IFS Food: What It Is, Requirements, and How to Get Certified

IFS Food: What It Is, Requirements, and How to Get Certified

The IFS Food certification has become one of the most demanding and widely recognized standards in the European food industry. If you're a quality manager at a company that manufactures or handles food, you've probably already heard of it — or you may even be in the process of getting certified. This guide walks you through everything you need to know, clearly and practically: what it is, who it applies to, what it requires, and how to prepare successfully for the audit.

What Is IFS Food Certification and Who Needs It

IFS Food (International Featured Standards Food) is a food safety standard originally developed by German and French retailers to audit their private-label suppliers under a single, unified criterion. Today it's recognized worldwide and is especially relevant for companies that supply major European retail chains.

The certification applies to any food business that processes food or where there's a risk of product contamination during handling. That includes manufacturers, packers, distributors with processing activity, and industrial catering companies, among others. If your company supplies leading European retailers, they'll very likely require this certification as a condition of entry into their supply chain.

Since its launch, IFS Food (IFS, n.d.) has evolved through to version 8, published in 2023, which takes a more robust approach to sustainability, allergen management, and food safety culture. Understanding the current version thoroughly is the first step for any quality manager who wants to approach the process with confidence.

Requirements and Structure of the IFS Food Standard

The IFS Food standard is organized into six main chapters covering every critical aspect of quality and food safety management in an organization:

1. Senior management commitment. Top management must show a genuine commitment to food safety, set a clear policy, and ensure the resources needed for the management system.

2. Food safety and quality management system. Covers the implementation of a documented, functioning HACCP (Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points) system, along with prerequisite programs (PRPs). This is one of the most heavily assessed sections during the audit.

3. Resource management. Covers staff qualifications and training, personal hygiene, facilities, and equipment. The company must show that its people are prepared to guarantee food safety.

4. Operational processes. The longest chapter, covering raw material and supplier management, product development, production planning, traceability, packaging, and allergen management, among others. This is where most day-to-day requirements are concentrated.

5. Measurements, analysis and improvements. Covers internal audits, product testing, complaint management, alert and recall systems, and continuous improvement.

6. Food defense and food authenticity planning and management. Strengthened in the latest version, this chapter requires companies to assess and mitigate the risks of intentional adulteration and food fraud.

IFS's scoring system rates each requirement on a compliance scale (A, B, C, D) and sets "knock-out" (KO) categories for requirements whose failure results in immediate denial of certification. Knowing these KOs is essential for prioritizing your efforts during preparation.

How to Prepare for the IFS Food Audit

Passing an IFS audit with a high score takes planning, well-organized documentation and, above all, real evidence that the system works. Here are the key steps to prepare successfully:

Run a preliminary internal audit. Before the official audit, it's essential to assess compliance with every requirement with the same rigor an external auditor would apply. Any deviations found should be managed with documented corrective actions. For more on how to structure this process, see our guide to ISO 9001 audits — many of the same principles apply here.

Get your documentation in order. The IFS standard requires that all procedures, records, and evidence be up to date, accessible, and reflect what actually happens on the ground. An outdated or inconsistent documentation system is one of the leading causes of lost points.

Train and raise awareness across your team. The auditor doesn't just review documents — they also interview plant staff and observe practices on the floor. Food safety culture, one of the areas reinforced in version 8, is assessed precisely through these interactions.

Manage allergens and traceability correctly. These two areas tend to generate the most frequent non-conformities. Make sure procedures are in place, known by staff, and systematically recorded.

Choose an accredited certification body. Only certification companies recognized by IFS can issue the official certificate. Check the official register on the IFS Certification website (IFS, n.d.) to select a body suited to your sector and company size.

If you'd like to learn more about the different food quality certification standards and how they relate to one another, we recommend visiting our section on quality standards.

How Solved Gathers Evidence and Records for IFS

One of the biggest challenges quality managers face when preparing for an IFS audit isn't knowing what to do — it's proving, in an organized and traceable way, that it's actually being done. This is where quality software like Solved makes the difference.

With Solved, every control record — from HACCP verifications to product testing, issues, non-conformities, and training records — is centralized on a single digital platform. That removes the dependence on scattered spreadsheets, paper folders, or emails, and ensures information is available in real time to any authorized team member.

During an IFS audit, the auditor will ask for evidence covering multiple requirements at once, with little time to respond. Solved lets you filter and export records by date, process, or control type in seconds, which drastically cuts response time and projects the kind of organization and control that has a positive impact on the final score.

Solved's non-conformity and corrective action module also makes it easy to demonstrate the continuous-improvement cycle IFS requires, ensuring every deviation is documented, assigned to an owner, and resolved within the set deadlines.

Ultimately, preparing for and maintaining IFS Food certification is an ongoing process that requires operational discipline and the right tools. Combine solid internal planning with the support of a digital solution like Solved, and turning the audit into an opportunity for improvement — rather than a source of stress — is well within your team's reach.

References

• International Featured Standards. (n.d.). IFS Certification. https://www.ifs-certification.com/