Recall and Traceability

1. Module 2, Module 11 Recall and Traceability

2. Presentation Outline Recalling unsafe foods from the market Applying traceability as a tool to control food hazards Establishing traceability within a business to enable effective recalls Preparing for effective recalls Module 11 - Recall and Traceability

3. What is a food recall? Removing unsafe food from the market In the event of a food safety incidence/emergency  Reducing the risks to consumers Module 11 - Recall and Traceability

4. Protecting consumers by recalling products This training tool uses the working definition of the term “recall” as defined in the mentioned FAO/WHO guide: “Recall is the action to remove food from the market at any stages of the food chains, including consumers”. Module 11 - Recall and Traceability

5. Examples of unsafe foods that should be removed from the market product identified as the source of a food outbreak above-legal quantities of pesticide residues in vegetables metal fragments in a puree critical quantities of microorganisms in ground meat allergenic nuts in a nut-free cereal mixture Module 11 - Recall and Traceability

6. Efficient recalls require traceability Tracing within a food chain requires that each business should be able to identify which of its products are or potentially are unsafe; and communicate to others (authorities, customers, consumers) which products have been identified as unsafe and need to be recalled. Module 11 - Recall and Traceability

7. Presentation Outline Recalling unsafe foods from the market Applying traceability as a tool to control food hazards Establishing traceability within a business to enable effective recalls Preparing for effective recalls Module 11 - Recall and Traceability

8. Understanding the different uses of traceability Traceability is a tool to control food hazards provide reliable product information guarantee product authenticity Module 11 - Recall and Traceability

9. Linking each operator within a food chain at any specified stage of the chain • where did food come from? (one step back); and • to where did food go? (one step forward). Broken links in a food chain prevent traceability! Module 11 - Recall and Traceability

10. Illustrating the linking of each operator along a simplified value chain for wheat A primary producer will have to keep track of the origin of supplies (i.e. pesticides) and which miller(s) the wheat was delivered to. Farm A miller must know which farms supply the wheat, how many sacks of wheat are produced from stored grain and to whom the flour is shipped. Transport Bakers must know who supplies their flour, into which products it is incorporated and where their final products are delivered to. Miller Baker Customer Module 11 - Recall and Traceability

11. Presentation Outline Recalling unsafe foods from the market Applying traceability as a tool to control food hazards Establishing traceability within a business to enable effective recalls Preparing for effective recalls Module 11 - Recall and Traceability

12. Example of a contaminant alert in a wheat food chain Tracing the origin of a mycotoxin alert At which stage did the hazard enter the food chain? food hazard Module 11 - Recall and Traceability

13. Developing the capacities to trace at a business level incoming materials processing sales Module 11 - Recall and Traceability

14. Food business operators should be able to document one step back along the chain from where they obtained their supplies. Documentation of traceability change depending on type of supplier. Enabling product tracing according to “one step back” Module 11 - Recall and Traceability

15. Adapting supplier documentation farm: written confirmation of date of harvest/production wholesaler: packaging should be labelled with country or region of origin, date of production, best-before date, if possible, lot number, name of original producer or at least name of wholesaler market or shop with open packaging system and lacking documentation / labeling: buyer to document details and to ask seller where foods are from 15 Module 11 - Recall and Traceability

16. Maintaining traceability during processing Keep track of • supplies used; • which final products raw materials and ingredients end up in; • which final products packaging is used for, etc. by • consistent recording • defining a quantity of product to be followed on its path along the value chain 16 Module 11 - Recall and Traceability

17. Using a “lot” as an unit of traceability Codex definition of “lot” “... a definitive quantity of a commodity produced essentially under the same conditions”. 17 Module 11 - Recall and Traceability

18. Braking product flow into lots Defininga lot: Define one product produced on the same date. Assign a letter or number to it. Lot A: wheat flour Date of production: 15.2.12 Lot B: maize flour Date of production: 15.2.12 Module 11 - Recall and Traceability

19. Lot sizes can vary best-before date lot number mineral water bottle lid Module 11 - Recall and Traceability

20. Tracing one step forward along the chain A business should document quantity of each product shipped and whom product was shipped to. This can be done by keeping copies of delivery documentation; maintaining a list of all items shipped; and careful monitoring of the inventory. Module 11 - Recall and Traceability

21. Effective traceability relies on consistent documentation Businesses must establish a system of consistent GMP documentation. Module 11 - Recall and Traceability

22. An example of traceability achieved with standard GMP documentation supplies processing sales Process Control Documentation Delivery Slip apple juice lot X/Date ... apples lot A Delivery Slip apples lot A/Date ... apple juice lot X / date Packing Slip apple juice lot X/Date ... Standard Entry Document apples lot A/Date ... labelled with:lot X / date Module 11 - Recall and Traceability

23. Deciding how long to keep documentation for traceability purposes How long traceability-relevant records should be kept depends on factors such as legal requirements, customer requirements, shelf-life of final product. Retain all records to trace hazards along the food chain even after all products have been sold/consumed. Module 11 - Recall and Traceability

24. Appreciating the benefits of consistent documentation and record keeping Documentation and record keeping enable and facilitate: Control of supplies, stock and sales, Identification of the cause for safety or quality problems. reduction of quantity of products to be recalled excluding a brand from a recall Module 11 - Recall and Traceability

25. Presentation Outline Recalling unsafe foods from the market Applying traceability as a tool to control food hazards Establishing traceability within a business to enable effective recalls Preparing for effective recalls Module 11 - Recall and Traceability

26. Legal requirements regarding recall need to be respected Required procedures for implementing recalls at a business level vary from country to country. Businesses will have to familiarise themselves with the exact terms used and the underlying legal requirements. Module 11 - Recall and Traceability

27. Understanding who initiates a recall The identification of a potential food safety hazard can happen both business-internally or externally by authorities or suppliers Module 11 - Recall and Traceability

28. Each business must be prepared for recalls A well handled recall shows that a business is trustworthy; cares about the safety of consumers. Module 11 - Recall and Traceability

29. Develop instructions on how to handle a recall and identifying and training relevant personnel Preparation to a recall includes developing a SOP that describes in clear and understandable language exactly what must be done, and who is responsible for which actions. Only trained personnel are able to handle a real-life recall situation! Module 11 - Recall and Traceability

30. Rehearsing and testing the worst-case scenario A recall system should be tested regularly to train personnel on how to handle customers and authorities; trace all affected products in the market; recall foods and decide what to do with them. Module 11 - Recall and Traceability

31. Summary of Training Food recall = action to remove food from the market Food recalls are the shared responsibility of authorities and businesses. Recalls can only be effective and efficient if products can be traced. Traceability relies on effective “trace one step back and one step forward” at any stage of the food chain. Traceability requires careful documentation. Only trained personnel can perform an effective recall. Module 11 - Recall and Traceability

32. YOU ARE HERE You have now completed Module 11 Recall and Traceability of Section 2 Applying GMPs; after reviewing any supporting documents and links you desire, please proceed to Module 12 Transportation. Module 11 - Recall and Traceability