IFS Food and Refrigeration Equipment: A 100% Free Guide

The IFS Food standard (International Featured Standards Food) is a global benchmark for food safety. Version 8, which came into effect in 2023, strengthens requirements for refrigeration equipment, critical elements for ensuring the cold chain and food safety.

This free guide explains how IFS Food requirements apply to your refrigeration equipment and how DCRR can support you in achieving compliance.

What is the IFS Food v8 standard?

IFS Food is an internationally recognized certification standard for auditing food products. Version 8 particularly strengthens requirements related to:

• Food safety
• Product traceability
• Allergen management
• Equipment hygiene
• Preventive maintenance

Scope The standard applies to all operators in the food sector:

• Agri-food industries
• Food manufacturing companies
• Fresh and frozen food processors
• Distributors with their own brands

Importance for refrigeration equipment

Refrigeration equipment plays a critical role in food safety:

• Maintaining the cold chain
• Preventing contamination risks
• Compliance with hygiene requirements
• Temperature traceability

IFS Food requirements for refrigeration equipment

1. Quality Management System (QMS)

The IFS Food standard requires a structured QMS including:

Policy and objectives

• Documented food safety policy
• Measurable objectives for equipment maintenance
• Management commitment to resources allocated to maintenance

Documentation and records

• Refrigeration equipment maintenance procedures
• Records of interventions and results
• Temperature monitoring and control plan
• Document management compliant with IFS Food requirements

2. HACCP and hazard analysis

Hazard analysis according to HACCP principles must include refrigeration equipment:

Identification of potential hazards

• Inadequate temperatures
• Cross-contamination
• Equipment failure
• Presence of difficult-to-clean areas

Preventive measures

• Preventive maintenance plan
• Regular temperature checks
• Proper cleaning and disinfection
• Calibration of measuring instruments

Critical Control Points (CCP)

• Storage temperature monitoring
• Verification of control systems
• Equipment integrity control

3. Technical equipment requirements

The IFS Food standard imposes specific technical criteria for refrigeration equipment:

Hygienic design

• Materials compatible with food (stainless steel, food-grade plastics)
• Smooth surface, easy to clean and disinfect
• Absence of dead angles, corners or cavities
• Proper drainage of defrost fluids

Thermal performance

• Capacity to maintain required temperatures
• Temperature uniformity throughout the equipment
• Reliable control and regulation system
• Alarms in case of failure

Accessibility for maintenance

• Easy access for cleaning
• Possibility to disassemble elements for inspection
• Sufficient space around the equipment

4. Maintenance and servicing

Maintenance is a central pillar of IFS Food compliance:

Preventive maintenance plan

• Scheduling of interventions according to manufacturer recommendations
• Identification of critical wear parts
• Definition of maintenance frequencies
• Recording of all interventions

Corrective maintenance

• Breakdown management procedure
• Defined response times
• Recording of corrections made
• Analysis of root causes of recurring failures

Performance monitoring

• Equipment performance indicators
• Energy consumption trends
• Breakdown and intervention history

5. Monitoring and calibration

The standard requires continuous monitoring of refrigeration equipment:

Temperature checks

• Continuous or regular records
• Monitoring frequency adapted to risk
• Defined and documented critical limits
• Corrective actions in case of exceedance

Instrument calibration

• Thermometers, recorders, probes
• Defined calibration frequency
• Calibration traceability
• Use of accredited laboratories or certified standards

6. Non-conformity management

In case of non-conformity, IFS Food requires:

Identification and documentation

• Clear description of the non-conformity
• Risk assessment for food safety
• Delineation of potentially affected products

Corrective actions

• Immediate correction to eliminate the hazard
• Preventive measures to avoid recurrence
• Verification of action effectiveness
• Recording and follow-up

Associated regulatory compliance

In addition to IFS Food, refrigeration equipment must comply with other regulations:

PED (Directive 2014/68/EU)

• Pressure equipment: tanks, piping
• Compliance file and in-service monitoring
• Periodic inspections and re-qualifications
• Complete technical documentation

Refrigeration regulations

• Refrigerants and recovery
• Leakage checks
• F-Gas and emission quotas
• Personnel certifications

HACCP and food regulations

• Hygiene Package
• Food safety plan
• Product traceability
• Allergen management

Solutions offered by DCRR

To meet IFS Food v8 requirements, DCRR offers tailored solutions:

cDESP: Digital solution for managing your equipment

Centralized documentation

• Complete and accessible PED files
• Customized inspection plans
• Archived inspection reports
• List of equipment subject to in-service monitoring

Deadline tracking

• Automatic alerts for inspections
• Maintenance notifications
• Calibration management
• Intervention scheduling

Complete traceability

• History of each piece of equipment
• Intervention records
• Compliance evidence
• Customizable reports

Technical and regulatory support

Industry expertise

• CNAM/IFFI graduated engineers
• In-depth knowledge of regulations
• Experience in agri-food sectors
• Active regulatory monitoring

Services offered

• Installation compliance audit
• Preparation of PED files
• Customized maintenance plans
• Support during IFS Food audits
• Team training

IFS Food integration

DCRR helps you integrate IFS Food requirements into your management system:

• Gap analysis against IFS Food v8 requirements
• Implementation or improvement of maintenance plan
• Harmonization of PED and IFS Food requirements
• Preparation for certification audits
• Continuous system improvement

Best practices for IFS Food compliance

To ensure successful IFS Food v8 compliance, here are the recommended best practices:

1. Structured documentation

Maintain clear, organized and accessible documentation:

• Up-to-date and available procedures
• Complete and traceable records
• Logical and consistent filing
• Controlled versioning of documents

2. Staff training

Invest in your team’s competence:

• Awareness of IFS Food requirements
• Training on maintenance procedures
• Hygiene and food safety
• Training records

3. Regulatory monitoring

Stay informed of developments:

• IFS Food updates
• PED regulatory developments
• New technologies and best practices
• Industry feedback

4. Continuous improvement

Engage your company in an improvement process:

• Non-conformity analysis
• Corrective action plans
• Performance indicators
• Management reviews

Benefits of IFS Food compliance

Compliance with IFS Food v8 offers numerous benefits:

Commercial

• Access to new markets
• Requirement for many distributors
• Differentiation from competitors
• Strengthened customer confidence

Operational

• Improved equipment reliability
• Reduced downtime
• Optimized maintenance costs
• Better resource management

Regulatory

• Compliance with legal requirements
• Preparation for official audits
• Reduced risk of penalties
• Document traceability

Contact and resources

For more information on bringing your refrigeration equipment into compliance with IFS Food requirements, contact DCRR:

Contact details

• Tel: +33 6 99 88 33 16
• Email: tony.ciatti@dcrr.fr
• Website: https://dcrr.fr

Our solutions

• cDESP: https://esp.dcrr.fr
• Documentation: https://docs.dcrr.fr

IFS Food resources

• [Download IFS Food v8 standard (PDF)](https://www ifs-food.com/index.php/en/IFS-Standards/IFS-Food)

Conclusion

The IFS Food v8 standard strengthens requirements for refrigeration equipment, key elements in food safety. Successful compliance requires a structured approach, rigorous documentation, and constant monitoring of your installations.

DCRR, with its technical expertise and cDESP solution, supports you in this process to ensure compliance of your refrigeration equipment with IFS Food requirements while ensuring adherence to PED and HACCP regulations.

By combining regulatory expertise, digital solutions, and personalized support, DCRR enables you to transform regulatory constraint into an opportunity for continuous improvement of your food safety management system.

Source: The DCRR team