Record retention timelines
Not sure if this is where this should go, but it doesn't necessarily have much to do with food safety, but here it is:
As the title says I am currently in process of updating our company's Record Keeping Policy and was wanting some counsel regarding some record retention timelines. In particular, SQF related documents (i.e. traceability records, quality control, food safety, internal auditing, etc.). Any advise provided is appreciated, thanks.
Shelf life + 1 year for safety's sake is my recommendation
Double check FDA as you may need to keep them longer depending on what you're making
As a general practice, I completely agree with Scampi, but see the following requirements per regulations:
Check he following link per FDA (particularly Section III (B) ii : How long must the records be retained:
https://www.fda.gov/...n/ucm391329.htm
However, if you are dealing with Seafood, 21 CFR Part 123.9 (b) Record Retention states:
Record retention. (1) All records required by this part shall be retained at the processing facility or importer's place of business in the United States for at least 1 year after the date they were prepared in the case of refrigerated products and for at least 2 years after the date they were prepared in the case of frozen, preserved, or shelf-stable products.
IMO, SQF does not dictates the timeline, but advises the processor to follow the regulatory compliance.
Hello,
In the BRC and IFS norms I've also found: Shelf life + 12 months.
However, you need to look whether there are exceptions or practices that are specific to your section, extending the 12 month period.
Kind regards,
Gerard Heerkens
SQF code , Edition 8, 2.2.3, look for page 18 & 19 for Implementation Guidance, which states:
"There is no prescribed duration for retention of records. For some sites it may be prescribed by legislation, customer requirements or insurance coverage. Apart from those requirements, the general rule is to retain records for the commercial shelf-life of the product (i.e., the maximum time before consumption). However, for short shelf-life products, sites must retain records beyond the next recertification audit, as a minimum."
If you participate in the National Organic Program, the requirement is 5 years.