IFS Food version 8 is the current IFS standard for auditing food manufacturers and sites that pack loose food. It was published in April 2023 and has been mandatory for all IFS Food audits since 1 January 2024.
A site passes at Higher level with a score of 95% or more, or at Foundation level from 75%, provided no KO requirement is failed and no Major non-conformity is raised. This guide is for technical, quality and site managers preparing a factory for its first IFS Food audit or its next unannounced one.
What is IFS Food version 8 and which sites does it apply to?
IFS Food is owned by IFS Management GmbH in Berlin. It applies only to companies that process food or pack loose food products. It is a product and process certification, so each certificate covers one production site and all its products and processes.
Audits are carried out by certification bodies accredited to ISO/IEC 17065:2012 and contracted with IFS. IFS describes the scheme and the role of its approved certification bodies on its IFS Food page. IFS announced in September 2024 that version 8 had gained recognition against the GFSI Benchmarking Requirements v2020.
In practice, the demand comes from buyers. The German and French retail federations, HDE and FCD, created IFS Food in 2003 to audit suppliers of private-label food, and they still own IFS. If you supply European retailers, or a manufacturer who does, check which scheme each customer accepts before you choose. Some accept BRCGS instead, which our BRCGS Food Safety Issue 9 guide covers.
The audit checklist in Part 2 of the standard has five chapters: governance and commitment, the food safety and quality management system, resource management, operational processes, and measurements, analyses and improvements. The HACCP chapter follows the Codex steps, which our Codex HACCP guide explains.
What changed from version 7?
IFS set out these main changes when it launched version 8 in April 2023.
- A B score is classed as a deviation again, so it needs a correction and corrective action in the action plan.
- The new IFS Star status shows on the certificate and in the IFS Database after an unannounced audit.
- Companies must set objectives for each of the four dimensions of food safety culture: communication, training, employee feedback and performance measurement.
- The checklist was restructured to follow the audit process. Food defence, for example, moved into chapter 4.
- The standard was aligned with Codex Alimentarius, ISO 22003-2 and the GFSI benchmarking requirements. Triple certification is no longer possible.
Version 8 audits became possible from 1 October 2023, and IFS confirms on its news page that they are mandatory from 1 January 2024. IFS also issues a normative doctrine that clarifies how requirements are applied. Version 5 of the IFS Food 8 doctrine was published in April 2026.
How does IFS Food scoring work?
The auditor scores every requirement. A regular requirement can receive one of these results:
- A, full compliance: 20 points.
- B, almost full compliance: 15 points.
- C, part of the requirement not implemented: 5 points.
- D, not implemented: minus 20 points.
- Major non-conformity: 15% of the possible total is subtracted and no certificate can be issued.
The final score is the points awarded divided by the points available, leaving out requirements marked not applicable. One Major with a score of 75% or more leads to a follow-up audit six weeks to six months later, and a certificate at Foundation level only. More than one Major, any failed KO or a score under 75% fails the audit. A new initial audit can then take place no earlier than six weeks later.
After the audit, the certification body sends the action plan within two weeks. You have four weeks to return it with evidence that corrections are in place. A passed audit gives a certificate with 12 months' validity.
What are the ten KO requirements?
KO requirements are the ten requirements IFS treats as essential, and they are scored differently. A is still 20 points, but a small gap with no impact on safety, legality or the customer scores KO B and earns 0 points, and C is not allowed. A D on a KO subtracts 50% of the possible total and stops the certificate. Not applicable cannot be used for KO 1, 3 and 5 to 10.
