Timing of product recall for a very perishable product

Hello everyone,
I have a doubt regarding mock recalls. We sell shell eggs only for distribution centers not the final consumer. When conducting a mock for a very perishable product (4 weeks) in wich stage should you conduct the mock?

ie. if the product was shipped 3 days after manufacuring and expires in 30 days, 15 days after the manufacturing the client will not have any amount in storage. You will be able to identify the clients the product was sent to, but not be able to do a recall in case of a real scenario.
Is this important? or if I prove the ability to identifying the products is enough?
Should I stablish a condition of doing the mock only for products of 5 days old for example?
I thought about talking to clients and asked them the average of time the have the product in storage and conduct the mock in those conditions.
How do you normally do it?

Dear guillenclau,

 

It might relate to yr specific situation / interpretation of "mock recall"  but I believe this is the first post on this forum  to associate mock recall with shelf life. :smile:

 

The typical maximum time allowed for completion of a mock recall experiment is a few hours. The typical objective of the experiment is to show that in the event of some "catastrophe" being discovered concerning a shipped lot which necessitates a total recall, an appropriately robust, documented  procedure exists and can be rapidly implemented (eg regarding personnel, inventory, actions, etc) within a defined time frame.

 

This may also include traceability factors in a generic sense but "traceability" often has a separate interpretation in its own right. However  different locations / standards may differ.

 

Rgds / Charles.C

 

PS - added later

 

Apologies, i missed the word "distribution" on first read.

 

With regard to yr distribution chain, IMEX the precise answer can depend on interpretation /  actual scenario. For example if the intermediate storage is controlled by a sister Company, it is sometimes expected to demonstrate that further tracking is achievable  as would be the general real requirement. This situation can create some logistical problems if, for example, different countries are involved but I doubt such subtleties occur for yr product ?. :smile:

 

However, if the product is no longer within your “control” after first stop  then the mock recall typically ends there from yr POV. (Analogous to “traceability” exercises where one step forward / back is usually expected.)

Thanks Charles. I know that all documents about recall and mock recalls give a limit of time for the excercise, that was not the question. I wanted to know if their something in particular to take in account when it is a product with a short shelf life.
So if I identify the product quickly but the product identified is not longer in my deposit or the client's, that is acceptable. I should probably work with clients to make sure their traceability/identification conditions are adecuate.

It would depend on your scenario.

 

If you were to use a micro issue as your scenario, then you would need to wait until DOP + length that it takes test to be done. Say Salmonella, 3 day test so DOP +3/4 days.

 

Quality issue could be done at any time. A labelling issue (or weight issue) could also be done fair early on.

 

Don't leave it too late after production, or you run the risk of having to ask your distributor to provide information as to where they have sent the eggs to, and that is a different ball game

 

Product Recall is different to a traceability exercise. There is no time constraint, but you must document ALL timings. The last one I did, I did over a few days and the BRC accepted that (as did TESCO PIU)

 

 

Caz