SQF System elements proficiency testing
Hello,
We are an airline catering company now planning for retail production and to get SQF certified. We are working on Edition 9 and have a question about System elements 2.4.4.2. Proficiency testing. " Where internal laboratories are used to conduct input, environmental, or product analyses, sampling and testing methods shall be in accordance with the applicable requirements of ISO/IEC 17025, including annual proficiency testing for staff conducting analyses."
We don't perform any micro or chemical analysis but all we do is ATP and EB testing in-house and we have a incubator away from the production in a room in which swabs are kept for EB testing. For proficiency testing do we come under the internal laboratory? What should we do for proficiency testing?
The guidance document for the clause is below. They have left everyone to fend for the selves on the meaning of "shall be in accordance with the applicable requirements of ISO/IEC 17025. In general if the test is CRITICAL to food safety, 17025 & proficiency testing is required. IMO ATP and EB don't meet their definition of critical for this clause.
This means that a site that conducts laboratory tests, critical to food safety, is required to verify the accuracy and reliability of the testing methods used on site through a proficiency test. The applicable proficiency tests are to be conducted annually, at a minimum. Proficiency testing is not about products but testing procedures. For example, tests critical to food safety such as Aw, pH, or pathogen testing use the same method across many different products. The table below helps to explain some of the common misperceptions of what is and is not proficiency testing.
When you do the testing do you have a dept. that is used specifically for and only testing or do you have a kit on hand that your company uses? if its a kit then that does not count as internal laboratories in my opinion.
For instance my company does the ambient air testing but since we don't have laboratories on site any kind testing like that gets sent off to a company. The way i view the elements in edition 9 is if the testing has any contact with the food ide send it off just to get the most efficient results and to cover yourself when your audit comes.
If you are not conducting enumeration testing in house for finished product, ingredient, or environmental testing then you are not required to do proficiency testing. I am assuming that you use an outside lab to conduct these tests, in which case the outside lab must do proficiency testing on it's lab personnel. Remember that the purpose of the Proficiency Testing is to demonstrate confidence in the results of the lab findings to the AOAC standards for each tests being performed (is the lab and equipment appropriate and staffed with qualified personnel).
Hello,
We are an airline catering company now planning for retail production and to get SQF certified. We are working on Edition 9 and have a question about System elements 2.4.4.2. Proficiency testing. " Where internal laboratories are used to conduct input, environmental, or product analyses, sampling and testing methods shall be in accordance with the applicable requirements of ISO/IEC 17025, including annual proficiency testing for staff conducting analyses."
We don't perform any micro or chemical analysis but all we do is ATP and EB testing in-house and we have a incubator away from the production in a room in which swabs are kept for EB testing. For proficiency testing do we come under the internal laboratory? What should we do for proficiency testing?
Hi surekha,
I assume EB = Enterobacteriaceae
I deduce you have a functioning microlab.
See this Post / thread -
Thank you all for the input. Appreciate it!