard Version 1.2 Scopes:
BI – Farming of Plants (other than grains and pulses)
BIII – Pre-process Handling of Plant Products
Standard: IFS Food v 8 Scopes:
BIII – Pre-process Handling of Plant Products
CO – Animal Primary Conversion
CI – Processing of Perishable Animal Products
CII – Processing of Perishable Plant Products
CIII – Processing of Perishable Animal and Plant Products (Mixed Products)
CIV – Processing of Ambient Stable Animal and Plant Products (Mixed Products) K- Production of (Bio) Chemicals and Bio-Cultures Used as Food Ingredients or Processing Aids in Food Production
Standard: JFS-C Standard Version 3.1 Scopes:
CI – Processing of Perishable Animal Products
CII – Processing of Perishable Plant Products
CIII – Processing of Perishable Animal and Plant Products (Mixed Products) CIV – Processing of Ambient Stable Animal and Plant Products (Mixed Products)
Standard: PrimusGFS version 3.2 Scopes: BI – Farming of Plants
BII – Farming of Grains and Pulses
BIII – Pre-Process Handling of Plant Product
CII – Processing of Perishable Plant Products
CIII – Processing of Perishable Animal and Plant Products (Mixed Products)
CIV – Processing of Ambient Stable Animal and Plant Products (Mixed Products)
G – Provision of Storage and Distribution Services
Standard: SQF food safety codes edition 9 (level 2) Scopes: AI – Farming of Animals for Meat/ Milk / Eggs / Honey
BI – Farming of Plants (Other Than Grains and Pulses)
BIII – Pre-process Handling of Plant Products
CO – Animal Primary Conversion
CI – Processing of Perishable Animal Products
CII – Processing of perishable plant productsI Production of Food Packaging
CIII – Processing of Perishable Animal and Plant Products (Mixed Products)
CIV – Processing of Ambient Stable Animal and Plant Products (Mixed Products)
D – Production of Feed
G – Provision of Storage and Distribution Services
K – Production of (Bio) Chemicals and Bio-Cultures Used as Food Ingredients or Processing Aids in Food Production
GLOBALG.A.P.
Standard: Integrated Farm Assurance Aquaculture Standard version 5.3-GFS Scope:
AII – Farming of Fish
Standard: PrimusGFS Standard Version 3 Scopes:
EIII – Processing of Animal and Plant Perishable Products (Mixed Products)
EIV – Processing of Ambient Stable Products