A great starting point for businesses in the food safety industry, the GMP (Goods Manufacturing Practice) certification is a scheme that helps companies in Malaysia achieve high quality production processes and ensures customer satisfaction in their brand.
What is GMP Certification?
GMP also serves as a standard justification for the standards, rules, and regulations established for active ingredients and pharmaceutical / medical products, products used within and outside the body, and producers of food. In Malaysia, GMP certification is an important qualification that companies must meet in order to produce safe and high-quality products.
GMP certification is not mandatory in Malaysia, but it is strongly recommended. The Malaysian government has set up several bodies to oversee which companies are capable achieve GMP certification. An example is MPMA (Malaysian Pharmaceutical Manufacturing Association) : a self-regulatory organization that works with the Malaysian Ministry of Health to develop and enforce GMP standards.
There are 10 core elements to the GMP that businesses must adhere to in order to receive the certification:
1. Design and facilities
2. Control of operation
3. Maintenance, cleaning and sanitation
4. Personal hygiene
5. Transportation and distribution
6. Product information
7. Training
8. Internal inspection
9. Management review
10. Legal requirements
The Benefits of GMP Certification
There are many benefits of GMP certification, including:
– Improved quality control
GMP certification helps companies to improve their quality control processes and produce products that are consistently safe and high-quality. GMP certification also helps companies to meet the strict regulations of the Malaysian government.
– Reduced chances of product recalls
GMP certification can help companies to avoid product recalls. When a company has GMP certification, it means that its products have been tested and meet the high standards of the GMP system. This gives consumers confidence in the quality of the products they are buying.
– Greater customer confidence
Finally another major benefit is the visual stamp of approval that brands are able to put on their products. Obtaining the GMP certificate provides a great visual signal that the brand has taken steps to make sure the product is 100% ready for human usage and that steps were taken to ensure it is safe.
– Provides a foundation for more certifications
GMP certification can also provide a foundation for companies to achieve other certifications, such as ISO or HACCP certificates. This is because GMP certification covers the basics of quality management systems, and companies that have GMP certification are more likely to be successful when applying for other certifications.
How to get GMP Certification in Malaysia?
In order to receive GMP Certification in Malaysia, an application process must take place that can be quite time consuming to those who are unfamiliar and if it is their first application.
During the application process, companies must provide a document checklist that lists out their services and products. On top of this the company must also showcase their manufacturing procedure in order for the auditors to correctly identify if it the right standards are met. After providing the documents required, third-party auditors will come to survey the manufacturing site in order to see if GMP compliant procedures are being implemented. Depending on the size of your site, these audits usually take a range of 3 to 4 days.
After the completion of the audit and it is shown that the company has met all the regulations that are needed in the GMP scheme they are given a GMP certificate that renews every * years.
In terms of fees, registration and renewal fees are non-negotiable and these costs can add up. Auditing fees also must be paid so that a report can be created to send to the officiating body for confirmation.
How Interfinite Can Help
For those who wish to save time and money in order to receive their GMP Certification, Interfinite is able to assist. With over 10 years in the certification industry, we are able to help your company achieve the stamp of approval with our management overview. If you are wondering what Interfinite can do for you, check out GMP Certification page and find out more about we can get you GMP Certified.