SQF 2.4.5.4 Supplier level of risk rating

I was wondering if this could work. I just need some input on my logical or thinking. I recently had an audit and received a minor for not assigning a level of risk to the supplier. So I was wondering if this specification can work for a supplier level of risk:

• High level risk - Unprocessed ingredient/product contact supplier (temp sensitive, high microbiology risk, product contact materials)
• Med level risk - Unprocessed Ingredient supplier (room temp, low microbiology risk)
• Low level Risk - Processed Ingredient/secondary packaging supplier (we have a kill step) example pasteurized milk

We are a cheese processing plant which means all of ingredients are added after our kill step for the pasteurization of milk, which is why I consider raw milk a low risk. On our HACCP plan raw milk is considered a high risk ingredient, but this code is referring to the supplier not the ingredient. I was just wondering if my way of thinking is correct.

Thanks for the your help,

Dear,

For your raw materials risk classifications, I would like to add some nuances to your specification to get better results:

• You have to look to it independently of your suppliers
• Consider the possibilities of microbiological growth (high growth possibilities = High risk)
• Consider the intrinsic food safety hazards of the raw materials (residues of antibiotics in milk for example)
• Do your study without looking to already existing control methods, otherwise it will trouble your vision

Kind regards,

Gerard Heerkens

You need to assess the risk of the supplier and the raw material.  We simply use high and low for both based on various factors others have posted.

Please see attached file.

I do the risk assessment base on the customer complains. Like You mentioned i have in my risk assessment low, medium and high risk, and i give the star rating to each supplier.

See attached file and You will see what im talking about. SQF Auditor seen it and he accept it.

I hope it will help.

Thanks

Thanks for all the help.

But I have gone the route with assessing each supplier by all documents they are providing. We require as 10 items and just broke it down by quantity of material provided (SQ, 3rd party audit, pure food guarantee, specification sheet, HACCP plan, Certificate of Origin, GMO statement, Kosher Certificate and Certificate of liability). So I went with a low, med, and high rating. And when I do my annual review of the supplier risk level can drop due to them having complaints, COA not being on time, plus deliveries.

2.4.5.4  The  approved  supplier  program  shall  be

based  on  the  prior  performance  of  a  supplier  and

the  risk  level  of  the  raw  materials  ingredients,

packaging  materials,  and  services  supplied,

etc

 

Perhaps there is varying interpretation in some previous posts between terms like  "Risk Assessment", "Risk level", "Risk rating" and "Performance".

Probably advisable to reference the specific clause within 2.4.5.4 which is being addressed.

Hello, I am preparing a risk assesement for distributor/trader who deals with dietary supplement raw materials like herbal powders , extracts , vitamin powders ,enzyme powders etc, What factors or parameters should i include in low level risk ,medium level and high risk?