
Best Answer Mulan1010, 01 March 2024 - 07:20 PM
Back when SQF went to version 7.2 I attended a training on SQF and when the topic of Verifications and Validations was discussed the trainer gave us a suggestion to set up an Excel file or a chart in Word and list out each element of the code and then describe how you will verify that element and then how you would validate that element. Then assign the frequency for which each should be done.
All of our validations are assigned Annual frequency, verification depends on the element. It was suggested to use reviews of sampling results, corrective actions and customer complaints, if they fit the element, to help in the validation to show system is working if you are not having any trends. Unfortunately we did not find them to fit all so we did have to get creative with some of the elements.
I have attached a document with the format and some examples of the suggestions discussed in the training. This format has worked for us to satisfy the auditors that have been at our facility since then.
Some people will argue that you are not required to validate anything but CCP's and while scientifically or in theory that may be the case, unfortunately for SQF Certification you are required to meet the code. There are different options to do so but whatever you do ensure you have the needed documentation to support it. We compile the annual data on sampling results, corrective actions and customer complaints and type up summaries of the data and utilize graphs to make it pretty for the elements of the code they can apply to. The auditors seem okay with what we have done as have not received a non-compliance and we have had a few different auditors since the code implemented the validation requirement..
