Official Standards for the Production of Tequila.

por Ing. José Luis Blanco | Dec 22, 2021 5:01:34 PM

regulation standards tequila industry casa sauzaAs we all know, it is important to have standards in daily life and, in the same way, is just as important for companies to count on standards that will ensure the good quality of the products and services that are offered to the public.

What are the NOM and what are they used for?

NOM is an acronym for the Normas Oficiales Mexicanas, the Mexican Official Standards. It is a reference document made by the Technical Committees, which are integrated by representatives of all sectors involved, and approved by a competent authority in the matter.

They are the technical regulations that gather information, requirements, specifications, procedures, attributes, guidelines, characteristics or prescriptions applicable to a product, process, installation, system, activity, service or method of production or operation, as well as those related to terminology, symbology, packaging, marking or labeling and those that refer to compliance or application that are marketed in the country.

Authorities can verify and monitor that these regulations are met. This has a greatest relevance, since the NOMs would not do much good if their application was not monitored.

Standards are important tools for innovation and the increase of productivity. These standards promote the success of organizations and make customer's everyday life easier, safer and healthier.

Some of the Standards* that are required for the elaboration of tequila:

  • NOM-006-SCFI-2012 Alcoholic Beverages- Tequila-Specifications
  • NOM-002-SCFI Pre-packaged Products - Net Content, Tolerances and Verification Methods.
  • NOM-030-SCFI Commercial Information of Quantity in the Specifications Label.
  • NOM-251-SSA1-2009 Hygiene practices for the processing of food, beverages or food supplements.
  • NOM-142-SSA1 Goods and Services-Alcoholic Beverages Sanitary Specification-Sanitary and Commercial Labeling.
  • NOM-120-SSA1 Goods and Services-Hygiene Practices Health for the Process of Food, Non-Alcoholic and Alcoholic Beverages.
  • NOM-008-SCFI-2002 General System of Units of Measure.
  • NOM-113-SSA1-1994 Method for the Count of Coliform Microorganisms.
  • NOM-230-SSA1-2002 Waters for Human Consumption
  • NOM-013-SCFI-2004 Measuring Instruments-Gauges with Elastic Element-Specifications and Test Methods.
  • NOM-011-SCFI-2004 Measuring Instruments-Glass Liquid Thermometers For General Purpose-Specifications Test Methods.
  • NOM-127-SSA1-1994 Water Quality Limits for Use and Consumption

ISO Standards at Casa Sauza

What is ISO?

The technical committee is responsible for promoting the development of international standards, both of products and services, by means of the standardization of voluntary standards that are used in companies for a greater efficiency and economic profitability.

The ISO* standards applied in Casa Sauza have the following characteristics, based on the PDCA continuous improvement cycle (Plan, Do, Check, Act):

ISO 9001 – It determines the requirements for a Quality Management System, which promotes customer satisfaction and avoids the existence of non-conforming products or services.
ISO 14001 – An environmental management system that looks after the reduction of environmental accidents and of costs, by improving the efficiency of the different processes.
ISO 22000 – A food safety management system that contributes to the increase of food safety.
OHSAS 18001 – A work safety and health management system whose main benefit is the reduction of accidents and occupational diseases, as well as the satisfaction and motivation of employees.

Benefits of Adopting the Standards

In a very competitive business world, positioning yourself as an efficient and committed to quality company is increasingly more essential. Therefore, the greatest advantage of adopting these standards is the integration of good practices for the continuous improvement of processes.

Benefits Facing the Market

  • Increase in customer satisfaction.
  • Elimination of multiple audits.
  • Access to quality agreements with customers.

Benefits Facing Clients

  • Increase in customer satisfaction.
  • Elimination of multiple audits.
  • Access to quality agreements with customers.

Benefits For the Company

    • Serve as a mean to maintain and improve the effectiveness and adequacy of the quality management system, by highlighting points of improvement.
    • Build the foundations of quality management and encourage the company to enter a process of continuous improvement.
    • Increase the motivation and participation of staff, as well as improve the management of resources.

    In short, to have rules and regulations that monitor the quality of a service or product, benefit both the company and customers. In the end, a company that works for its continuous improvement, will always make better products and by doing so, it will keep its customers satisfied, since they will be able to trust that the product or service they have in their hands, is a guaranteed quality product or service.

    Seeking for continuous improvement, Casa Sauza works for the constant modernization of its production processes in order to offer its consumers the purest tequila in the market, one that is closest to the agave notes. If you want to know more about our production processes, we invite you to come to Casa Sauza and take one of our guided tours of the plant.

  • * The NOM standards were looked up the Federation Official Gazette, and the ISO information at the ISO Standards catalog

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