2.1.1.1 Senior site management shall prepare and implement a policy statement that outlines at a minimum the commitment of all site management to: 2.1.1.2 Senior site management shall lead and support a food safety culture within the site that ensures at a minimum: 2.1.1.5 The primary and substitute SQF practitioner shall: i. Be employed by the site; ii. Hold a position of responsibility in relation to the management of the site’s SQF System; iii. Be competent to implement and maintain hazard and risk-based food safety plans; and iv. Have an understanding of the SQF Food Safety Code for Animal Feed Manufacturing and the requirements to implement and maintain an SQF System relevant to the site’s scope of certification.
2.1.1.6 Senior site management shall ensure the training needs of the site are resourced, implemented, and meet the requirements outlined in system elements 2.9 and that site personnel meet the required competencies to carry out those functions affecting the legality and safety of the finished product.
2.1.1.7 Senior site management shall ensure the integrity and continued operation of the food safety system in the event of organizational or personnel changes within the company or associated facilities.
2.1.1.8 Senior site management shall designate defined blackout periods that prevent unannounced re-certification audits from occurring out of season or when the site is not operating for legitimate business reasons. The list of blackout dates and their justification shall be submitted to the certification body a minimum of one (1) month before the sixty (60) day re-certification window for the agreed-upon unannounced audit.
2.1.2.1 The SQF System shall be reviewed by senior site management at least annually and include: "2.1.2.2 The SQF practitioner(s) shall update senior site management on at least a monthly basis on matters impacting the implementation and maintenance of the SQF System. The updates and management responses shall be documented."
"2.1.3.1 The methods and responsibility for handling, investigating, and resolving food safety complaints from commercial customers, consumers, and authorities, arising from products manufactured or handled on-site or co-manufactured, shall be documented and implemented."
2.1.3.2 Adverse trends of customer complaint data shall be investigated and analyzed and the root cause established by personnel knowledgeable about the incidents.
"2.1.3.3 Corrective and preventative action shall be implemented based on the seriousness of the incident and the root cause analysis as outlined in 2.5.3. Records of customer complaints, their investigation, and resolution shall be maintained."
2.2.1.1 The methods and procedures the site uses to meet the requirements of the SQF Food Safety Code for Animal Feed Manufacturing shall be maintained in electronic and/or hard copy documentation. They will be made available to relevant staff and include: 2.2.1.2 Food safety plans, Good Manufacturing Practices, and all relevant aspects of the SQF System shall be reviewed, updated, and communicated as needed when any changes implemented have an impact on the site’s ability to deliver safe feed. All changes to food safety plans, Good Manufacturing Practices, and other aspects of the SQF System shall be validated or justified prior to their implementation. The reasons for the change shall be documented.
2.2.2.1 The methods and responsibility for maintaining document control and ensuring staff have access to current requirements and instructions shall be documented and implemented. Current SQF System documents and amendments to documents shall be maintained.
2.2.3.1 The methods, frequency, and responsibility for verifying, maintaining, and retaining records shall be documented and implemented.
2.2.3.2 All records shall be legible and confirmed by those undertaking monitoring activities that demonstrate inspections, analyses, and other essential activities that have been completed.
2.2.3.3 Records shall be readily accessible, retrievable, and securely stored to prevent unauthorized access, loss, damage, and deterioration. Retention periods shall be in accordance with customer, legal, and regulatory requirements, at minimum the product shelf-life or established by the site if no shelf-life exists.
2.3.1.1 The methods and responsibility for designing and developing new product formulations and converting product concepts to commercial realization shall be documented and implemented.
2.3.1.2 New product formulations, manufacturing processes, and the fulfillment of product requirements shall be established, validated, and verified by site trials and product testing as required to ensure product safety. Product formulations shall be developed by authorized persons to ensure that they meet the intended use. Where necessary, shelf life trials shall be conducted to validate and verify a new product’s: 2.3.1.3 A food safety plan shall be validated and verified by the site food safety team for each new product and its associated process through conversion to commercial production and distribution or where a change to ingredients, process, or packaging occurs that may impact food safety.
2.3.1.4 Product formulations and manufacturing processes for products included in the scope of certification shall be reviewed when there are changes in materials, ingredients, or equipment.
2.3.1.5 The process flows for all new and existing manufacturing processes shall be designed to ensure that product is manufactured according to approved product formulations and to prevent cross-contamination.
2.3.1.6 Records of product design, formulations, label compliance, process flows, shelf life trials, and approvals for all new and existing products shall be maintained.
2.3.2.1 The methods and responsibility for developing, managing, and approving raw material, finished product, and packaging specifications shall be documented.
2.3.2.2 Specifications for all raw materials and packaging, including, but not limited to, ingredients, additives, hazardous chemicals, processing aids, and packaging that impact finished product safety shall be documented and kept current.
