1 reply to this topic

[RajaBD]

Hello there,

Costco recently updated its guideline regarding foreign material in food safety audits (page 18 -19). In our process, 

After mixing all fours, the product is passed through a screen and then the finished product is passed through a metal detector. Does it meet the requirements of the audit? Please can you advise?

Thank you.

 

 

All manufacturing operations must have a properly installed and calibrated X-ray detection device for

finished product, except in the following circumstances:

● Product texture, density, or chemical composition is such that it limits the performance of

the X-ray technology to an unacceptable level. These operations will be required to have a

metal detector installed as well as a letter from a subject matter expert confirming that Xray

is not applicable.

● Shell Eggs, whole raw agricultural commodities, whole roasted coffee beans, whole muscle

meats, and packaging products will be exempt from the X-ray requirement. The operation

will need to maintain current good manufacturing practices and prerequisite programs to

mitigate foreign material contamination.

● Operations that utilize a physical barrier (e.g. screen, filter, sieve) that's appropriately sized

and placed will be exempt from the X-ray device requirement. The operation will need to

conduct integrity checks at a defined frequency, and maintain current good manufacturing

practices and prerequisite programs to mitigate foreign material 

 

 

Attached Files

•  Food Safety & Quality Audit Expectations EFF 4-1-23.pdf   556.67KB   30 downloads

[SHQuality]

It doesn't look like your procedure meets the requirements as you have a metal detector instead of the X-ray detector Costco requires.

 

You might be able to argue the screen takes out any non-metal foreign bodies if it is small enough (and not way earlier in the process), but by the letter of the expectation as written, you need an X-ray detector.