SOP for Food Recall
Scope This SOP shall be applicable for the recall procedure.
RESPONSIBILITY Factory Manager
PROCEDURE
- The recall procedure is initiated in following circumstances:
- Recall ordered by Government Authority
- Cross contamination of allergen
- Mislabelling of the product
- Deviations in quality parameters (Chemical & Microbiological) observed in the control sample
- Customer complain
- Factory Manager is responsible to respond to each and every query received from GOVERNMENT authorities within 24 hours and submit the recall status report to the GOVERNMENT authorities.
- The Logistic department maintains the food distribution records which include the names and addresses of distributors, product name, date of delivery, batch code, pack size, date of manufacture and shall maintain such records for a period of one year from best before date.
- When the situation of Food Recall arises, the Factory Manager shall inform the Logistics department to initiate recall. The logistics department will revert with the details of dispatch of the product to be recalled to the Factory Manager at the earliest.
- The Factory Manager will inform the management about the situation and co-ordinate with the sales team to initiate recall and issue recall alert to all the distributors and retailers.
- In case of actual recall Factory Manager shall submit the details of the implementation of the food recall plan to the concern GOVERNMENT authorities taking into account the food safety aspects, supervise the recall, assemble data and report on the completion of recall.
8. The Factory Manager shall promptly inform the consumers in the affected area of the food recall through press release, letters to the concerned parties or advertisements in the media and such press release, letter or advertisement shall be in the form of ‘Food Recall Notice’ and shall contain the following information, namely:-
a) Name of the Factory Manager recalling the food;
b) Name of the food, brand name, pack size, batch and code number, date of manufacture, used by date or best before date;
c) The contamination or violation in the food or reason for such recall;
d) “do not consume message”;
e) Health warning and action;
f) The places or outlets where the food is found;
g) The action to be taken by the consumer;
h) Contact number for queries.
- The Factory Manager is responsible to retain proper and complete documentation on food recall for inspection and verification by the concern GOVERNMENT authorities.
- The Factory Manager is responsible to store the recovered food in an area which is separated from any other food and is identified by a label plate including prominently that “RECALLED PRODUCT NOT FIT FOR HUMAN CONSUMPTION”.
- The Factory Manager is responsible to maintain accurate records of the recovered food including their batch code, pack size, brand name, date of manufacture, best before date, and all related data. Proper recording system is available to ensure that recalled food is retrieved and its details are recorded.
- The Factory Manager is responsible to correct or re-process the recovered food, if permitted by the concern GOVERNMENT authorities. In all other cases, the Factory Manager is responsible to ensure disposal of such food in consultation with the concern GOVERNMENT authorities. A complete record of the disposal of such product shall be maintained.
- Factory Manager is responsible to provide the concern GOVERNMENT authorities with a report as soon as a recall is completed covering the following information, namely: -
(a) the circumstances leading to the recall;
(b) the action taken by the food business operator including details of any publicity;
© the extent of distribution of the relevant batch in the country;
(d) the results of the recall (quantity of stock returned, corrected, outstanding, etc.);
(e) the proposed method of disposal or otherwise of recalled stock with record of destruction and/or correction;
(f) the action proposed to be implemented in future to prevent a recurrence of the problem.
