Indian Bakeries adopting BRC ( British Retail Consortium ) food safety standards

The two Indian bakeries which have implemented BRC standards for food safety are
Ravi foods.
Unibic Biscuits P Ltd.

What is BRC ?
The BRC (British Retail Consortium) Global Standard for Food Safety was created to ensure supplier compliance and secure retailers’ ability to guarantee the quality and safety of the food products they sell. Today it is used worldwide as a framework for any business (retailers and processors) to assist the production of safe food and the selection of reliable suppliers.

Developed by the British Retail Consortium (BRC), a UK trade organization that represents the interests of UK retailers, the BRC Global Standard - Food was created to establish a standard for due diligence and supplier approval.
The standard has been adopted by food manufacturers throughout the world, especially by those organizations supplying British retailers. Third-party certification to the standard helps manufacturers, brand owners and retailers fulfil their legal obligations and safeguard consumers. The standard covers a comprehensive scope of product safety areas, as well as the legal and due diligence responsibilities of both the supplier and the retailer.

Who is it relevant to?
It is particularly suitable for companies supplying food products to UK retailers, regardless of the product or country of origin. In most cases certification to this standard is a pre-condition for supplying to UK retailers
Requirements
The principal requirements of the standard are the adoption and implementation of a HACCP system, a documented and effective quality management system and a control of factory environmental standards, products, processes and personnel.

It is one among many certifications which are applicable to food Industry .

Allergen in bakery products

An allergen is a substance that can cause an allergic reaction. Allergens are substances that, in some people, the immune system recognizes as "foreign" or "dangerous" but cause no response for most people.



Food allergies are not as common as food sensitivity, but some foods such as peanuts (really a legume), nuts, seafood and shellfish are the cause of serious allergies in many people. Officially, the Food and Drug Administration,USA does recognize 8 foods as being common for allergic reactions in a large segment of the sensitive population, which includes, peanuts, tree nuts, eggs, milk, shellfish, fish, wheat and their derivatives, soy and their derivatives, and sulphites (chemical based, often found in flavors and colors in foods) at 10ppm and over. It should be noted that other countries, due to differences in genetic profiles of its citizens and different levels of exposure to different foods, the "official" allergen list will change.

Gluten -gluten free product are due to some people having allergy to gluten s.Gluten free bread and cookies are now availbale in market

Its mandatory to put allergen warning on packs . You would see allergen label on packed bakery product like " this product has nuts and milk traces"