SQF Code Edition 9 - Safe Quality Food 2.6.3: Product Withdrawal and Recall (Mandatory)

What does 2.6.3 require?

The withdrawal and recall procedure names who initiates, manages and investigates a withdrawal or recall; describes the management steps, where legal, regulatory and expert advice will come from and the traceability data needed; sets a plan to inform, promptly, the site's own staff, its customers, consumers, the authorities and other bodies that must be told; and lists SQFI, the certification body and the relevant regulator as essential organisations to notify of any recall, whatever its cause, and of any food safety incident needing public notice (2.6.3.1). At least once a year the system is reviewed, tested and shown to work, testing incoming materials one step back and finished product one step forward, covering several shifts, shared or bulk materials that go into many products, and products sold to many customers (2.6.3.2). Records of tests, root cause investigations of actual withdrawals and recalls and resulting actions are kept (2.6.3.3). SQFI and the certification body are notified in writing within twenty-four hours of identifying a food safety event that has to be notified to the public; SQFI's address is foodsafetycrisis@sqfi.com (2.6.3.4).