Additional requirement: control of forbidden substances

Hi everyone,

I would like to know what's your experience with this additional requirement:  

"2.5.1 c) The organization shall have a policy for the procurement of animals, fish and seafood that are subject to control of prohibited substances (eg. pharmaceuticas, veterinary medicines, heavy metals and pesticides); "

It is enough if  you ask to your supplier according to a risk based frequency for the analytical test that they perform on the products they supply? Or you have to do the analyses by yourself? 

Thank you very much!

Cristina.

Hi Cristina. We're not meat processors, but in our dairy manufacturing industry we're requiring our suppliers of milk perform tests for antibiotics residue in milk. We've never done it ourselves. (We're FSSC22000 certified for 10+ years) So, I assume you can request your suppliers to do the tests - provided that your country regulations don't require otherwise.

In Canada, CFIA is responsible for the testing (as per their schedule) for medication residues

BUT the processor is required to have documentation from the grower/farmer about the general health of the flock/herd including what medications were used, and that the feed withdrawl (most meds are feed additions) times as prescribed by a vet were followed

My suggestion is you do some research on what the country you're getting the meat from, policies are regarding food animals and testing, and go from there

There are quite a few animal medications out there that do not metabolize and WILL show up in the meat and CAN cause harm to humans.  Generally speaking, this is a highly controlled process 

Thank you both for your answers,

I'll start by asking them for their tests.

They may not have them  FYI

In Canada, you only get a report back if the found something

Hola Cristina :)

Pls look that the FSSC22000 std only requires a "policy". Guidance from my CB is: "Where animals, fish and seafood are procured that are subject to control of prohibited substances (e.g. pharmaceuticals, veterinary medicines heavy metals and pesticides), describe how the organization has included this in their supplier approval process and the controls established"

Then, if your risk assessment determine that the site shall be responsible for the tests (due to the reasons analyzed in the RA, i.e: poor supplier ranking); then, the site shall do the tests.

I mean: the documental RA of the Company shall be followed, and the tests will be done as per that corresponding RA, that, of course, will be annually reviewed or more often if significative changes occur within that year period

I hope to have clear it for you...

best regards,

Leila

Thank you all for your feedback!

I agree the RA is really important to differenciate between GFSI certified suppliers and "the others"...