CONSULTANCY SERVICES

Industry Specific Standards

Good Manufacturing Practice (GMP)

Introduction

Good manufacturing practice (GMP) is a system for ensuring that food is not adulterated, is safe for human consumption and consistently produced and controlled in accordance to established quality and food safety standards. Moreover, GMP is designed to minimize risks in any food production that cannot be eliminated through testing of the final product.

GMP is comprehensive and covers all aspects of production: from materials, to premises, equipments, handling practices, processing, packaging, storage and delivery, even to the training and personal hygiene of staff.

The GMP to be implemented depends on which segment of the food chain that the organization operates. Some examples of equivalent terms used are: Good Agricultural Practice (GAP), Good Veterinarian Practice (GVP), Good Hygienic Practice (GHP), Good Production Practice (GPP), Good Distribution Practice (GDP) and Good Trading Practice (GTP).

GMP is an absolute essential as it provides the foundation for the development and implementation of successful Food Safety Management Systems (FSMS) as well as an assurance of food safety. The upshot is, GMP is a prerequisite for all who are committed to food safety and FSMS standards such as Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points (HACCP) and ISO22000.

Benefits of Implementation

Good Manufacturing Practice provides uncountable benefits - both tangible and intangible. A typical organization would enjoy the following:

• it demonstrates the organization’s commitment to produce safe food
• increases the confidence of consumers, the market and also stakeholders
• improves the organization’s food safety and food safety management system
• prepares the organization’s management system for the ISO22000 and/or HACCP certification
• helps in giving a good impression when the organization is subject to inspection by regulatory authorities and/or other stakeholders
• reduces operating costs of rework, customer rejects and complaints and increases efficiencies

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Why is GMP important?

Poor quality food is not only a health hazard, but is damaging to the reputation of the supplier and impacts upon the bottomline.

Can organizations afford to implement GMP?

Yes. It is more expensive to find and fix mistakes after they have been made, than to prevent them in the first place. As mentioned, GMP is designed to ensure that mistakes do not occur. Implementation of GMP provides the assurance of good quality and safe food and is an investment in improving the credibility and standing of the manufacturer in the eyes of the market and the community.