Guidelines for trainers

The trainer distributes to each team Material 3.3, summarizing the global concept of quality and the relations between quality standardization processes and certification - accreditation processes, already explained in Presentation 3.1. Once participants have studied the document, the trainer clarifies doubts and conducts the teams to a correct understanding of the issues.

Under Suggested Questions, some questions and answers from the trainer to the participants may be found. Material 3.4 is distributed to explain the structure and components of a product standard.

Once the contents of the worksheet are fully understood, the participants assemble by countries, to provide the following information:

• Identify the institutions responsible in each country for standardization activities and for quality and safety certification and accreditation systems for fresh fruits and vegetables.



• List the opportunities and difficulties for standardization.



• Show successful experiences, where standards have benefited the actors in the chain and identifying key issues for this success.

In the plenary session to follow, each team presents its answers and the trainer draws the appropriate conclusions.

1. How can the quality attributes of a product be classified?

A/ Product attributes and process attributes. The former relate to the product itself (smell, taste, consistency, convenience, safety, etc.); the latter to processing (e.g. organic product, reduced environmental impact, GMOs).

2. What is the difference between an external indicator and an internal indicator for the quality attributes of a product?

A/ Internal indicators are those used directly by the consumer to judge the quality attributes of a product (e.g. taste, smell, texture, convenience). External attributes cannot be directly judged by the consumer: e.g. the safety of a horticultural produce.

A/

• A public document, produced with the cooperation of as many actors as possible.
• Voluntary, as opposed to mandatory regulations.
• Issued by a recognized institution.
• Standards evolve, and should be revised from time to time, to include technical progress, market changes and regulatory advances.
• A common frame, agreed upon by all interested parties.
• Benefits the community as a whole.

A/

• Promotes cooperation among actors in the chain.
• Allows for differentiation in quality of processes and services.
• Provides a common language to all players in the chain.
• Supports the decision-making process of each actor in the chain.

A/

• Multilaterally, Codex is responsible for food standardization processes as specified in the Agreement on the Application of Sanitary and Phitosanitary Measures (SPS) of the World Trade Organization (WTO).
• At the national level, the National Committees of the Codex Alimentarius are responsible for the agreement between national and international standards.

A/ Private certification may conform to criteria and conditions not approved by an official institution. Public certification, even by a private agent, must conform to criteria and conditions approved by an official institution.

A/ Standards relating to the safety of produce. In many countries, regulations aligned with Codex include the HACCP approach and informative labelling as regulatory aspects to be met by the produce to be traded.

A/

• Assures quality by conforming to a standard, document or buyer's specifications.
• Is usually issued by a third party, clearly indicating the standardizing and the certifying institutions involved. The standardizing institution is not the certifying institution.

A/ The need to comply with the requirements of some importing countries, including not only specifications for the product, but environmental, ethical and safety concerns throughout production and post-harvest handling.

A/

• Allows for differentiation between product and/or service
• Enhances the credibility of final consumers, distributors and clients.
• Facilitates or makes possible market access.
• Market permanence.

A/ Quality and safety assurance programmes are supported by standards, codes of practice and other documents resulting in certification, by public and private agents, of the different quality attributes of a product. Accreditation processes, on the other hand, assure that the certification schemes employed are transparent, efficient and trustworthy.