SOP for product trace SQF 2.6.2.1

Hello,

I am looking for an example of SOP for product trace to fulfill item 2.6.2.1 of SQF 9. I have a recall plan in place and an SOP for mock recall exercises. Would it be sufficient?

Thanks!

You actually need to test your program and perform a MOCK recall.

Select a specific product run, and trace all the ingredients back one step. You then need to track where the product went and whether or not you have the ability to get it back. There is a time frame you need to do this in and your shipping dept. must be in on this MOCK recall.

You should also document the steps that need to occur during a trace exercise, i.e. who performs the digital trace, who is physically confirming on hand inventory etc etc. an actual procedure that details the steps needed to trace properly

Hello,

I am in charge of our traceability program. We do a minimum of 2 a year. Though we do one for each item; ingredient, finished product, and packaging material. The FDA has a less than 4 hour trace so it is what we state in our SOP. 

I also have a cover page I created to have all the info on it, i.e. time start, time finish, product, lot, amount in question, amount found, and percentage found.  So it is all in one place - auditors like it. 

Please see attached example of a traceability SOP. Hopefully it is helpful for your purposes. 

Best of luck,  

We do a Mock recall and a traceability exercise each once a year. For our trace exercise we usually select a raw material that might be used for more than one product we then trace the raw material to every product and account for all of it. A mock recall usually involves a finished product choice that might be recalled, then we determine where it went (one up), how much is still on hand and the materials that went into it (one back).

To piggy back ride on this discussion, our recent SQF auditor gave me a comment that we are over doing our mock recall exercise. We are doing 1 for finished product, 1 for raw material and 1 for packaging material giving scenarios for each exercise (e.g. supplier is recalling XX raw material due to xxx... etc.), so therefore, i would say 3 mock recall exercises in a year.

He said we should just choose 1 finished product and trace where it went (forward) and what raw materials were used (back). I disagree with this, as he seemed to be saying this is how simple it should be - which is not.

Tracing forward is easy, but just knowing what raw materials were used is not enough, if my finished product say uses 20 raw materials in it, and these 20 raw materials are also used in my other finished products, then i should also include the other finished products on the mock recall and have mass balance of the 20 raw materials.

He said we are not wrong but we are doing it more than what the standard is asking... i just shook my head and chose my battle.

To piggy back ride on this discussion, our recent SQF auditor gave me a comment that we are over doing our mock recall exercise. We are doing 1 for finished product, 1 for raw material and 1 for packaging material giving scenarios for each exercise (e.g. supplier is recalling XX raw material due to xxx... etc.), so therefore, i would say 3 mock recall exercises in a year.

 

He said we should just choose 1 finished product and trace where it went (forward) and what raw materials were used (back). I disagree with this, as he seemed to be saying this is how simple it should be - which is not.

 

Tracing forward is easy, but just knowing what raw materials were used is not enough, if my finished product say uses 20 raw materials in it, and these 20 raw materials are also used in my other finished products, then i should also include the other finished products on the mock recall and have mass balance of the 20 raw materials.

 

He said we are not wrong but we are doing it more than what the standard is asking... i just shook my head and chose my battle.

What you are referring to is a trace exercise, being able to trace a (or several) raw material(s) to all related finished goods.

What you are referring to is a trace exercise, being able to trace a (or several) raw material(s) to all related finished goods.

I disagree, those are the steps in a mock recall, All the way back to the origin of ALL raw materials, plus out to all the customers

A traceability exercise (to quote SQF)

"Finished product is traceable at least one step forward to the customer and at least one step back from the process to the manufacturing supplier"

However majoy also has to demonstrate a mock recall has been performed not just to the SQF auditor, but to CFIA as well

CFIA says

"In general terms, "recall" refers to the removal of a food from further sale or use, or the correction of its label, at any point in the supply chain as a risk mitigation action."

"

In addition to the food directly affected, determine if:

• any other sizes, brands, or codes or unique identifiers of the same food are affected
• any other food is affected

If this is the case, include this food in your recall.

So the requirements are NOT the same and should not be confused

Majoy, as for SQF, the auditor may be correct, however you still need to demonstrate to CFIA that a MOCK recall has been performed