"2.3.2.3 All raw materials, packaging, and ingredients, including those received from other sites under the same corporate ownership, shall comply with specifications and with the relevant legislation in the country of manufacture and country of destination, if known."
"2.3.2.4 Raw materials, packaging, and ingredients shall be validated to ensure product safety is not compromised and the material is fit for its intended purpose. "
2.3.2.5 Site management shall require approved raw materials suppliers to notify the site of changes in product composition that could have an impact on product formulation (e.g., protein content, moisture, amino acid profiles, contaminant levels, allergens, and/or other parameters that may vary by crop or by season).
2.3.2.6.1 Verification of packaging shall include a certification of all packaging that comes into direct contact with food meets either regulatory acceptance or approval criteria. Documentation shall either be in the form of a declaration of continued guarantee of compliance, a certificate of conformance, or a certificate from the applicable regulatory agency.
2.3.2.6.2 In the absence of a certificate of conformance, certificate of analysis, or letter of guarantee, analyses to confirm the absence of potential chemical migration from the packaging to the food contents shall be conducted and records maintained.
2.3.2.7 Finished product labels shall be accurate, comply with the relevant legislation, and be approved by qualified company personnel.
2.3.2.8 Description of services for contract service providers that have an impact on product safety shall be documented, current, include a full description of the services to be provided, and detail relevant training requirements of all contract personnel.
2.3.2.9 Finished product specifications shall be documented, current, approved by the site and its customer, accessible to relevant staff, and shall include, where applicable: "2.3.2.10 Specifications for raw materials and packaging, chemicals, processing aids, contract services, and finished products shall be reviewed as changes occur that impact product safety. Records of reviews shall be maintained. A list of all the above specifications shall be maintained and kept current."
2.3.3.1 The methods and responsibility for ensuring all agreements with contract manufacturers relating to food safety, customer product requirements, their realization, and delivery shall be documented and implemented.
2.3.3.2 The site shall establish a method to determine the food safety risk level of contract manufactured product and shall document the risk. The site shall ensure that: 2.3.3.3 Contractual agreements with third-party storage and distribution businesses shall include requirements relating to customer product requirements and compliance with clause 2.3.3.2 of the SQF Food Safety Code for Animal Feed Manufacturing. Contractual agreements shall be approved by both parties and communicated to relevant personnel. The site shall verify compliance with the SQF Code and ensure that customer and regulatory requirements are being met at all times.
2.3.3.4 Records of audits, contracts, and changes to contractual agreements and their approvals shall be maintained.
2.3.4.1 The responsibility and procedure for selecting, evaluating, approving, and monitoring an approved supplier shall be documented and implemented. A current record of approved suppliers, receival inspections, and supplier audits shall be maintained.
2.3.4.2 The approved supplier program shall be based on the prior performance of a supplier and the risk level of the raw materials ingredients, processing aids, packaging, and services supplied, and shall contain at a minimum: 2.3.4.3 Verification of raw materials shall include certificates of conformance, certificate of analysis, or sampling and testing. The verification frequency shall be identified by the site.
2.3.4.4 The receipt of raw materials, ingredients, processing aids, and packaging from nonapproved suppliers shall be acceptable only in an emergency situation and provided a receival inspection or analysis is conducted and recorded before use.
2.3.4.5 Raw materials, ingredients, and packaging received from other sites under the same corporate ownership shall be subject to the same specification requirements (refer to 2.3.2), approved supplier requirements, and receival inspections as all other material providers.
2.3.4.6 Supplier audits shall be based on risk (as determined in 2.3.4.2) and shall be conducted by individuals knowledgeable of applicable regulatory and food safety requirements and trained in auditing techniques.
2.4.1.1 The site shall ensure that, at the time of delivery to customers, finished products shall comply with feed legislation applicable in the country of manufacture and sale. This includes compliance with legislative requirements applicable to maximum residue limits, food safety, packaging, product description, net weights, and additive labelling (if required), any other criteria listed under feed legislation, and to relevant established industry codes of practice.
2.4.1.2 The methods and responsibility for ensuring the site is kept informed of changes to relevant legislation, scientific and technical developments, emerging food safety issues, and relevant industry codes of practice shall be documented and implemented.
2.4.1.3 SQFI and the certification body shall be notified in writing within twenty-four (24) hours as a result of a regulatory warning or event. Notification to SQFI shall be by email to foodsafetycrisis@sqfi.com.
2.4.2.1 The site shall ensure the applicable Good Manufacturing Practices described in Module 3 of this Food Safety Code are applied or exempted according to a written risk analysis outlining the justification for exemption or evidence of the effectiveness of alternative control measures to ensure that food safety is not compromised.
