Presentation
QualimaC is a non-profit association that ensures the quality and feed safety of agri-food materials through different tools and control actions. Currently, QualimaC integrates manufacturers of compound feed, consumers of feed materials and also companies dedicated to the importation, supplying or putting into circulation of feed materials.
Sectoral controls represent another prevention and control tool, in addition to that carried out individually in each factory and an additional control to that determined by the legislation of the competent administrations. Furthermore, since 2002 QualimaC has been supported by the regional government of Catalonia, which gives greater value to the strategic importance of the control activity developed by the association.
History
The high rate of imported feed materials in the manufacture of compound feed in Catalonia led to the need to establish this organization to promote their quality and safety. Since its creation in 1996, QualimaC, a pioneer organization throughout Spain, was initially supported only by part of the manufacturing sector. It started promoting benchmarks on safety and quality issues through controls carried out at different supply points of the feed chain.
The first phase of control took place in the Port of Tarragona, which continues to occupy the first position of Spain in storage of agrifood products. Later, QualimaC's scope of activity was extended to feed material unloaded at the Port of Barcelona and also to feed materials from France and local crops. From year 2020, QualimaC develops its activity in the ports of the Valencia region too.
Goals
Provide the means for the suitable sampling and analysis of the feed materials, especially in those parameters that determine their safety.
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Disseminate among the members of the association all the objective and representative information on the actions carried out, specifically on what refers to the conditions of the feed materials.
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Promote different activities in order to discuss sectoral issues related to the quality and feed safety of raw materials.
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Perform the actions deemed necessary for the defense of the rights and legitimate interests of the Association and its members.
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Activities
QualimaC's activity is mainly focused on the management of the control operations in the two main catalan ports (Tarragona and Barcelona) and valencia's ports (Valencia and Castellón) and on the communication to the members of the association. More concretely:
- Information about the arrival of vessels loaded with feed materials.
- Management of the sampling and the corresponding analysis. QualimaC has a quality control plan that includes:
- Organoleptic controls
- Physicochemical controls
- Microbiological controls
- Specific controls for undesirable substances
- Pesticide Controls
- Communication of analytical results.
- Action in case of nonconformities.
- Warnings about logistical problems, incidents detected and other matters of interest.
In addition, QualimaC is in contact with homologous entities that perform sectoral controls of feed materials in other Spanish regions and in the rest of the world.