Standard Accreditation for a Safer World

Saturday, June ninth is recognized as World Accreditation Day. It is a global initiative that was established by the International Accreditation Forum and the International Laboratory Accreditation Cooperation to raise awareness of the importance of accreditation. We all have expectations that safety is critical in our work places, that food products are safe to eat and just about everything that we use or consume would not be hazardous to our well being. But the reality is that it is not always the case.  Today, the Belize Bureau of Standards held a local forum to share how accreditation delivers a safer world with a focus on the food industry. Rodolfo Gutierrez of the Bureau of Standards explains.

Rodolfo Gutierrez

Rodolfo Gutierrez, Consumer Protection Liaison Officer, Belize Bureau of Standards

“If you note the theme, it is a little broad based – it is delivering a safer world. So, we decided to make it a little more localized for Belize and we changed it to say accreditation for delivering safer food. So, what we are doing today we are capturing the food sector. We have presentations from the BAHA and the CGA – these are all people involved in the accreditation process and they are here to showcase and highlight some of their initiatives and what they have accomplished so far in terms of this pillar of quality infrastructure.  So far it is only about two or three which includes the bureau of standards, the CGA with their plant pathology lab that recently got accredited. So, BAHA is also in the same process to get their food lab accredited. They have an external agency where they make traceability to that is stating that whatever process they are taking are good and valid.   There is one initiative through the Ministry of Health where basically the Central Lab of Belize is undergoing the process to reach that stage.”

Andrea Polanco

“Now, talk to us about the benefits of being accredited – whether it is a Government agency or of industry – the private sector?”

Rodolfo Gutierrez

“To begin with, for the consumers, it is a sign that whatever food, products or services that are out there are safe for consumption and safe for use. In other words, they are already certified that these products and services meet certain standards and requirements. For government, it is good thing because accreditation – carrying out standards is normally voluntary – so if you have an external agency already taking care of that for them, they themselves do not have to police the situation and do it.”