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QS-Report:Fruit, Vegetables, Potatoes | issue September/2017 4
News in brief
2018 Revisions
The most important new features at a glance
Tasting promotions with the LandFrauen
In the past
few months
consumers in
participating REWE stores in Hesse have
been able to get a taste of one of our QS live
information initiative events. In addition to
information about the QS certification mark
and the “QS live” campaign, there were
some delicious sample dishes prepared
using QS products – freshly prepared by the
LandFrauen, at the Landesverband Hessen.
The strengthening of consumer confidence
in the fully quality-assured manufacturing
and marketing of QS products was at the
forefront of our campaigns. With matching
recipe cards for the dishes, there were
additional practical tips for visitors – for that
successful cooking experience at home.
The new face of quality assurance
There‘s a new face among the QS quality ambassadors: Georg-Wilhelm
Timm, a potato grower from Uelzen. The 40-year-old grows QS certified
potatoes on 150 hectares of land. As part of their daily work, the
ambassador together with all QS scheme participants provide for safe
food from farm to shop. They provide glimpses behind the scenes of their
day-to-day work as part of the series “Faces of Quality Assurance”. The
completeportraitofGeorg-WilhelmTimm, aswell
as all other ambassador portraits can be found
on our website under “QS-Qualitätsbotschafter”
(only available in German).
2017 Hygiene Audits: Focus on hygiene management ahead of
the harvest
Between May and August 2017, QS conducted unannounced random
sample audits at numerous production operations with a focus
on “operational hygiene management during harvesting”. In
the randomly selected farms which mainly grow asparagus or
strawberries, auditors checked whether hygiene requirements
were implemented correctly and hygiene
instructions were followed by staff during
harvesting. Two-thirds of the farms were
completely without any complaints, but
deviations were detected at a number of
producers. However, the deviations did
not result in a KO being issued at any of
the farms. The results show that hygiene is
being given high priority. They also show,
however, that we can lose sight of details
during the busy harvest period. There were
deficiencies found, for example, in the
equipment of toilets for crop workers and
regarding evidence that staff had received
hygiene training. In order to sure that the
implementation of hygiene requirements
is ensured at all times, it is recommended
that companies take all necessary steps
ahead of the harvest.
Two guidelines in the future: wholesale and logistics
For more transparency and clarity, the current guideline Wholesale/
Logistics is being split into two separate guidelines – one for
wholesale (incl. its own logistics) and one for purely logistics
companies. As of 1 January 2018, regularly commissioned logistics
companies, which assume transport contracts between QS scheme
participants of wholesale and/or preparation/processing, must be
approved in the QS database for the production scope of logistics,
if QS goods are being carried. Until now, approval was obligatory,
regardless of the transport of QS goods. The approval can still
be obtained using a QS logistics or an IFS logistics certificate.
Furthermore, the scope of the new Logistics Guideline is being
expanded. In addition to transport and handling warehousing,
long-term storage is added.
Online trading now included in the guideline Food Retail
The guideline Food Retail Fruit, Vegetables, Potatoes is expanded to
include a chapter on online trading – thus offering the traders quality
assurance on the basis of participation in the QS scheme. With the
continuing spread of online trade in fresh food, the need for uniform
and high requirements regarding quality assurance thereof increases.
Guidelines QS-GAP and QS Production amended according to the Fertiliser Ordinance
The amended Fertiliser Ordinance (Düngeverordnung) entered into force on 2 June
2017. The chapter on “Fertilisation” in the guidelines QS GAP and Production Fruit,
Vegetables, Potatoes have been amended in accordance with the new regulation.
The upper limits for different classes of substances and other content have all been
amended in line with the revised fertiliser regulation. The supporting documents – to
assist in the implementation of the new fertiliser regulation – are also being adapted
to correspond with its new content.
Detailed information on all changes contained in the 2018 revision can be
found in the Revision Information under Documents at
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QSQualität und Sicherheit GmbH
Responsible for the content:
Dr. Hermann-Josef Nienhoff
Schedestraße 1 - 3, 53113 Bonn
Phone:+49 (0) 228 35068-0
Fax:+49 (0) 228 35068-10
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