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PRODUCTION & PROCESS CONTROLS

Version 3.4

Click to view all PRODUCTION & PROCESS CONTROLS

Key – Those standards which have greater significance (all other standards are normal)

Recommendation – Those which do not affect certification

New – A completely new standard which the member must now adhere to

Revised – A standard that has changed and requires the member to take some different or additional action to before

Upgraded – The standard has been upgraded to a Key standard or from a Recommendation to a full standard

Appendix – Referenced in ‘How you will be measured’. Indicates that additional information is provided in the Appendices, which are available at the end of each section.

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Where to find help – at the end of each section we have indicated where you can get extra guidance if you need it.

Aim:

PRODUCTION & PROCESS CONTROLS

CP.PC.a

Standards

The flow of the process from intake to dispatch must be controlled in order to prevent cross contamination between production areas, by people, equipment or waste

How you will be measured

  • Restrictions are in place to minimise movement of people between dirty and clean areas
  • Where movement between dirty and clean areas occurs, risk assessed controls such as designated protective clothing and clean protective footwear are in place to reduce the risk of contamination

CP.PC.b

Standards

Systems must be in place to thaw frozen products in a controlled manner

How you will be measured

  • Thawing is undertaken in accordance with documented procedures that outline the temperature and time requirements
  • Thawing is undertaken under temperature controlled conditions that ensure the surface temperature does not exceed 7 degrees celsius for beef, lamb and pork and 4 degrees celsius for poultry

Thawing protocol

CP.PC.c

Standards

Packaging must be purchased from approved sources

How you will be measured

  • The approval system manages any risks to the site and may include supplier audits, supplier questionnaire or recognition of third party certification
  • Warranties are received for packaging that is described as food safe

Packaging approval

CP.PC.c.1

Standards

Packaging must be suitable for its intended use, as confirmed by up to date specifications

How you will be measured

  • Up to date specifications available for all packaging
  • The specifications detail the suitability and legality of the packaging for its intended use
  • Packaging that is in direct contact with food is food safe

Packaging specifications

CP.PC.c.2

Standards

A documented procedure for the receipt of packaging must be in place detailing checks that must be carried out

How you will be measured

  • Procedure sets out:
    • visual checks that must be carried out
    • certification checks that must be carried out

Documented procedures

CP.PC.c.3

Standards

Packaging must be stored in a suitable, clean, pest-free area

How you will be measured

  • Packaging stored separately to raw materials, chemicals and waste
  • No evidence of pest contamination or damage

CP.PC.c.4

Standards

Packaging must be able to be moved to the point of use, without the risk of contamination

CP.PC.d

Standards

Systems must be in place to ensure that products are packed and labelled with the correct packaging/ labelling

How you will be measured

  • A documented procedure details the system and checks that are made
    • positive release of packaging/ labels to the packing line
  • System includes:
    • before, during and at the end of a packing run, checks are made that the correct packaging and labelling is or was in use
    • following product changes, checks are made that the correct packaging and labelling is in use
    • positive release of packaging/ labels to the line
    • after the packing or labelling run, left over packaging is removed
  • The system is managed by responsible, trained persons

CP.PC.e

Standards

Systems must be in place to minimise the risk of contamination of product by metal

How you will be measured

  • Finished retail packs and product for direct sale to consumers (including vacuum and modified atmosphere packs) are:
    • metal detected in accordance with a documented procedure, or
    • the risk of contamination is reduced through the use of alternative methods of protection, the reliance on which is supported by a risk assessment
    • the risk assessment considers the risks relevant to the method chosen and, where relevant, consideration is given to supplier approval audit findings, supplier previous performance, customer complaints, product source, risks associated with the production process, the nature of the product and the possible end use
    • any evidence that risks have not been adequately controlled (e.g. a customer complaint of metal contamination) results in a complete review of the risk assessment and the protection method chosen. The decision to not metal detect is fully reviewed by senior management. The reviews are documented
    • where metal detectors are used, they identify contaminated product i.e. contaminated product is either automatically rejected and diverted from the line or the line stops, with an alarm

Metal risk assessment and procedures

CP.PC.e.1

Standards

Documented procedures must be implemented when the metal detector detects contaminated product

How you will be measured

  • Procedure outlines the actions to be taken when contaminated products are detected, including:
    • re-testing requirements
    • investigating to identify the contamination
    • when products must be destroyed

Metal detection procedure

CP.PC.e.2

Standards

Where a product is found to be contaminated with metal, the source of contamination must be investigated and action taken to prevent a reoccurrence

CP.PC.e.3

Standards

Metal detectors must be tested regularly for correct functioning, in accordance with a documented procedure

How you will be measured

  • Documented procedures detail the frequency, methods and test material used, including:
    • type of test material i.e. separate pieces of ferrous metal, stainless steel and non-ferrous material (or if a foil container is used, ferrous only)
    • size of test material for the different product types
    • placement of the test material to check accurate detection (i.e. placing at the point of lowest sensitivity, passing through the centre of the detector)

Metal detecting test procedures

CP.PC.e.4

Standards

Where a test on a metal detector fails, corrective actions must be implemented

How you will be measured

  • Actions include stopping use of the affected machine (where necessary stopping the production line); retesting all available products that have passed through the detector since the last successful test; and recording and reporting of the issue and corrective action to senior management

Corrective action

CP.PC.f

Standards

Where a site is handling known allergens, risk assessed procedures must be in place to minimise the risk of allergen contamination of products

How you will be measured

  • Allergens are those on the current EU list, as detailed by the Food Standards Agency
  • Risk assessment is used to identify the potential allergens on site and the risks that need controlling
  • Procedures are in place to control the risks. These may include (but are not limited to):
    • segregating allergen containing products from others
    • scheduling of production to segregate production of allergen containing products from others by time
    • use of dedicated production equipment for products containing allergens
    • use of dedicated cleaning equipment for products containing allergens
    • appropriately managing waste, spillage, rework, employee movements, food brought onto site by staff, etc.

CP.PC.g

Standards

A risk assessed schedule of finished product testing must be in place

How you will be measured

  • A risk assessment determines the frequency of testing
  • Testing schedule is documented, along with testing methods
  • Tests may be:
    • microbiological
    • chemical e.g. fat, speciation, allergies, chemical residue limits (e.g. MRLs for Quaternary Ammonium Compounds found in cleaning chemicals)
    • quality
  • Test results are kept for 3 years

Testing schedule

CP.PC.g.1

Standards

Where testing identifies non-conforming products, corrective action must be implemented

How you will be measured

  • Where non-conformities are identified, the root cause is determined and corrective and preventative action is implemented where applicable
  • All relevant details are recorded and reported to senior management

Corrective action

CP.PC.g.2

Standards

Any testing carried out that is critical to product safety and legality, is to internationally recognised methods in appropriately accredited laboratories

How you will be measured

  • Laboratories are accredited to ISO 17025, CLAS, Lab Cred or equivalent. Accreditation is demonstrated by a current certificate
  • Applies when sites undertake testing in house or subcontracts testing

Lab certificate

CP.PC.h

Standards

Non-conforming products must be dealt with appropriately, in accordance with the site’s documented procedure

How you will be measured

  • The procedure details the action to be taken which may include re work; quarantining or rejection; destruction
  • Destruction or waste disposal is carried out in accordance with legislation
  • Non-conforming products must be clearly labelled/ identified as such
  • Where a non-conformity is in relation to safety of the product, a root cause is undertaken and all relevant details recorded

Non-conformity root cause

CP.PC.k.2

Standards

Systems must be in place to minimise the risk of staff handling raw poultry meat coming into contact with packaging