Source: https://www.q-s.de/faq-en/qs-faqs-en.html
Timestamp: 2019-04-21 04:08:35+00:00

Document:
The QS scheme is a cross-stage scheme of quality assurance for fresh food. It provides comprehensive process assurance and traceability that comprises all relevant stages of production and marketing of food: from production to processing to marketing, in other words from farm to shop.
Food from the QS scheme are safe. Their résumé is transparent: From farm to shop QS knows every company that is involved in the products’ production and marketing. The compliance with the QS requirements is checked regularly. Checklists and shipping documents, which allow a conclusion on the production process and the origin, accompany the product to the shop. Thus, the entire production process is made transparent and ensures a high degree of reliability.
Further information about the QS scheme can be found here.
The QS scheme is an economic-driven initiative, which was established in 2001 responding to the BSE crisis. Since its founding, QS sees itself as an alliance for active consumer protection.
Feed Sector: Deutscher Raiffeisenverband e. V.
Agriculture: Deutscher Bauernverband e. V.
Slaughtering and Debonding: Verband der Fleischwirtschaft e. V.
Meat Sector: Bundesverband der deutschen Fleischwarenindustrie e.V.
Food Retail: Handelsvereinigung für Marktwirtschaft e. V.
In 2004 a society for poultry as well as for fresh fruit, vegetables and potatoes was founded in order to cater to the special requirements for quality assurance of these production scopes.
Alongside QS Qualität und Sicherheit GmbH the Zentralverband der Deutschen Geflügelwirtschaft e.V is the other shareholder of QS Fachgesellschaft Geflügel GmbH.
the Bundesvereinigung der Erzeugerorganisationen Obst und Gemüse e. V.
the Zentralverband Gartenbau e. V.
the Union der Deutschen Kartoffelwirtschaft e. V.
All three societies have their common seat in Bonn.
The QS scheme defines and controls stringent production and marketing requirements along the entire supply chain for fresh foods. Only foods that are produced and marketed according to the QS requirements at all stages, bear the QS certification mark.
Self-assessment by company: At this level, the companies themselves ensure that they reliably monitor and conscientiously document all the stipulated requirements. QS supports them in this endeavour with clearly defined requirements and practice-oriented guidelines and checklists.
Independent inspection: During the independent inspection, trained auditors inspect both the production and marketing processes on site as well as the documentation of these processes. In addition, the companies participating in the QS scheme take part in various monitoring programs, which allows detection and assessment of potential risks to food safety at an early stage.
Inspecting the inspectors: As part of the scheme integrity system (SIKS), QS ensures that quality assurance from farm to shop functions flawlessly. This process also involves monitoring of the work of the auditors.
Inspections in the QS scheme are carried out on a risk-oriented basis: This means that the period between two inspections depends on how a business performs in the audit. Businesses where nonconformities and defects are detected are inspected more frequently. Businesses that perform very well in the audit are visited less frequently by the auditor.
In case of violations against requirements of the QS scheme an independent sanction board will intervene. Sanctions can be warnings or fines or the company will be excluded from the QS scheme.
The QS scheme defines stringent production and marketing requirements. You can view and download all the relevant documents from our Download Center.
The QS inspection scheme guarantees quality assurance across all stages in the production of meat and meat products. This already begins with the analysis of feed. Animals within the QS scheme may only be fed with QS controlled and approved feed. In agriculture, humane animal husbandry is given special attention. Requirements for animal welfare, feeding, farming and drug use are the main focus. QS criteria for slaughtering and deboning concern, among other things, the livestock transport and slaughter hygiene, while for meat processing the compliance with hygiene requirements and the cold chain is important. For the food retail target temperatures, staff hygiene, staff training, goods inspection and traceability is relevant. The inspection of production and marketing processes of fruit, vegetables and potatoes begins with the analysis of the production. There, mainly requirements for soil preparation, planting protection, fertilization and traceability must be observed. For the wholesale and fruit sale requirements for storage and transport conditions, hygiene, ensured origin and traceability are relevant. For the food retail, the professional goods storage and handling as well as the correct labelling are checked.
The QS requirements include at least the legal requirements, which are obligatory for all companies producing or trading food. There are some scopes where the QS criteria go beyond the legal requirements, e.g. when it comes to food security. There are four comprehensive monitoring programs in the QS scheme: antibiotics monitoring, salmonella monitoring, feed monitoring and residue monitoring for fruit, vegetables and potatoes.
In addition, the QS scheme requirements on animal welfare and animal health are more stringent than those required by law.
A composition of QS requirements beyond legal requirements can be found here.
From farm to shop: The cross-stage QS scheme offers a comprehensive control along the entire supply chain. Exactly at that point, QS differs from other quality assurance systems: Whether feed sector, agriculture, slaughtering, deboning or meat-processing companies, wholesale or food retail: QS includes all responsible stages of the production and marketing process. By means of binding requirements for each scope, regular monitoring and the blue labeling of the produced food, QS increases food safety.

References: V.

 V.

 V.

 V.

 V.

 V.

 V.