Food Inspection Glossary

Plain-English definitions of the standards, regulations, and methods used in food inspection, quality audit, and supply chain compliance. Curated by FoodGate Audit, an ISO 17020-accredited inspection body in Egypt.

• ALDI Standard — ALDI-specific quality and food safety requirements for suppliers
• Allergen Management — Control of food allergens to prevent cross-contamination
• amfori BSCI — Business Social Compliance Initiative for ethical trade
• AQL (Acceptable Quality Level) — Statistical sampling plan for inspection of product lots
• BRC (BRCGS) — British Retail Consortium global standard for food safety
• CBAM — EU Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism
• Codex Alimentarius — International food standards established by FAO/WHO
• Cold Chain — Temperature-controlled supply chain for perishable products
• Cold Storage / Refrigerated Warehousing — Temperature-controlled storage of perishable food products
• CSRD — EU Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive
• Food Defense / TACCP — Protection of food from intentional contamination
• Food Fraud / VACCP — Vulnerability assessment for economically motivated adulteration
• Food Traceability — Ability to trace food products forward and backward in supply chain
• FSSC 22000 — Food Safety System Certification combining ISO 22000 with PRPs
• GFSI — Global Food Safety Initiative — recognizing equivalent food safety standards
• GlobalGAP — Good Agricultural Practices certification for fresh produce
• GMP — Good Manufacturing Practices for food, pharma, and cosmetics
• HACCP — Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points
• IFS Food — International Featured Standards for food manufacturers
• ISO 17020 — International standard for the operation of inspection bodies
• ISO 22000 — International standard for food safety management systems
• LIDL IQ — LIDL International Quality standard for food suppliers
• Mango Export Compliance to EU — Specific compliance requirements for Egyptian mango exports to the EU
• MRL (Maximum Residue Limit) — Maximum legal level of pesticide or veterinary drug residue in food
• Pesticide Residue Testing — Laboratory analysis of pesticide residues in food products
• Phytosanitary Certificate — Official document certifying plant products are free of regulated pests
• Pre-Shipment Inspection (PSI) — Quality verification of goods before they leave the country of origin
• RASFF — EU Rapid Alert System for Food and Feed
• Sedex / SMETA — Ethical trade audit standard for social compliance
• Shelf Life — Period a food remains safe and meets quality specifications
• TESCO Nurture — Tesco-specific responsible sourcing and quality standard for fresh produce