Significant international recognition for competence to K-Product Research responsible for the quality of Pirkka products
Kesko Food's K-Product Research has been awarded ISO 17025 accreditation, which makes it the only ISO 17025 accredited laboratory in Finland responsible for the quality assurance of own brand products. Accredited food laboratories mainly include official government and municipal laboratories and food industry laboratories. This accreditation has been awarded to 46 laboratories in Finland.
The quality assurance of all Pirkka products is conducted in Kesko Food's Product Research unit and the K-test kitchen. Product Research approves all own brand products and the K-test kitchen develops and tests all related recipes.
– Consumers want trade operations to be increasingly transparent and reliable and product safety plays an increasingly important role. The accreditation is the best possible proof of the quality of our operations. In addition, it gives us the right to act as a self-control laboratory approved by the Finnish Food Safety Authority Evira by virtue of the Food Act, says Product Research Manager Matti Kalervo.
In 2008, Product Research tested approximately 9,400 samples and developed 860 recipes. Product Research has a staff of 22 professionals, including home economics teachers, research chemists and laboratory workers.
The accreditation defines the technical and operational competence which demonstrates the laboratory's ability to make reliable determinations. The evaluation of a laboratory's competence focuses on the qualifications of personnel, methods of analysis, traceability and comparability of operations, and the appropriateness of equipment and facilities.
A list of all ISO 17025 accredited laboratories is available at www.finas.fi
Further information:
Matti Kalervo, Product Research Manager, Kesko Food Ltd, tel. +358 50 306 4081
Kesko (www.kesko.fi) is a retail specialist whose stores offer quality to the daily lives of consumers. Kesko has about 2,000 stores engaged in chain operations inthe Nordic and Baltic countries, Russia, and Belarus. Kesko Food Ltd is a Kesko subsidiary.
