SQF Ed. 8 2.5.4.2
Good morning, all!
I am going through the SQF edition 8 to see what changes I have to make, and I came across something that has me stumped.
2.5.4.2 On-site personnel that conduct environmental or product testing shall participate in an applicable proficiency testing program at least annually to ensure accuracy of results.
I cannot find any sort of proficiency testing programs at all. Can anyone help me out here?
Also, if it helps, here is some information about us:
Manufacturer of raw sausage used in foodservice applications.
We are located in the mid-atlantic region of the US.
I would prefer to do online training that I am able to do here at the plant instead of having to do any travelling (we are a very small company and I am the only person in the QA department).
Please let me know if anyone can help. I have tried searching this forum and google but I haven't been able to find anything.
Thanks in advance!
If you're doing any sort of pathogen testing to determine safety or release, AOAC has a robust program that you can conduct annually. http://www.aoac.org/...e9-e8271e578fd0
I believe this is referring to samples supplied to you from a regulatory agency. The samples have known results and are used by any one in quality to ensure their proficiency for the testing methods. My previous place of employment, we were a dairy facility, so yearly the state would supply samples (of know results) to test the proficiency of our quality folks for milk testing.
I will tell you how we did it in our plant. We have two people that conduct environmental swabbing. Both conducted their routine swabbing and took an additional swab at each location. One set of samples was read in house and the other was sent to a third party lab. Results were compared to establish proficiency.
I will tell you how we did it in our plant. We have two people that conduct environmental swabbing. Both conducted their routine swabbing and took an additional swab at each location. One set of samples was read in house and the other was sent to a third party lab. Results were compared to establish proficiency.
This can also work depending on what you use your testing for. I urge you that if you're testing your product for pathogens to participate in an actual blind testing program, however the SQF guidance supports the approach above.
11.8.1 implementation guidance
It is not necessary for the internal laboratory to be accredited to ISO 17025 or equivalent; this is required in the Code for only external laboratories (refer to 2.5.6.1.iv); however the testing methods used must be justified and proficiency against an accredited laboratory is recommended to validate the testing methods. Laboratory waste must be labeled, stored and disposed of separately from food waste. This applies to contained waste and waste flushed to drain.
2.5.4 Implementation Guidance
If an internal or company laboratory is used, test methods should be checked against an accredited external laboratory at least once per year.
Since we do no pathogen testing in my plant, we verify the various indicator tests by sending duplicate samples to an accredited laboratory and making sure we're hitting in the same ballpark as them on the same sample.
I'm going to jump in here and ask a follow-up question: What if a lab is testing product attributes, not organisms, and so an outside lab isn't really a relevant way to validate? Ideas on how proficiency might be validated using in-house resources?
Another way to check proficiency of in house personnel would be to verify that the process is being performed as per the SOP. You attach a copy of the SOP to the verification record. This should suffice only if you lab work is performed as per standard accredited lab procedures for any given analysis