Jump to content

  • Quick Navigation
Photo

Required Competencies for an Individual Approving Suppliers

Share this

  • You cannot start a new topic
  • Please log in to reply
6 replies to this topic

tcoffin

    Grade - Active

  • IFSQN Active
  • 1 posts
  • 0 thanks
0
Neutral

  • United States
    United States

Posted 07 November 2018 - 12:24 AM

Hi - I was curious to know what background and/or certification programs do you require for the person responsible for reviewing and approving suppliers? What are the best resources for reviewing suppliers with claims (e.g. certified organics). 



Charles.C

    Grade - FIFSQN

  • IFSQN Moderator
  • 20,542 posts
  • 5662 thanks
1,544
Excellent

  • Earth
    Earth
  • Gender:Male
  • Interests:SF
    TV
    Movies

Posted 07 November 2018 - 03:15 AM

Hi - I was curious to know what background and/or certification programs do you require for the person responsible for reviewing and approving suppliers? What are the best resources for reviewing suppliers with claims (e.g. certified organics). 

 

Not quite sure whether OP wanted a specific answer for "certified organics" ??? (not sure exactly what "certified organics" means also ???).

 

Generically the answer probably depends on who the person is and what type of item he/she is approving.

 

If you mean from an official auditorial POV the auditor's "qualifications" are IIRC quite well defined. At least in theory anyway.

 

Perhaps the query could be clarified/narrowed a little ?


Kind Regards,

 

Charles.C


Scampi

    Fellow

  • IFSQN Fellow
  • 5,444 posts
  • 1507 thanks
1,524
Excellent

  • Canada
    Canada
  • Gender:Not Telling

Posted 08 November 2018 - 08:54 PM

Perhaps I can help

 

We produce traditional and certified organic products and as such I have to ensure that we are sourcing the right material from the right vendor

 

I have 2 separate binders one organic, one traditional...........all of the usual requirements apply to both, but I also have to ensure that the organic vendors have up to date certificates that can be corroborated.

 

I have ZERO certifies to manage ingredient sourcing with the exception of my 20+ years in food in various capacities

 

Most GFSI have a requirement for the person in charge of the program so if that person is also managing supplier APPROVALS then all should be good in the eyes of an auditor

NOTE: in a large company QA will only be a rung in the ladder of approvals and you MAY be out voted 


Please stop referring to me as Sir/sirs


Scampi

    Fellow

  • IFSQN Fellow
  • 5,444 posts
  • 1507 thanks
1,524
Excellent

  • Canada
    Canada
  • Gender:Not Telling

Posted 08 November 2018 - 08:57 PM

Not quite sure whether OP wanted a specific answer for "certified organics" ??? (not sure exactly what "certified organics" means also ???).

 

 

Charles, certified organics are product which have been approved by a certifying body to have met that nations standards for organic production and said products then carry a mark of certification on the labels

 

COR in Canada

USDA Organic in the USA

 

japan and the EU also have a program in place for certification............you must submit a very involved amount of documentation to prove from whence your raw ingredients came


Please stop referring to me as Sir/sirs


Thanked by 1 Member:

mgourley

    Grade - FIFSQN

  • IFSQN Fellow
  • 1,403 posts
  • 997 thanks
274
Excellent

  • United States
    United States
  • Gender:Male
  • Location:Plant City, FL
  • Interests:Cooking, golf, firearms, food safety and sanitation.

Posted 08 November 2018 - 10:57 PM

As with most things "supplier approval", it all depends on the documents provided by the supplier. As the PCQI at my facility, I have to RA and HA all of the ingredients and suppliers that we use.
I have no specific training in "Organic" ingredients, but I can determine if the supplier has the appropriate documentation that says they are "certified" to whatever organic standard there is.

If they provide that cert, and an Organic System Plan Summary, they are good to go as far as I am concerned.

 

Marshall



Charles.C

    Grade - FIFSQN

  • IFSQN Moderator
  • 20,542 posts
  • 5662 thanks
1,544
Excellent

  • Earth
    Earth
  • Gender:Male
  • Interests:SF
    TV
    Movies

Posted 11 November 2018 - 05:38 AM

Hi tcoffin,

 

Hopefully  the above answered yr query ?

 

If not, please elaborate a little more.


Kind Regards,

 

Charles.C


noahchris97

    Grade - MIFSQN

  • IFSQN Member
  • 59 posts
  • 5 thanks
3
Neutral

  • United States
    United States
  • Gender:Male
  • Location:Buffalo, NY
  • Interests:Classic/ Vintage coin-op restorer of pinballs & juke boxes.
    Model ship builder.

