Product Inspection and Release
Hi everyone, we are a small bakery manufacturing tart shells, frozen RTE custard filled tarts and cakes. I am writing procedure for our product inspection and release for our initial SQF audit. We do not test for any of our finished products as we rely heavily on our supplier and processes and none of our customers require us to issue a CoA or do any micro testing. I am not sure if it is mandatory to do micro test for finished product or it could lead to a major non-conformance in our upcoming audit. Are inspecting product label (i.e. ingredient list, allergen, product lot code) and reviewing production records (based on food safety plans) would be sufficient for me to release products? I would appreciate any input from you guys, thank you.
There's nothing wrong with a document review for release. And No you don't have to perform micro to satisfy SQF
But the label isn't sufficient. You should review all of the batch records for the lot that is shipping to ensure everything was made as per procedure as part of your process as well
Thank you Scampi for the clarification!
Our company only document one lot code for all the batches made on a single production day. I will make sure to include production records review including the label which Ive been doing into our SOP. Do I need to mention positive release or release in the procedure after I review all the docs?
I have a log that I use to document that products have passed QCs and are approved for release. It might be a good idea to list products produced and checkoff that those products have been released based on your document review.
I am the only QA/QC and the main SQF Practitioner while our Plant Manager is the back-up. We have very limited personnel at our facility where we do not have QA/QC personnel monitoring all the CCP or preventive control and I have to do most of the work. However, as the main SQF Practitioner, I am responsible for verifying all the records and releasing the finished products and I cannot verify my own work. Our Production Supervisor does not have much education nor the time to conduct some of the activities since she is helping the production (our products are very labor intensive). Now I have troubles assigning personnel to do the necessary monitoring activities and product inspection (visual inspection) for finished product since I have to review the records and release them.
Oh dear
So generally speaking, in your situation the owners and plant manager need to fully understand the management commitment piece that comes along with SQF. They NEED to dedicate a QC tech, it's a simple fix
If they won't, you tell them they won't pass the next audit because you cannot verify your own work, which means you WILL NOT be releasing product for sale
You're going to need broad shoulders, thick skin and the ability to ask for forgiveness instead of permission
Hi Scampi,
I know that we are in need of a QA tech especially since they just have a new big account soon. I literally just told the plant manager and he said that we are gonna have to train our line personnel to do all the monitoring activities. They do not want to give title to personnel to be in charge in certain processing line (ex: packaging lead) because they would have to raise their minimum wages and the line operators are definitely not competent to do activities such as accuracy check or checking internal product temp and etc. I was told that we cannot hire someone to do the QA stuff without making profit but they have no problem hiring new staff for the new product line. The only option I have right now is to try to use our internal resources and train the people to do it.
Try to keep the forms as simple as you can in the beginning. You could also add an example line in red of what a completed line looks like. Also, use headers and footers to put reference notes in
Does the plant manager fully understand that you can't check your own work? Sometimes a cost benefit analysis works to open up the minds of bosses to the value of additional QC staff
Best of luck