All news

Scheme participants meet requirements

In 2012, the auditors of the independent certification bodies conducted 30,138 regular audits on QS scheme participants in the meat and meat products supply chain – approximately 520 (1.8%) more than in the previous year. The evaluation of these regular audits shows that scheme participants meet QS requirements reliably.

QS anbitiotics monitoring well established

Documentation of the use of antibiotics in QS businesses is making good progress. More than 1,200 veterinarians have registered with the QS database and have entered over 28,700 documents on dispensed antibiotics to date. There is now sufficient data for many broiler farms to allow initial evaluations.

EU changes the specifications for residue analytics of kohlrabi

From 1st April 2013 should only the bulb for kohlrabi - after removal of roots, tops and adhering soil (if any) – be analyzed for compliance with maximum residue levels defined in the regulation (EC) No 396/2005. This was decided by the EU Commission.

QAC - scheme participants collect 9,000 test results

QS scheme participants actively participate in a monitoring program for the quaternary ammonium compounds Benzalkonium chloride (BAC) and Didecyldimethylammonium chloride (DDAC). Together with the member companies of the German Fruit Trade Association, they collected a total of 8.897 test results between 5th July 2012 and 31st January 2013 and transmitted them to QS. The results were now forwarded to the German Federal Office of Consumer Protection and Food Safety (BVL) and the German Federal Institute for Risk Assessment (BfR) in anonymous form.

Laboratory managers exchange knowledge

More than 60 participants attended the annual event Meeting with laboratory managers – residue monitoring on 5 February, 2013 in Berlin. Like the QS scheme itself, this event becomes more and more international. A simultaneous translation of all lectures guaranteed that all of the 32 foreign participants were able to understand everything.

QS at the Fruit Logistica

From 6^th to 8^th February 2013 the world´s leading trade fair for fresh fruit and vegetables is taking place in Berlin. About 55,000 trade visitors from 120 countries come to the FRUIT LOGISTICA every year. QS presents itself to the trade professionals as one of 2,543 exhibitors.

monitoringreport 2013

At this year´s Fruit Logistica QS and the German fruit trade Association (Deutscher Fruchthandelsverband e.V. (DFHV)) present the monitoringreport 2013. For the fourth time now, QS and DFHV have evaluated their residue monitoring programmes together. A total of 16.059 samples originating from 66 countries have been analysed. The results are very pleasing: 40 percent of the samples analysed did not contain any detectable residues of plant protection products. The proportion of samples in which the maximum residue level was exceeded stood at low 0.9 percent for products of European origin. For fruit and vegetables coming from outside Europe, the complaint rate was at 2.8 percent which is 0.4 percentage points lower than the year before. 

Directly to the monitoringreport 2013

Sanction board avenges violations consequently

Scheme participants have to anticipate sanctions when they violate the requirements of the QS scheme. In 2012 the QS sanction board, chaired by retired judge Kurt Pillmann, advised 279 cases.

Scheme participants prove reliability

Companies in the QS scheme work correctly and meet the QS requirements even if they do not expect to be subject of a QS control. That is the result of the random sample audits carried out in 2012. More than 300 unannounced audits were performed at scheme participants between October and November 2012. The results are remarkable: 96.5 percent of the audits were passed.

With Kaiser’s Tengelmann to the International Green Week

Shared commitment for safe food. The International Green Week starts in Berlin on 18^th January 2013. At the Farm Experience, Kaiser’s Tengelmann and QS present themselves as strong partners in the field of quality assurance. At their common stand, visitors will be provided with plenty of infotainment around the topics safe foods and quality assurance.