Packaging material approval program

Dear All;

I have to implement the approval program for new coming packaging materials (glass, plastic, paper, metal and corrugated board). I developed a datasheet which will be sent out to our vendors/suppliers to fill out. I covered both in safety and quality issue. On safety issue, I ask for chemical migration testing, formulation, %recycle material etc. For quality, i ask for HACCP plan, ISO certification and 3rd party audit etc. My problem now is that i'm not sure the datasheet i developed is make sense or not. And i like to learn how others' doing.

Would any one who works with a food company also have packaging approval program? What are you guys doing so far?

Hope to hear from you guys, Thanks!

Jenny

Dear All;

I have to implement the approval program for new coming packaging materials (glass, plastic, paper, metal and corrugated board). I developed a datasheet which will be sent out to our vendors/suppliers to fill out. I covered both in safety and quality issue. On safety issue, I ask for chemical migration testing, formulation, %recycle material etc. For quality, i ask for HACCP plan, ISO certification and 3rd party audit etc. My problem now is that i'm not sure the datasheet i developed is make sense or not. And i like to learn how others' doing.

Would any one who works with a food company also have packaging approval program? What are you guys doing so far?

Hope to hear from you guys, Thanks!

Jenny

Hi Jenny

Welcome to the forums!

We send all of our suppliers a SAQ and from the SAQ we have a scoring system. Suppliers who are below a certain score are automatically paid a visit and audited by a BRC/IOP based audit. All new suppliers are audited prior to supplying.

Our SAQ is similar to yours in that it asks for their HACCP, accreditations etc etc.

Why don't you post your spreadsheet up here and we'll cast a (critical) eye over it for you?

Caz x

Hi Jenny,

I have attached an example supplier audit for food contact packaging, specifically closures. You can compare it with what you are developing. If your suppliers are converters then it is unlikely they will carry out migration testing they will purchase the packaging raw material approved for use with food (e.g. EU / FDA). However, they should have or be able to get hold of specific migration test data from their suppliers.

Apart from the quality system and HACCP prerequisites it isn't easy to develop a generic audit form for packaging; as there are large differences in product and process. That said it is worth putting the effort in.

Why don't you post your spreadsheet up here and we'll cast a (critical) eye over it for you?

Good idea Caz that would be useful.

Regards,
Simon

Dear Caz and Simon:

Attached is the packaging datasheet which i developed. Please advise and see if it's make sense in terms of safety and quality.

Dear Caz and Simon:

Attached is the packaging datasheet which i developed. Please advise and see if it's make sense in terms of safety and quality.

Hi Jenny,

I've been in the packaging industry for more than 10 years and in that time I've seen all sorts of weird and wonderful customer SQA documents and specifications. Hand on heart your attached is the most in depth and complicated I have ever seen. I have to admit I do not understand a lot of what you are asking and have to ask you is all of the information critical, who requires it your company or regulators? If this really is all the information you require I would suggest you provide detailed instructions for each section in baby Simon language.

Regards,
Simon

Dear Simon:

Thank you so much for your comment, I really appreciate. I don't have any experience about packaging industry at all. But now I have to develop a questinnaire for our packaging supplier for direct food contact packages. May I ask you for when you got SQA from your customer about your packaging products, what do they usually ask you for?


Best regards,
Jenny

I have attached an example supplier audit for food contact packaging, specifically closures

Jenny

Wonderful questionnaire and I am sure a lot of effort had been put in. I can use it as part of our external communication program and thanks for sharing.

Regards
Charles Chew

Dear Simon:

Thank you so much for your comment, I really appreciate. I don't have any experience about packaging industry at all. But now I have to develop a questinnaire for our packaging supplier for direct food contact packages. May I ask you for when you got SQA from your customer about your packaging products, what do they usually ask you for?
Best regards,
Jenny

One I attached above; they are very large global food business, operating and I believe based in USA. I can dig some more out for you, give me a day or two Jenny.

Regards,
Simon

is all of the information critical, who requires it your company or regulators?

Hi Jenny.

That certainly is a beast of a questionnaire you have attached there ! Can I ask if it is written to ascertain if your suppliers material meets FDA regulations on food contact plastics ? If it is then I fully understand the complex infomation you need to ask for. The company I work for sends out an even more detailed one to our suppliers so that we are in compliance with the EU regulations on food contact materials and plastics and in return our customers often require similar. If it is aimed at certain regulations I would help your suppliers out by telling them which regs they are to give them a chance to provide the correct information.

Dear All:

First of all, thank you so much for all of your comments. Do you guys think I should modify the questionnaire I have attached to less complicated version? Please advise. We aim to do what all other companies're doing to control their packaging material in terms of safety and quality as well. FDA doesn't have detailed and in-depth regulations. Thank you all of you guys for your comment. I appreciate.

Jenny

Dear All:

First of all, thank you so much for all of your comments. Do you guys think I should modify the questionnaire I have attached to less complicated version? Please advise. We aim to do what all other companies're doing to control their packaging material in terms of safety and quality as well. FDA doesn't have detailed and in-depth regulations. Thank you all of you guys for your comment. I appreciate.

Jenny

If you have a need for that information and can interpret the responses from your suppliers then its fine, if you don't need to know that level of detail and you say that the FDA doesn't require you to then it might be worth simplifying it a little bit. I know in the UK companies use the information from their suppliers to show ' due diligence' in meeting the EU regulations for packaging and plastics which are bewildering in their complexity. Personally I would keep it as simple as I could whilst having the information I required, there are no extra marks for complication

First of all, thank you so much for all of your comments. Do you guys think I should modify the questionnaire I have attached to less complicated version? Please advise.

You don't need to go back to the drawing board completely Jenny, review and compare what you have already with the audit I attached and determine what information exactly you need to meet customer, regulatory and your own requirements. Make it simple and provide help text where appropriate.

In the Potential Chemial Residues section you ask for information about heavy metals and a bunch of other stuff. Is there no regulation or limits that apply in the US, that you could just get the vendor to confirm they comply with and maybe ask them to attach related test results. A question: if they filled this section in fully would you know how to interpret the information and what to validate the data against?

Regards,
Simon

Dear Caz and Simon:

Attached is the packaging datasheet which i developed. Please advise and see if it's make sense in terms of safety and quality.

Hi sir,
The same thing is used by Pepsi world wide as a packaging qualification tool.
thanks

Supplier approval programs support the HACCP philosophy that prevention is key for food safety. Preventing a shipment of contaminated or substandard ingredients to a facility makes more sense than trying to correct the effects of a bad shipment. HACCP helps maintain compliance to the BRC Global Standard - Food Packaging and reduces the likelihood of product recall & adverse publicity.

To have good packaging criteria on a product as much attractive the product packaging will look the much more promotion a brand will have. So if we will make a good packaging than we are moving towards good brand connectivity.

Hi Jenny


Could you develop a datasheet for new coming packaging materials (glass, plastic, paper, metal and corrugated board)? Now I have the same problem! I am looking for standards or any information that could help me develop a datasheet and manual for packaging materials. Could you help me please?

Best regards