The table lists each KO by its requirement number. The evidence column is AGS's interpretation of what an auditor usually asks to see, not IFS wording. Check each requirement in the standard itself.
| KO | Requirement | Topic | Typical evidence |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1.2.1 | Staff know their food safety and quality responsibilities, and management checks this works | Job descriptions, responsibility matrix, documented effectiveness checks |
| 2 | 2.3.9.1 | Monitoring of each CCP | CCP monitoring records with method, frequency and results, verified by a responsible person |
| 3 | 3.2.2 | Personal hygiene applied by staff, contractors and visitors | Hygiene rules, visitor declarations, hygiene inspections at least every three months |
| 4 | 4.1.3 | Customer agreements on recipe, process, testing, packaging and labelling are met | Contract review records, customer specifications matched to production records |
| 5 | 4.2.1.3 | Specifications for all raw materials, packaging and rework | Current, approved raw material specifications on file |
| 6 | 4.12.1 | Risk-based prevention of foreign material contamination | Foreign material risk assessment, glass register, detector checks |
| 7 | 4.18.1 | Traceability from raw material lots to customer delivery | Traceability test with mass balance, at least once a year |
| 8 | 5.1.1 | Internal audits covering all IFS requirements | Risk-based audit programme and reports, completed within 15 months |
| 9 | 5.9.1 | Recall, withdrawal and incident procedure | Procedure, alert contact list, mock recall records |
| 10 | 5.11.3 | Corrective actions with owners and deadlines | Corrective action log with effectiveness review |
How do unannounced audits and the certification cycle work?
IFS Food certification is renewed every year by a full recertification audit. An announced audit is booked between eight weeks before and two weeks after the audit due date. The due date is set by the initial audit, not by the certificate date.
At least one in every three IFS Food audits must be unannounced. The certification body chooses the year and tells you at least six months before the due date. The unannounced audit can fall anywhere from 16 weeks before to two weeks after the due date, so every requirement must be in place before that window opens.
At least four weeks before the window starts, you give the certification body a site contact. You can also name blackout periods of up to ten working days in total, split into no more than three periods. Seasonal sites give their production dates instead. If a site refuses the auditor entry without force majeure, the certificate is withdrawn within two working days.
What does an IFS auditor check on the day?
IFS calls its method the product and process approach. The auditor samples products at the start, follows them through the site and runs a traceability test on them. Normally at least half of the audit time is spent in production areas, checking CCP monitoring against the HACCP plan, interviewing staff and watching deliveries or dispatch. IFS's mandatory calculation tool sets the minimum audit length from headcount, product scopes and processing steps.
Two rules catch sites outside Europe. The audit is held in the site's working language, and if the auditor does not speak it, the doctrine requires an independent interpreter and adds 20% to the audit time. Arabic-speaking factories should raise this with the certification body early. IFS also recommends at least three months of operation before a first audit, so the records exist.
Plan the yearly cycles too. Management review and internal audits are planned within 12 months and must not exceed 15. The certification body must be told within three working days of a product recall or an authority visit that leads to mandatory food safety action. A voluntary pre-audit is allowed, but a different auditor must carry out the certification audit.
How AGS can help
The IFS Food v8 Management System contains 82 editable Microsoft Word documents. It includes a food safety and quality manual and 4 scheme documents, such as a certification scope and site zoning template. There are 23 procedures, including traceability, food fraud, food defence and recall management. It also has 38 forms and records, such as a CCP monitoring log, plus 8 checklists, 5 guidance notes and 3 training documents.
Frequently asked questions
Is there an IFS Food version 9?
No version 9 had been published when this guide was reviewed. IFS updates version 8 through its doctrine instead.
Can a food trader be certified to IFS Food?
No. IFS Food covers processing and packing loose food. IFS recommends covering traded products under IFS Broker, which our IFS Broker guide explains.
Is there an entry step before full IFS Food certification?
Yes. IFS Progress Food is an assessment programme for sites building towards IFS certification. It uses a graded scoring system and lets you agree the pace with your customers.
Where can I read the full standard?
IFS publishes the IFS Food version 8 standard as a PDF on its website, alongside the doctrine.
Does buying documentation mean the site will be certified?
No. Documents are a starting point. Certification depends on how the system is run and on the certification body's audit findings.
AGS provides independent documentation toolkits. This guide and the referenced kit are not affiliated with, endorsed by or approved by IFS Management GmbH or any certification body, and they do not guarantee any audit or certification outcome.
Reviewed October 2026. Facts checked against the sources current at publication.
