Supplier Risk Assessment

Hi,

I'm currently doing some risk assessment on suppliers and our ingredients. There are certain products that are procured from different countries and some manufactured outside Australia, and some made in Australia but made using imported ingredients. One of the indicators I am using for risk assessing food fraud is the supply chain. What all documents or questions can I ask in our Approved supplier Questionnaire that will ensure the supply chain security. We follow SQF.    

Thanks so much!

Hi ersha,

:welcome:

Welcome to the IFSQN forums

I think will find some useful information and potential questions related to tea from this article:

The classification, detection and ‘SMART’ control of the nine sins of tea fraud

Kind regards,

Tony

Hi,

 

I'm currently doing some risk assessment on suppliers and our ingredients. There are certain products that are procured from different countries and some manufactured outside Australia, and some made in Australia but made using imported ingredients. One of the indicators I am using for risk assessing food fraud is the supply chain. What all documents or questions can I ask in our Approved supplier Questionnaire that will ensure the supply chain security. We follow SQF.    

 

Thanks so much!

Hi, First you should consider all these requirement mentioned in BRCGS

• historical evidence of substitution or adulteration

• economic factors which may make adulteration or substitution more attractive

• ease of access to raw materials through the supply chain

• sophistication of routine testing to identify adulterants

• the nature of the raw material.

 

Hi, First you should consider all these requirement mentioned in BRCGS

 

• historical evidence of substitution or adulteration

• economic factors which may make adulteration or substitution more attractive

• ease of access to raw materials through the supply chain

• sophistication of routine testing to identify adulterants

• the nature of the raw material.

 

I have already done that. It's more that documents and questions I could ask to my suppliers for products with a longer supply chain, especially ingredients sourced from medium and high-risk countries, so as to ensure the Supply chain is secure

I think nothing can ensure that food fraud doesn't happen but I'd get information about the original manufacturer and the route / suppliers / brokers it goes through.  I'd make sure all were GFSI audited and so have traceability as a requirement.  I would then risk assess the ingredients and either independently or as part of one of the organisations which sprang up post UK horsegate and Sudan dyes, I'd do some testing on a risk assessed basis.  So things like spices which are supplied ground would be up there on risk.  Hard to tell they've been adulterated by looking (as an example). Ideally I'd test for known and unknown adulterants.  So for example, some places pull together "typical" NMR spectra of things like olive oil, honey etc.  

Also it helps on how you buy the ingredient.  Whole spices are harder to be fraudulent with than ground.  Whole primals harder than cuts of meat etc.