IFS Management GmbH(www.ifs-certification.com), owner of the GFSI benchmarked IFS Food standard, IFS Logistics and other food supply chain standards, andThe Packaging Association of Canada (PAC;www.pac.ca) have joined together to bring the world’s foremost packaging standard for primary and secondary packaging to the food industry.

PACsecure will now becomeIFS PACsecure and will be submitted for GFSI benchmarking and available around the world to ensure the safety and quality of packaging materials for the food industry.

“We are very happy to join with the Packaging Association of Canada to bring the PACsecure packaging standard to the global food industry as a new member of the IFS family of standards,” says Stephan Tromp, IFS Managing Director. “IFS brings standards to the food industry that are developed and steered by the industry for which they are applicable. In this case, the PACsecure standard was developed by some of the world’s largest packaging and food companies to bring food-safe, quality packaging materials to the food supply chain.”

IFS PACsecure was created by PAC to provide packaging manufacturers the ability to certify primary and secondary packaging materials for the food industry. Developed by a technical working group made up of some of North America’s largest global packaging and food manufacturers, the standard will be managed by a joint effort of the PAC through their technical expertise and know-how in the packaging industry, and IFS and its global network of food safety and quality standards infrastructure.

Jim Downham, CEO of The Association says, “We firmly believe that PACsecure is the world’s foremost standard for primary and secondary packaging designed for the food supply chain. Since a large proportion of the international food industry will only accept packaging that is recognized by the Paris, France-based Global Food Safety Initiative (GFSI), partnering with IFS makes the most sense for global implementation.”

The IFS PACsecure standard will offer all of the benefits IFS certification provides its more than 12,000 certified IFS Food, IFS Logistics, IFS Broker, and IFS Cash & Carry users, as well as the expert industry knowledge and technical strength of the PAC membership – packaging and food manufacturers.