Posted 28 November 2018 - 06:07 PM

tcoffin,

             As I learned from a previous bout with an auditor about PCQI. Auditor said certification was needed to be PCQI. Through the help / guidance from FDA web site and by the guidance of the individuals here om IFSQN it basically is not true and what it all comes down to is experience and that you have the competency to maintain, update, implement, audit the SQF System..  I have listed below the exact information I submitted to the auditor in my bout about being certified & not have to being certified. Again if you have the experience, the knowledge and the understanding and it shows in your work. You will be fine.  

 

 

 

 

The following are questions and answers related to the Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA).

PC.5 What is a preventive controls qualified individual?

This is a new term in the final rule. A preventive controls qualified individual is someone who has successfully completed certain training in the development and application of risk-based preventive controls or is otherwise qualified through job experience to develop and apply a food safety system. The written food safety plan required of food facilities must be prepared, or its preparation overseen, by one or more preventive controls qualified individuals. And the preventive controls qualified individual is charged with overseeing the validation that preventive controls are capable of controlling identified hazards and the records review. 

PC.6 Do I need to employ a preventive controls qualified individual (PCQI)?

The preventive controls for human food rule creates new requirements for covered domestic and foreign facilities producing human food to develop and implement a food safety plan based on hazard analysis and risk-based preventive controls. In general, the rule applies to facilities that have to register under section 415 of the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act (FD&C Act). However, there are a number of exemptions and modified requirements that may apply (see 21 CFR 117.5 for exemptions that may apply to your facility).

If no exemptions apply to you, then you are required to have a PCQI develop and implement your facility’s food safety plan. A PCQI is a qualified individual who has successfully completed training in the development and application of risk-based preventive controls at least equivalent to that received under a standardized curriculum recognized as adequate by FDA or be otherwise qualified through job experience to develop and apply a food safety system. Job experience may qualify an individual to perform these functions if such experience has provided an individual with knowledge at least equivalent to that provided through the standardized curriculum.

PC.7 How does a PCQI demonstrate that he or she is qualified to serve as a PCQI?

The preventive controls for human food final rule specifies that a PCQI is a qualified individual who has successfully completed training in the development and application of risk-based preventive controls at least equivalent to that received under a standardized curriculum recognized as adequate by FDA or be otherwise qualified through job experience to develop and apply a food safety system. Job experience may qualify an individual to perform these functions if such experience has provided an individual with knowledge at least equivalent to that provided through the standardized curriculum.

However, the rule does not require any specific certifications, including certification by the Food Safety Preventive Controls Alliance (FSPCA). An individual may voluntarily choose to attend the PCQI training provided through the FSPCA, but this is not mandatory. In general, FDA will assess the adequacy of a facility’s food safety plan rather than an individual’s documented qualifications. Deficiencies in the food safety plan indicate that a PCQI may need additional training specific to the rule, irrespective of documented training and experience.

PC.8 I have many food safety certifications (HACCP, GFSI, SQF, BRC, etc). Do I still need to take the PCQI training from the FSPCA?

The preventive controls for human food rule specifies that a PCQI is a qualified individual who has successfully completed training in the development and application of risk-based preventive controls at least equivalent to that received under a standardized curriculum recognized as adequate by FDA or be otherwise qualified through job experience to develop and apply a food safety system. Job experience may qualify an individual to perform these functions if such experience has provided an individual with knowledge at least equivalent to that provided through the standardized curriculum.

There are some differences in the requirements of the CGMP & PC rule compared to the requirements of HACCP regulations and other preventive-based food safety programs such that the training provided by the International HACCP Alliance/GFSI/SQF/BRC etc or other institutions might not be equivalent. Such an individual may need additional training specific to the CGMP & PC rule. However, the CGMP & PC rule does not require any specific certifications, including certification by the FSPCA. In general, FDA will assess the adequacy of a facility’s food safety plan rather than an individual’s documented qualifications. Deficiencies in the food safety plan indicate that a PCQI may need additional training specific to the rule, irrespective of documented training and experience.

PC.9 I have worked as a food safety manager for a very long time. Do I need to take PCQI training, or does my job experience satisfy the requirements to be a PCQI?

The preventive controls for human food final rule specifies that a PCQI is a qualified individual who has successfully completed training in the development and application of risk-based preventive controls at least equivalent to that received under a standardized curriculum recognized as adequate by FDA or be otherwise qualified through job experience to develop and apply a food safety system. Job experience may qualify an individual to perform these functions if such experience has provided an individual with knowledge at least equivalent to that provided through the standardized curriculum.

In general, FDA will assess the adequacy of a facility’s food safety plan rather than an individual’s documented qualifications. Deficiencies in the food safety plan indicate that a PCQI may need additional training specific to the rule, irrespective of documented training and experience.





Share this


Also tagged with one or more of these keywords: supplierapproval, experienceneeded, sqf, sqfsupplierapproval

0 user(s) are reading this topic

0 members, 0 guests, 0 anonymous users