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Complete and reliable information on allergens in food

Substantiate allergen information

Do you want to prevent allergen recalls? Set up a good and robust allergen management system according to the SimplyOK criteria. This ensures reliable allergen information so that the consumer can make a safe choice in case of an allergy.

Live event 12th November 2021

View recordings and download presentations

SimplyOK Code of Practice

The SimplyOK certification scheme, also called Code of Practice or European Allergen Information Certification Standard, is ready to audit! Version 3 is issued September 2021.
The European Allergen Information Certification Standard can be used by every food business operator, from farm to fork (also B2B).
Improve your allergen management system and prevent allergen recalls by implementing the latest version 2 of the Simply OK Code of Practice.

NEW - Download Code of Practice version 3

Changes version 3

The main reason to issue version 3 of the standard is the release of VITAL ® 3.0 reference doses. The changes in VITAL have direct impact on the SimplyOK standard and as such changes are made to meet with the new VITAL requirements. Further:

  1. definitions are added (1.4);
  2. the audit time calculation (1.18) has been modified;
  3. Annex 3, AOECS Standard Gluten-free has been added.

In addition some changes to the standard are made to clarify the difference between a requirement (shall) and an option (should). A track changes version is available on request to illustrate all changes.

Tools

To provide correct allergen information, information from suppliers is required. Practice shows gathering the needed information can be difficult. Allergenen Consultancy has developed a template, which we support, with the aim to standardize the exchange of allergen information in the food chain. In addition, a quantitative risk assessment of cross-contamination of allergens (in accordance with VITAL®) is possible on the basis of this information.

Template allergen information

What is SimplyOK?

SimplyOK developed a certification scheme, to audit the allergen management system of the food business operator. It provides customers the warranty of substantiate allergen information, from the list of ingredients, gluten free or lactose free claims and even in case of cross-contamination. A precautionary allergen statement however is only applied when cross-contamination cannot be prevented and a risk assessment is conducted by means of the VITAL® program. VITAL® has a scientific base and has laid down safe limits for each allergen, so-called reference doses.

The requirements on allergen management in SimplyOK are built on five basics. They are determined on the basis of years of experience and lessons learned from recall analysis. SimplyOK basics allergen management

View presentation SimplyOK

Reliable

Food business operators can check their allergen management system through a third party audit. This audit will be performed by special trained auditors in addition to your FSSC-, BRC or IFS-audit.

About SimplyOK

SimplyOK aims providing clear, reliable and complete information about allergens on food labels. Since 2013, a team of stakeholders from retail, industry, science, medical specialists, patient organizations, certification bodies, etc. have been working together to set up a certification scheme with requirements to an allergen management system. Key features include; applicable to any organization, low entry cost and risk based upon the VITAL Program. The SimplyOK mark will be available in future for food businesses who have succesfully prove to meet the requirements of the SimplyOK Standard.

Certified organizations

Do you want to check whether your supplier is SimplyOK certified?
Or see which companies have preceded you in certification?
Download the register of SimplyOK certified organizations below.

Register certified organizations

SimplyOK Audit

Auditors from three certification bodies -Vinçotte Nederland, LRQA and Schouten Certification- are fully trained and ready to perform your SimplyOK audit.
Do you also want to check your allergen management system or more information regarding the audit process?

Request or quotation needed?

Contact the certification body of your choice:

Vinçotte Nederland LRQA Schouten Certification

The latest news!

Version 3 launched September 2021

Version 3 of the SimplyOK Code of Practice is released! More information.

Well done Intersnack Nederland

Intersnack Nederland BV have obtained certification not for just one, but two locations!

COVID-19 SimplyOK

COVID-19 is affecting all of us. It also potentially impacts the certification status of SimplyOK certified organizations and may impact the CBs ability to complete the scheduled assessments in the coming period. Audits should wherever possible, be planned and conducted in the normal way. In the case of the COVID-19 restrictions audits can not be conducted guidance is available. Please contact us for more information.

Congrats for Van Vliet!

The production facility for marshmallows and hard candy of Van Vliet is SimplyOK certified!

Welcome to Schouten Certification

A warm welcome to Schouten Certification as SimplyOK approved certification body. They are active in food industry as preferred certification body for the Dutch Glutenfree Standard and now also for SimplyOK!

Number 3 and 4 certificated

Last months many companies are visited for a SimplyOK audit. Two of them are rewarded with the SimplyOK certificate by Lloyd's Register. Congrats for Karwendel (Germany) and Vleems Bakery International BV!

VBZ symposium SimplyOK

Branche organization VBZ hosted a symposium about SimplyOK. Attendees from many companies have been informed about developments on SimplyOK, policies and experiences with audits by speakers from Jumbo Supermarket, Lloyd's Register, Dutch Spices and Allergenen Consultancy.
Read the report of this meeting

Second certificate rewarded

SimplyOK is proud to announce Dutch Protein & Services is the second company to be certified in line with the SimplyOK Code of Practice: the highest level of certification in allergen management.
Read press release

First certificate rewarded

The first company is certified against the Code of Practice of SimplyOK. On the 11th of December 2018 Petra Hol, representative of certification body Vinçotte ISACert, handed over the first Simply OK certificate to Nelleke van der Wekken, Quality Assurance Manager at Dutch Spices.
Read press release

First companies audited

The first companies are audited against the SimplyOK standard. VMT - medium for Dutch and Belgian food industry- has interviewed two companies: Dutch Spices and DPS.
Read full article (in Dutch or use Google translate).

Version 2 launched July 2018

Version 2 of SimplyOK Code of Practice has been approved by the Board of Stakeholders. There are several modifications in this version to improve the auditing process and to support the lactose free claim.
An important adjustment in the audit protocol is the introduction of a phase 1 and phase 2 initial audit.
For products with the claim 'lactose free' a limit is laid down and additional requirements to labeling and analysis on lactose free dairy products are added.

SimplyOK in practice

Royal VEZET discussed their findings while implementing SimplyOK during VMT Allergen Day on the first of February 2018. Based of the request of Albert Heijn, they have anchored the requirements of the Code of Practice in their processes. The presentation is available.

First companies go for it

The first companies signed up for certification!

Albert Heijn needs adequate allergens management

Retailer Albert Heijn requires their private label suppliers to upload a VITAL® report in their product specification system TraceOne. Based on this information a precautionary allergen labelling 'may contain traces of...' is used when applicable on the label. As allergen management covers more than only cross-contamination, Albert Heijn decided to give more emphasis on an adequate allergen management system. March 2017 private label producers are requested to set up an allergen management system where the SimplyOK Code of Practice and VITAL® are leading. The SimplyOK Code of Practice is based on the five basics of allergen management and a risk assesment of cross-contamination according to VITAL®. All detailed requirements according to the five basics are listed and how to conduct a VITAL® risk assessment are explained in the Code of Practice.

SimplyOK presented to European Parliament

Dutch Allergy Foundation has presented September 2014 SimplyOK as 'European best practice on food allergen labelling' to the European Parliament.