Quality certificates or seals are used in many countries, including in Brazil, in order to differentiate products or food production plants. They are considered quality regulation mechanisms, which can be given by government agencies, authorized institutions or nongovernmental organizations. The reasons for certification are many, such as: international clients demand, image of the products among the clients, demanding consumers request, or to add value to a product or service. Procedures for getting permission to use these certificates may vary, especially considering if it is given by a governmental or nongovernmental agency. This article, an exploratory study, evaluated the scope of the safety requirement in 13 quality certificate or seals used in food production in Brazil. It was found that most of the certificates use the tools Good Manufacturing Practices and Good Agriculture Practices. Only three of the certificates consider HACCP, tool recognized by Codex Alimentarius for hazard management in food production as requirement.
Food; Certificates; Quality; Seals; Safety; Hazards
