Extent of Product Traceability to Satisfy BRC?
Up to what extent do we need to have the traceability system if we are going to obtain BRc Food safety certificate, because currently our traceability system is established up to the batch only?
Well not exactly sure what you mean by batch level but with my experiance in BRC and SQF you need to be able to know what ingredient went into a preticular batch (lot numbers, amounts, where they came from, amout you receieved), you will need lot numbers of all packaging your product went into and finally total volume of that product that when to what customers.
If something happened with your product can you get every package back from your customer?
If your ingredient supplier called and said their stuff was to recalled can you figure what you made with it?
If your packaging supplier called and said thier material was contaminated do you know what you packed it that material?
Here in the states we typically have 4 hours to complete this and have to have 99.5% to 104% of our product recieved in that time frame. You also conduct the "mock" recall at least 2 times a year and be sure to go from your product to the customer and from your product back to the ingrediant.
Hope this helps
G
1 step forward and 1 step back... so be able to trace from Supplier through to finished product and onto the customer ( not necessarily the consumer if you don't supply directly to them).
As gf said, test this traceability at least annually and do a mock recall at least annually. ( If I suggested twice a year to my clients they would have an attack of the vapours).
Trace tests on each product from goods inwards through to dispatch and from dispatch back to goods inwards, so two tests per products.
In my world this means 3 lines certified to BRC = 6 trace tests
Here in the states we typically have 4 hours to complete this and have to have 99.5% to 104% of our product recieved in that time frame. You also conduct the "mock" recall at least 2 times a year and be sure to go from your product to the customer and from your product back to the ingrediant.
Hope this helps
G
BRC Guidance 3.9.2:
The test of traceability should be timed and full traceability would be expected to be achieved within 4 hours. This is to reflect the need for rapid traceability in the event of a recall. Where traceability takes longer than 4 hours, areas where the retrieval of information is slow should be reviewed to identify improvements.
The tests must also include a quantity check or mass balance. It is not expected that the full mass balance test would always be achievable within 4 hours.
Regards,
Tony
Trace tests on each product from goods inwards through to dispatch and from dispatch back to goods inwards, so two tests per products.In my world this means 3 lines certified to BRC = 6 trace tests
BRC 3.9.2:
The site shall test the traceability system across the range of product groups to ensure traceability can be determined from raw material including primary packaging to finished product and vice versa, including quantity check/mass balance.
Regards,
Tony