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IFS Food Standard for Plant-Based Manufacturers: Guaranteeing Safety in Your Supply Chain

normativa IFS alimentaria

The IFS food standard has become one of the main criteria when selecting a reliable food manufacturer capable of integrating into demanding supply chains. With this certification, your plant-based project gains security, consistency, and faster product approval.

In this article, you will discover what IFS certification really entails, why it has become an international standard, and how it directly impacts your supply chain and product launches.

What is the IFS Standard and Why Has It Become a Global Benchmark?

The International Featured Standards (IFS) are a set of requirements designed to evaluate the food safety, legality, and quality of food manufacturers and processors.

Unlike other standards, IFS focuses on the actual capabilities of the manufacturer: how they operate, the controls they apply, risk management, and how they ensure every batch meets expectations.

Why IFS Certification is Critical for Plant-Based Suppliers

For manufacturers of plant-based alternatives or innovative vegetable solutions, IFS is not an “extra” — it is an operational requirement that ensures:

  • Reduced legal risks: validated systems to manage allergens, critical points, and traceability.
  • Compliance with international retailers: many chains only accept IFS-certified suppliers.
  • Minimised recall risk: rigorous control over sensitive ingredients, plant proteins, and complex matrices.

Working with a plant-based solutions provider without IFS certification means more audits, extra controls, and possible delays. With IFS, much of this verification is already covered.

Critical IFS Requirements Specific to Plant-Based Production

While the IFS food standard applies across the industry, the plant-based sector presents specific challenges that this certification helps control.

Allergen management and cross-contamination in multifunctional facilities

Plant-based facilities often handle diverse ingredients: pea protein, soy, nuts, gluten, spices…
IFS requires clear strategies to prevent cross-contamination: line segregation, validated cleaning, formulation change protocols, surface and ATP controls, allergen testing at critical points.

Traceability and labelling: Challenges in complex plant matrices

Plant-based products often contain protein blends, fibres, oils, spices, functional additives, and sometimes ingredients from multiple suppliers.

This complexity makes traceability critical. IFS requires a system that identifies where each ingredient comes from, which batch was used, on what date, and to which customer it was shipped.

For buyers, this level of traceability is essential to approve suppliers quickly and ensure audits run smoothly.

Process control and critical parameters in plant protein transformation

The plant-based sector relies on technological processes where small deviations can dramatically affect outcomes. IFS requires monitoring and recording parameters such as temperature, humidity, pH, process times, or extrusion speed.

This control reduces variability, ensures batch-to-batch consistency, and prevents deviations that could compromise the final product.

How Your Supplier’s IFS Certification Directly Impacts Product Approval

Choosing an IFS-certified manufacturer accelerates your time-to-market by:

  • Reducing rejections in external audits
  • Facilitating access to international channels
  • Minimising costs associated with non-conformities
  • Ensuring stability and confidence in the supply chain
  • In a competitive market, this time saving can make the difference between entering a category … or missing the window.

IFS Certification as a B2B Trust Mark: How Sanygran Ensures Excellence for Food Industry Clients

As a provider of plant-based solutions, Sanygran integrates IFS into daily operations:

  • Certified facilities guaranteeing consistent food safety
  • Total traceability across all categories
  • Validated processes for plant protein transformation and other vegetable-based solutions
  • Industrial flexibility for MDD, private label, or bespoke developments

Our Commitment to Food Safety: Beyond the Certificate

IFS is not just a seal — it is a working method that reduces risks, improves product stability, and gives peace of mind to those trusting their brand to Sanygran.

If you are looking for a reliable industrial partner aligned with the strictest standards, contact us today to ensure maximum safety and quality in your plant-based projects.

📞 +34 948 488 501 | ✉️ info@sanygran.com