2 replies to this topic

[Charles Chew]

The leading statement on the DIS of ISO 22000 says:
"FOOD SAFETY MANAGEMENT SYSTEM (FSMS) THROUGHOUT THE FOOD CHAIN" [B]

The food chain is basically from "farm to the table" in this case more to the mouth. The standard also specifies that these requirements for the FSMS up to the point of final consumption and covers:
1. Interactive Communications
2. System Management
3. Process Control
4. HACCP Principles
5. Pre-requisite programs
(This is basically what is expected in the FSM MANUAL)

Lets start off in numerical order as we go along in stages of our requests for comments.

INTERACTIVE COMMUNICATIONS:
This section is broken up into two subsection covering "Internal Com" and "External Com"

Internal Com - Need to establish, implement and maintain effective communications with personnel on issues that have an impact on food safety. Some of the issues suggested are: new products planned, changes in process control, new suppliers or ingredients, new recruits, new formulations, new packaging etc
(Do you have any comments on this requirement and is there anything new as compared to current HACCP practices)

External Com - Need to establish, implement and maintain an effective communications with:
1. Suppliers and Contractors
2. Customers in relations to product information, enquiries, customer complaint, feedbacks, orders etc
3. Food Authorities
4. Other organizations that may have an impact on the FSMS.
(Any comments on this new and which I think are quite horrifying requirements)

Cheers,

Charles Chew

[Charles Chew]

As I wrote earlier, I felt it was necessary to give my thoughts as well.

I am okay with the requirements to establish internal engagements and dialogues amongst colleagues which I feel can be very healthy, forward, progressive and above all may help to limit potential food hazards or identify new ones and also, possibly on potential system upgrades and so forth.

As for external communications, the only time I felt it was necessary to communicate with a contractor was when I am ready or needed some thing done or to discuss with. I certainly am not going to have a CLIENT-CONTRACTOR kind of board meeting once a year for no specific reasons. (Remember, you need to demonstrate and having a meeting is doing just that) Do we write to say "hello" if we have nothing to discuss during the year?

As for Customer Communications towards a better and safer productor whatever, this is certainly commercially impossible unless it is referring to specific institutional buyers on contractual basis. As for customer feedbacks and complaints, it is currently in practice under HACCP. Volunteering communications with customers can be a dangerous idea!

So too with authorities unless it is strictly pertaining to potential product recalls and I see no business to discuss food safety issues with "other organizations" unless they are willing to extend financial assistance to bridge such potential problems.

My reason is that external communication is a very wide subject and may be exploited amongst competitors. What say you?

Regards
Charles Chew

[Sebastian Barner]

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As from the temperature monitoring systems I know that external communication is sometimes difficult but has to be.
German standard is that frozen food is to be transported by contractors, the recorded temperature datas are to be stored by the transport companies for one year as part of the cold chain but will be given to the customer only on request.
From my point of view external communication could mean in this context that all relevant datas regarding a product are to be handed over to customers for control and archiving automatically so that there is a general monitoring of the goods with all relevant datas possible.

Best regards
Sebastian Barner