Certification of canned food

Canned foods are specially processed foodstuffs that are packaged to provide the longest shelf life.

Canned products, regardless of the ingredients in the composition, are subject to mandatory certification – assessment of compliance with the technical regulations of the Customs Union.

Testing before a product enters a new market is designed to confirm declared properties, quality and complete safety of the product.

Particularities of the procedure.

Confirmation of the conformity of the goods with the current standards and requirements takes place in the form of a declaration. Based on the results of the assessment activities, the IP receives a declaration for canned food – a mandatory document that gives the right to produce, import and sell canned food on the territory of the EAEU.

Depending on the raw materials used, canned foods are:

• meat (vegetable-meat);

• fish;

• seafood;

• dairy;

• vegetable;

• fruit and berry;

• fruity.

Researches concern organoleptic, physicochemical and other significant indicators. The final results of tests and examinations are reflected in protocols, on the basis of which a declaration of conformity is issued.

Certification of canned food is a procedure based on a number of TR CU related to:

• food safety (021/2011);

• rules for packaging and labeling of food products (022/2011);

• features of the use of food additives – flavors, preservatives, dyes, flavor enhancers (029/2012).

In addition to general regulations, when evaluating canned food from certain raw materials, the provisions of specialized technical regulations are taken into account:

• 034/2013 concerning the properties and safety of meat products;

• 023/2011 – juice products;

• 033/2013 – canned condensed milk, cream;

• 040/2016 – fish products.

The term for obtaining a certificate for canned food is 2-3 weeks after the provision of samples and a complete set of documents. The duration of the procedure depends on who is the initiator, as well as on the scheme of the upcoming check.

The applicant may be:

• manufacturer;

• provider;

• seller;

• importer acting on the basis of an authorized person’s agreement.

The period of validity of the declaration for canned food also depends on the verification scheme:

• for a separate batch of goods (2D, 4D) – coincides with expiration date of the product;

• for series (1D, 3D) — from 1 to 3 years;

• for serial production, subject to introduction of an effective HACCP management system (6D) at the enterprise – 5 years.

Canned foods intended for children or certain categories, for example, athletes, pregnant women, diabetics, are classified as special nutrition and are subject to mandatory state registration. SGR must also be issued for canned food that goes on sale for the first time.

Registration stages.

Certification of canned food takes place in several stages according to approved algorithm.

The verification procedure begins with preparation of registration and production documentation, which will be needed by experts in the evaluation process.

The following should comprise the set of documents:

• copies of certificates of registration (TIN, OGRN);

• copies of the charter and constituent documents, details of the applicant company;

• detailed description of products, recipe, ingredients, codes of foreign economic activity;

• regulatory and technical documentation on the basis of which the production process is organized (GOSTs, TU);

• label layout;

• previously issued permits;

• HACCP certificate (if necessary);

• lease agreement or ownership of production premises.

For imported products, it is necessary to provide information about the foreign manufacturer, contract specification, invoice, agreement of the authorized person.

Sequence of actions:

• submission of due application;

• product identification, selection of the appropriate scheme;

• provision of a set of mandatory documents;

• collection and transfer to experts of pilot samples for testing;

• filling in final protocols;

• registration of declaration based on the results obtained.

Information about the obtained permit document must be entered in the register of the FSA.