Technical & Policy Manual

We are committed to ensuring products produced by our suppliers are Safe, Legal and to the agreed Quality. The working conditions of the people at our suppliers and the ethics applied meet or exceed relevant standards.

All of our suppliers should ideally have BRC, IFS and Global Gap certification or equivalent, this information will be retained by our own technical management. All suppliers will be asked to complete a Supplier Self Audit Report every 2 years.

We will audit against our Le Lien Fish Manufacturing Standard, and the Le Lien specification.

We will give a copy of the non-conformance report to our suppliers and ask for it to be completed giving an estimated timescale for any action points which may have been raised.

We will also agree fully signed specifications.

In some circumstances, it will be necessary to make unannounced audits.

Le Lien Ltd is a Fish Importer and not a Producer, all products will be inspected on receipt at our final customer to ensure they are to the agreed specification.

Supplier Approval

For suppliers to Le Lien Ltd.

We always endeavour to source all of our farmed and wild fish and shellfish responsibly from well managed fisheries and sustainable resources.

We only supply the highest quality and freshest fish to our customers. We are establishing partnerships with suppliers who can maintain the highest industry standards and actively develop ways to improve fish welfare, quality and freshness.

Farmed fish are farmed and slaughtered to comply with all the relevant regulations. All non-compliance must be reported to Le Lien.

We give preference to farming organisations that can demonstrate global environmental management controls within the framework of an independently audited environmental control standard such as ISO 14001etc.

For more information, see individual specifications

Our Fish Manufacturing Standard sets out the requirements to which all suppliers must comply and for the Good Manufacturing Practice for food.

In no circumstance does compliance to the standard replace the need for compliance to relevant legal standards in the country of manufacture or the intended country of sale.

All suppliers to be EU / UK approved.

Legislation

All fish handling and production must conform to the relevant EC regulations for the hygiene of foodstuffs Regulation EC 852/2004, including regulations 178/2002, 882/2004, 2073/2005, 2074/2005, 853/2004, 854/2004, directives 2004/41/EC and 2002/99/EC, regulation 1169/2011(FIC). and all relevant up dates.

Traceability

All products must be fully traced back to each supplier and forward to each customer. We are committed to having good traceability and being transparent about our sourcing policies.   Lien Ltd always endeavours to source all of its farmed and wild fish and shellfish responsibly from well managed fisheries and sustainable resources.

Mass Balance

A mass balance must be available on all products if requested.

Sustainability Policy

We are members of the Sustainable Seafood Coalition and are committed to all their environmental claims like sustainably sourced
and responsibility sourced.

Tuna Environmental Policy

Under the strict management and observation of Le Lien’s company policies and procedures we will adhere thoroughly to all domestic and overseas laws, legislation and international treaties and will conduct ourselves in an ethical manner in accordance with social norms. We also seek all available advice and reputation from experts in the tuna industry for each individual boat from which we procure.

Histamine

Tuna have the potential to cause food poisoning from the build up of histamine in the flesh that is accelerated by temperatures above 5ºC.  The histamine is not affected by cooking so it is essential that Le Lien is not supplied with tuna containing histamine above 30ppm. The sample must be checked by an accurate rapid method and the batch of fish from each boat must be positively released.

Cooking

To conform to the UK Health Protection Agency recommendations and UK legislation.

As part of its commitment to the production of safe food, Le Lien requires all relevant suppliers to have carried out process validation work and implement robust process controls in order to demonstrate the safety of the process used.

Evaluation and validation of the process must be carried out, over a number of runs, to demonstrate that a cook of 70oC for 2 minutes, or equivalent, has been achieved in the coldest part of the product in order to ensure the destruction of any enteric pathogens e.g. Salmonella, E. coli or Listeria monocytogenes which may be present in the raw materials.

Modern Day Slavery, Human Trafficking & Ethical Trading

We are committed to driving out acts of modern day slavery from within our own business and from our supply chain We acknowledge our responsibility to the Modern Slavery act 2015 and will ensure transparency within our group and with our suppliers of fish, shellfish and fish products.

We have a close relationship with all our suppliers and the service they give us.

As part of Le Liens due diligence into slavery and humane trafficking, we have reviewed the controls taken at our suppliers.

We import fish, shellfish and fish products from sources both inside the EU, and outside, which have more risks for slavery and humane trafficking.

We are also aware that our farmed fish suppliers use feed which is sourced from across the world again where there are risks of slavery.

We do not support or deal with any business knowingly involved in Slavery or Human trafficking.

We recognise the Ethical Trading Initiative and are committed to ensure our suppliers are working to the rules and regulations regarding the internationally code of labour practices and local legislation in the country of production.

All of our suppliers must complete a copy of our Ethical Trading Audit which will be reviewed on a yearly basis. This policy will be reviewed annually and published.

Vulnerability Assessment

We are aware of the potential vulnerability of our products and buy from approved suppliers only.

Our suppliers have BRC or equivalent certification and our products are vigorously assessed before being packed off into sealed cartons. All cartons are sent out in sealed transport. All products can be traced back to the supplier and forward to our customers. Each product has its own individual specification which is agreed between us and the supplier.