Packaging company achieves rare food safety standards

MISSISSAUGA, ON, Aug. 7, 2012 /CNW/ - A food packaging manufacturer has become the first Canadian company to earn two coveted food safety designations.

Chantler Packaging Inc., an 82-year-old plastic packaging maker based in Mississauga, was certified to the ISO 22000 / PAS 223 food safety standards in July 2012.

ISO 22000 is the basic design a food safety system: What the programme should do, how it should be reviewed by management, and how it can be continuously improved. PAS 223 is the prerequisite programme, the nuts and bolts of how to guard against food safety risks and prevent problems in a food packaging plant: Cleaning schedules, employee health and hygiene, and building security. Together, the two standards form a very stringent system for food safety in packaging manufacturing.

"Our customers are global food brands and Canadian food processors," said Grant Ferguson, Chantler's director of sales. "As our customers further improved their food safety programmes, we could see their attention was turning to the next step in the chain, which is the packaging they use."

In response to this customer interest, Chantler began to look at the systems the packaging industry was using. Ultimately, it settled on ISO 22000 / PAS 223 because of the stringency of the system, its growing international recognition, and the system's compatibility with food safety systems used by Chantler's customers.

Visiting the factory, which makes printed plastic bags and film on rolls, is "almost like being in a food plant," said Ferguson. "Our approach is that the machines should be as clean as a dinner plate. We don't make food here, but our packaging touches the food consumers eat, so we have to take care with what we do."

Recent incidents of foodborne illness are making consumers more aware of food safety issues. The company hopes that other packaging manufacturers will embrace food safety standards like ISO 22000 / PAS 223 to minimize food safety risks in packaging.

SOURCE: Chantler Packaging Inc.

Ian Ferguson,
Vice-president, Chantler Packaging Inc.
[email protected]
Ph: [phone] x 227