If you are a preparation and/or processing company or a trading company with preparation/processing and would like to participate in the QS scheme, you can register in the QS database. There you can select an approved certification body to carry out the audit at your company. After a successful audit, the certification body enters the result in the QS database. You will then receive the QS scheme agreement to sign. After conclusion of the contract you are eligible to trade QS goods.
If, as a QS-GAP certified grower, you produce soup greens or carry out peeling processes and wish to market these processed, possibly packaged products as QS goods, please contact your coordinator.
You can find the documents for your participation in the QS scheme here.
Relevant documents
FAQs
- Via the public scheme participant search: Here, the current status of the QS eligibility of delivery can be checked without logging into the QS database.
- Via the suppliers and recipient list: By using the lists of favorites (login to the QS database required!), you will automatically be informed by e-mail in the event of changes in the status of the QS eligibility of delivery of a deposited producer/supplier/consumer. A detailed instruction about this can be found here
The individual steps for participation in the QS system are explained in detail in the manual Steps to become a scheme participant - preparation/processing. You can find further relevant information under Preparation/Processing.
Since January 2020, QS goods in the QS supply chain fruit, vegetables and potatoes must be labelled with an identification number of the producer deposited in the QS database. In certain cases, an identification number of the packing location deposited in the QS database can be used instead of the producer number.
The labelling can be done either directly on the label of the goods (or box label) or in the delivery notes/accompanying documents.
The following figure clearly shows the requirement (Please click on the picture to enlarge).
The QS database provides the data management in the QS scheme. Via a web-based application, the database is the interface for scheme participants, coordinators, certification bodies, auditors and laboratories. Here, you can find your company's information (at location and scheme participant level), audit information as well as data from the residue monitoring samples. Furthermore, you can use the QS database to check the eligibility of delivery of suppliers and recipients.
You will receive individual access data for the partner area. In this closed area, printable files of the QS certification mark are available for you to download.
The following processes fall within the scope of the Guideline Preparation/Processing Fruit, Vegetables, Potatoes:
- Shredding
- Peeling
- Grating
- Slicing
- Pureeing
- Straining
- Freezing
- Heeting (boiling, cooking, blanching, pasteurisation, sterilisation, frying, grilling, roasting, stewing)
- Canning production
- Sprout production