What Is IFS Food Version 8?
IFS Food Version 8 is the current version of the IFS Food standard, used to audit food manufacturers' food safety and quality systems. It was published in April 2023. Audits started on 1 October 2023 and have been mandatory since 1 January 2024. IFS publishes a separate Doctrine document that clarifies how it applies.
What the April 2026 Doctrine Update Clarifies
The IFS Food Version 8 Doctrine is now at Version 5, published on 23 April 2026. IFS describes it as a document that "provides additional clarification to the IFS Food Standard". It is not a new version of the standard, so there is no "IFS Food 8.1". New or adapted rules apply "two (2) months after the publication of the relevant version, if not specified otherwise".
The Version 5 contents list marks these items:
| Item | Type | Who It Affects |
|---|---|---|
| Requirement 1.2.6 erratum and clarification | New | Sites audited against IFS Food |
| Situations where an audit is considered canceled (Part 1, 4.2.1) | Updated | Certification process |
| Training requirements for auditors and reviewers (Part 3, 2.6) | Updated | Certification bodies and auditors |
| When a new COID should be created (Part 4, 2.1) | Updated | Certification process |
| Clarification on the exceptional circumstances (Part 4, Chapter 4) | New | Certification process |
| Clarification on Food Safety Culture definition (Annex 12, Glossary) | New | Sites audited against IFS Food |
Version 5 marks six items as new or updated. The 1.2.6 erratum and the clarified Food Safety Culture definition affect sites directly. In its announcement, IFS says the definition "has been clarified and includes further elements that suppliers need to consider", so check your procedures and food safety culture plan against both. The limited exceptions that allowed IFS Food Version 7 audits after 1 January 2024 ended on 31 December 2024 (IFS Food Version 8 Doctrine, Version 5).
Main Requirement Areas
Part 2 of IFS Food Version 8 is organized into five chapters:
- Governance and commitment
- Food safety and quality management system
- Resource management
- Operational processes
- Measurements, analyses, improvements
Ten requirements are KO (knock out) requirements:
| KO | Clause | Topic |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1.2.1 | Governance and commitment |
| 2 | 2.3.9.1 | Monitoring system of each CCP |
| 3 | 3.2.2 | Personal hygiene |
| 4 | 4.1.3 | Customer agreement |
| 5 | 4.2.1.3 | Raw material specifications |
| 6 | 4.12.1 | Foreign material risk mitigation |
| 7 | 4.18.1 | Traceability |
| 8 | 5.1.1 | Internal audits |
| 9 | 5.9.1 | Procedures of recalls, withdrawals and incidents |
| 10 | 5.11.3 | Corrective actions |
Other clauses that often come up include complaints (5.8), traceability (4.18), allergen risk mitigation (4.19) and Food Defense (4.21). For recall and traceability testing, see our food product recall guide.
Preparing for Your Next Version 8 Audit
- Get the current standard and the April 2026 Doctrine (Version 5) from the IFS website.
- Run a gap analysis of your system against every requirement.
- Check how the Doctrine clarifications, especially the 1.2.6 erratum and the Food Safety Culture definition, affect your procedures.
- Update documents, train the people affected and keep records.
- Run an internal audit using the readiness checklist.
- Close nonconformances with root cause analysis and verified corrective action.
- Agree audit timing and scope with your certification body.
Supplier requirements feature throughout the standard; our supplier audit checklist can help.
IFS Food vs BRCGS Food Safety (Short Comparison)
IFS Food and BRCGS Food Safety are both standards for auditing food manufacturers, and many sites choose based on what their customers require. Which one suits you depends on your markets and customers.