ISO 9001 is a standard developed by the International Organization for Standardization (ISO). Founded in 1947 in Geneva, the organization develops trade and communication standards for voluntary use to be adopted worldwide.

The ISO 9001 standard defines the requirements for quality management systems. The standard applies equally to organizations that provide products and services. It includes provisions related to quality management systems, leadership, planning, infrastructure, operation, analysis, and improvements.

Content of Service:

• Establishing quality management systems per the requirements of ISO 9001, including steps such as:
  • Identifying an organization’s core operations
  • Defining risks and opportunities in the context of quality processes 
  • Drafting a quality manual and procedures 
  • Implementing quality management systems on site, including training and inspections 
  • Providing support during the inspection of the third-party certifying body
    
    

• Professional consulting and support on existing quality management systems such as: mapping work processes and establishing effective controls, assessing risks in organizational work processes, improving procedures and guidelines, improving internal organizational communication, enhancing employee involvement, internal audits, investigating root causes, implementing corrective actions, etc.

The major food manufacturers are diligently committed to food product safety, alongside their commitment to quality, innovation, and customer satisfaction. Food safety incidents receive widespread media coverage and consumer awareness of the issue is growing.

Additionally, authorities require organizations in the food chain to comply with food safety provisions as a condition for obtaining a product permit.

There is a wide variety of standards dealing with food safety, including:

• HACCP
• FSSC 22000/ISO 22000
• BRC and BRC-IoP
• IFS
• GolobalGAP and more
• The standards emphasize different points. Nevertheless, they all share a preventive approach, aimed at minimizing and reducing risks to public health. This principle is achieved by performing a risk assessment and determining the critical control measures (CCPs / preventive controls). In addition to performing risk assessments, a management system must be in place and include the ability to identify resources, define prerequisite programs (PRPs), prevent food fraud, enable food defense, and more.

Content of Service:

• Establishing a product safety management system: 
  • Carrying out an on-site infrastructure and sanitation review, and defining priorities accordingly 
  • Training the organization’s management and food safety team members on relevant standards 
  • Providing support to the organization’s food safety team during the risk assessment and determining the required control measures 
  • Drafting the control plans (CCPs / oPRPs / Preventive Controls), including the monitoring method, verification, and validation 
  • Writing the procedures required for quality and product safety management systems 
  • Undertaking internal audits to examine the implementation of the system and its application
  • Providing support to the organization during certification audits
    
    
• Professional consulting and support for existing product safety management systems on issues such as: assessing product safety risks in organizational work processes, conducting infrastructure surveys and assisting in finding solutions, providing guidance for documentation specifications, improving procedures and guidelines, analyzing incidents of product safety non-compliance and assisting in preventing recurrence, supporting product safety inspections, etc.

Despite efforts to maintain product quality and safety, companies may find themselves in extreme situations where a product may pose a risk to public health. In these situations, every administrative step taken may have a critical impact on the company’s future, both legally and in the court of public opinion. Sher Consulting and Training boasts numerous years of experience in crisis management consulting. Consultation includes an in-depth investigation and lessons learned, in addition to partnering in communication with external parties, such as regulators and stakeholders.

Laboratory Certification for ISO 17025 ISO / IEC 17025 defines the general requirements for the competence of testing and calibration laboratories. The standard is suitable to all laboratories, regardless of employee number and the scope of the laboratory’s activity. The laboratory can choose the specific tests for which it wishes to receive the certification from the certifying body.

These requirements will be defined during the scope of the certification. The certification confers an official and accepted recognition in Israel and globally by an objective, national organization of the laboratory’s ability and professional competency to carry out its activities as defined in the scope of the certification.

Content of Service:

• Identifying and mapping the technologies and methods requested for certification, while gaining an understanding of the laboratory’s activities
• Preparing approved organizational documentation for submission to the relevant laboratory accreditation authority and providing support in the initial application to the authority
• Establishing a quality system per the requirements of ISO/IEC 17025 standard including procedures, working instructions, and forms
• Composing the professional documentation, including testing / calibration methods and validation protocols 
• Implementing the system in the laboratory by conducting training, internal audits, support in the summary of validations, and preparing a validation report
• Conducting an internal audit in preparation for the certifying audit, including accompanying corrective actions for the audit’s findings 
• Providing support for the certification audit of the relevant laboratory accreditation authority and determining the corrective actions for the audit’s findings in several rounds carried out vis-à-vis the authority.

Second Party Auditing of Contract Manufacturers Globally essential for companies purchasing their own branded products from a second party producer. Effective control of contract manufacturers is undertaken in accordance with the brand owner requirements and is critical in reducing the risk to the parent company and its subsidiaries in case of non-compliance with the standards. Sher Consulting and Training performs product quality and safety audits at contract manufacturing sites for leading brand owners around the globe, within a framework of control measures of the parent company over its manufacturers.

Auditing services include: quality, product safety, and environmental care.

Content of Service:

• Understanding of company requirements
• Planning the audit checklist
• Undertaking the audit according to the checklist and requirements of the brand owner
• Presenting findings and recommendations for implementation

Proper planning of the manufacturing system and preventing cross-contamination has a critical effect on reducing the potential for product contamination. Sher Consulting and Training provides professional consulting on mapping work processes and material flow in the premises and formulating an environmental monitoring plan accordingly.

The program’s purpose is to help identify possible sources of microbial contamination originating in the work environment and defining the necessary tools for maintaining the proper conditions for hygiene and sanitation. Additionally, the environmental monitoring program meets the requirements of the following food safety standards: FSSC 22000 and BRC.

Content of Service:

• Mapping all areas and flows, i.e., material, worker, waste, etc.
• Defining hygiene levels in each area of the factory (hygienic zoning)
• Formulating a indicator/pathogen monitoring program for the work environment
• Defining corrective actions for deviations in environmental monitoring
• Implementing the program and carrying out training

Sher Consulting and Training provides a large variety of learning solutions ranging from traditional classroom learning to breakthrough cutting edge learning methods and technologies.

The following five principles guide our planning and delivery of training services:

• Focus on well defined, measurable learning objectives
• Using the latest behavioral science and learning technology
• Custom design all training products individually for each customer
• Providing an unforgettable and delightful learning experience

Sher Consulting & Training and Milouda Laboratories, subsidiary companies of Mérieux NutriSciences, are fully committed to providing a range of services to Israeli FoodTech companies, starting from the product development phase up to its shelf appearance. We offer services in various fields related to laboratory, regulation, product quality and safety, and sustainability.

Our companies provide comprehensive solutions with the full conviction that the FoodTech industry will change the face of humanity, for the better! We share a common goal and are proud to be part of this industry and its innovative processes. Hence, it should be no surprise that our customers include some of the most promising FoodTech startups and the largest food companies in Israel, in addition to companies from other industries.

We interface with regulators, investors, and customers with the highest level of professionalism under uncompromising standards of quality, thanks to our tools, equipment, and subject matter expertise, which enable us to offer extensive and wide-ranging solutions and services in Hebrew and English.
We’d be happy to assist you with your needs and arrange a preliminary meeting free of any obligations