Food Safety and Security

The Ajinomoto Group applies its own quality assurance system, the Ajinomoto System of Quality Assurance (ASQUA), to all of its
products and services. The Group is committed to providing product safety and quality by conducting strict quality assurance
from raw material procurement to product sales.

Quality assurance system of the Ajinomoto Group

■ Ajinomoto System of Quality Assurance (ASQUA)

Established in 1997, ASQUA is the Ajinomoto Group’s own quality assurance system. ■ ASQUA framework
Its core content is based on ISO 9001, the international quality management system
standard, and supplemented by manufacturing management standards such as
ASQUA
Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points (HACCP)［1］, and Good Manufacturing
Practices (GMPs).［2］ The system is also administered under the Quality Policies, Quality Rules and requirements
of the Ajinomoto Group
Assurance Regulations, Regulation for Quality Assurance, Quality Standards, and other
rules and requirements established by the Group or each internal organization. With
ASQUA, the Group carries out thorough quality assurance activities worldwide, from Manufacturing management standards
the procurement of raw materials to the sale of products, always pursuing even higher HACCP GMPs
quality manufacturing. Customer requests and expectations are also promptly utilized
to improve products, services, and business operations. The international quality
management system standard
The Quality Assurance Regulations were revised in fiscal 2016 with the aim of ISO 9001

further strengthening global governance on quality assurance. The establishment

of an ASQUA-based quality assurance system has also started in the major Turkish
food company Örgen Gıda Sanayi ve Ticaret A.Ş., which recently joined the Ajinomoto
Group through M&A.
Conforming to ASQUA will continue to be a priority in the future.

［1］Management standards for manufacturing foods in a safe and sanitary manner.

［2］Standards relating to manufacturing management.

■ Ajinomoto Group’s Quality Standards

In ASQUA, the Ajinomoto Group established its own standards and strictly enforces ■ ASQUA components
these standards to ensure that products maintain the level of quality expected of the
Ajinomoto Group brand. Common
compliance
The quality standards comprise 28 different standards that cover various aspects of rules of
the Ajinomoto Quality
raw material purchasing, manufacturing, quality assessment, storage and transport, Group Policies

product sales, and customer services, with new regulations and revisions introduced
to match group and social goals. The Standard for Quality Assessment was revised in Quality Assurance
Regulations
fiscal 2016.
Regulation for
Quality Assurance
(ISO 9001 and
the Ajinomoto Group’s requirements)
Ajinomoto Group’s Quality Standards (examples from among the 28 standards)
Quality Standards
(a total of 28 standards including
HACCP and GMPs)
Standard for Quality Standard for Food GMP Standard for Food Defense［5］
Assessment GMP Standard for Pharmaceutical Standard for Traceability Separate standards and
guidelines of each group company, division, and factory
Standard for Educational Drug Products Standard for Handling of “Voice (various procedures, product standards and other documents)
Training on Quality Standard for HACCP of Customer”
Standard for Halal［3］Control Standard for Quality Control of Standard for Management of
Standard for Kosher［4］Control Subcontracted and Procured Warehouses
Standard for Product Labeling Products

Standard for Quality Control of
Raw Ingredients
Standard for Safety and
Sanitation of Food Packaging
Materials
Standard for Responding to ［3］Foods permissible to eat under Islamic dietary
Complaints restrictions.
Standard for Determination ［4］Foods permissible to eat under Jewish dietary
restrictions.
of Responding to Quality
［5］Measures to prevent deliberate tampering with
Emergencies
products. Monitoring is carried out at every stage from
raw material procurement to product sales.

Ajinomoto Group Sustainability Data Book 2017 Consumer Issues 119

 Food Safety and Security

■ Organizational framework for

■ Organizational framework for ASQUA implementation
ASQUA implementation
The Quality Assurance Committee attended by senior management is the highest Ajinomoto Group

organ for quality assurance in the Ajinomoto Group. The Committee considers Management
Committee Requests,
complaints

customer feedback to draft its basic policies and plans, and after approval by the Quality assurance regulations, policies
and targets of the Ajinomoto Group

Ajinomoto Co., Inc.

Secretariat: Quality
Management Committee, promotes their group-wide implementation. The status is Quality Assurance Dept.
Ajinomoto Co., Inc.
Assurance
Committee

Customers
reviewed by the Committee every six months. Thorough
implementation of
Products,
Quality audit Quality Quality Standards services,
assessment
This framework ensures that everyone, from top management to frontline employees,
information,
etc.

maintains a strong awareness of product quality and a total commitment to providing Factories Labs
Product
control Sales
divisions branches

safe and high-quality products that are worthy of consumer trust.

All affiliated companies All affiliated companies

Initiatives in fiscal 2016 and beyond

製造設備等 ルール
● 品質保証カメラ ● 持ち込み物管理
The 2014–2016 Ajinomoto Group Medium-Term Plan for Quality Assurance, continuing ■ D出入口セキュ
● iagram of food safety
リティ 薬剤管理 assur- ●

from previous years, sets out three guidelines:“Keep faith with customers,” “Fulfill ●
ance
作業服 concept 製造ゾーン内の ●

施錠　等 　アクセス制限
customers’expectations,”and“Aim for adequate management.”Based on these, new
●

● トレーサビリティ
objectives were set, including:“Strengthen the food safety system,”“Prevent health Manufacturing ● Rules
原材料の品質管理基準
damage,”and“Utilize the voice of the customer to offer products with new value equipment
品質保証カメ ラ
● 製造委託品・購入品の
•Quality assurance cameras •Management of
and appeal.”As the final year of the medium-term plan, the following initiatives were 　品質管理基準
personal belongings
•Entrance/exit security
•Management
● 保管・輸送管理基準　 of 等
undertaken globally in fiscal 2016. •Work clothes ポケットレスの hazardous materials
•Locks, etc. 工場作業服 •Restrictions on access
工場出入口の
to manufacturing zones
セキュリティ
•Traceability
■ Structural enhancement to guarantee food safety •Standard for Quality
Quality
Control of Ingredients
•Standard for Quality
In December 2013, a frozen food product produced by another company in Japan assurance camera
Control of Subcontracted
was found to be contaminated with pesticide. Following this incident, the Ajinomoto Work clothes
and Procured Products
•Standard for Preservation
Group has been working to minimize the risk of intentional product tampering across Factory
without
pockets and Transportation of
entrance/exit security Products
the Group’s worldwide supply chain, aiming to deliver even more reliable products to
ハード ソフト
customers. As shown in the diagram, measures include fostering a good organizational
culture based on trusting relationships with employees, and revising and strengthening
hardware elements such as manufacturing equipment and software elements such as 良好な職場風土
Hardware Software

quality standards and guidelines. The Ajinomoto Group aims to largely complete the Good Organizational Culture
implementation of these measures in Japanese factories by the end of fiscal 2016, and
group-wide by the end of fiscal 2017.

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