2.4.2.2 The Good Manufacturing Practices applicable to the scope of certification that outline how food safety is controlled and assured shall be documented and implemented.
2.4.3.1.1 A hazard and risk management system shall be developed and take into consideration relevant law in all countries of operation. The system shall be risk based, systematic, and comprehensive, based on HACCP or preventive controls. The food safety plan shall be effectively implemented, maintained, and outline the means by which the site controls and assures food safety of the products or product groups included in the scope of the SQF certification and their associated processes.
2.4.3.1.2 More than one food safety plan may be required to cover all products included in the scope of certification.
2.4.3.2 The food safety plan or plans shall be developed and maintained by a multidisciplinary team that includes the SQF practitioner and those site personnel with technical, manufacturing, storage and distribution, and engineering knowledge of the relevant products and associated processes. Where the relevant expertise is not available on-site, advice may be obtained from other sources to assist the food safety team.
2.4.3.3 The scope of each food safety plan shall be developed and documented including the start and endpoint of the processes under consideration and all relevant inputs and outputs.
2.4.3.4 Product requirements shall be developed and documented for all products (or groups of products) included in the scope of the food safety plans. This shall reference the product descriptions (refer to 2.3.2.1) plus any additional information relevant to product safety.
2.4.3.5 The food safety team shall develop and document a flow diagram covering the scope of each food safety plan. The flow diagram shall include every step in the process, all raw material, packaging, service inputs (e.g., water, steam, gasses as appropriate), scheduled process delays, and all process outputs including waste and rework. Each flow diagram shall be confirmed by the food safety team during all stages and hours of operation.
2.4.3.6 The food safety team shall identify and document all food safety hazards that can reasonably be expected to occur at each step in the processes, including food products received and stored.
2.4.3.7 The food safety team shall conduct a hazard analysis for every identified hazard to identify which hazards are significant. The methodology for determining hazard significance shall be documented and used consistently to assess all potential hazards.
2.4.3.8 The food safety team shall determine and document the control measures that must be applied to all significant hazards. More than one control measure may be required to control an identified hazard, and more than one significant hazard may be controlled by a specific control measure.
2.4.3.9 Based on the results of the hazard analysis (refer to 2.4.3.7), the food safety team shall identify the steps in the process where control must be applied to eliminate a significant hazard or reduce it to an acceptable level (e.g., PC or CCP). In instances where a significant hazard has been identified at a step in the process, but no control measure exists, the food safety team shall modify the process to include an appropriate control measure.
2.4.3.10 For each identified step requiring control (e.g. PC or CCP) the food safety team shall document the limits that separate safe from unsafe product. The food safety team shall validate the critical limits to ensure the designated level of control of the identified food safety hazard(s) and that all critical limits and control measures individually or in combination effectively provide the level of control required (refer to 2.5.2.1).
2.4.3.11 The food safety team shall develop and document procedures to monitor identified steps requiring control (e.g. PC or CCP) to ensure they remain within the established limits (refer to 2.4.3.12). Monitoring procedures shall identify the personnel assigned to conduct testing, the sampling and testing methods, and the test frequency.
2.4.3.12 The food safety team shall develop and document deviation procedures that identify the disposition of affected product when monitoring indicates a loss of control at an identified step requiring control (e.g. PC or CCP). The procedures shall also prescribe actions to correct the process step to prevent recurrence of the safety failure.
2.4.3.13 The documented and approved food safety plan(s) shall be implemented in full. The effective implementation shall be monitored by the food safety team, and a full review of the documented and implemented plans shall be conducted at least annually, or when changes to the process, equipment, inputs, or other changes affecting product safety occur.
2.4.4.1 The methods, responsibility, and criteria for sampling, inspecting, and/or analyzing raw materials, work-in-progress, and finished product shall be documented and implemented. The methods applied shall ensure that inspections and analyses are completed at regular intervals as required and to agreed specifications and legal requirements. Sampling and testing shall be representative of the process batch and ensure that process controls are maintained to meet specification and formulation.
2.4.4.2.1 Product analyses shall be conducted to nationally recognized methods or company requirements, or alternative methods that are validated as equivalent to the nationally recognized methods. Where internal laboratories are used to conduct input, environmental, or product analyses, sampling and testing methods shall be in accordance with the applicable requirements of ISO/IEC 17025, including annual proficiency testing for staff conducting analyses.
2.4.4.2.2 External laboratories shall be accredited to ISO/IEC 17025, or an equivalent international standard, and included on the site’s contract service specifications list (refer to 2.3.2.11).
2.4.4.3 On-site laboratories conducting chemical and microbiological analyses that may pose a risk to product safety shall be located separate from any food processing or handling activity and designed to limit access only to authorized personnel. Signage shall be displayed identifying the laboratory area as a restricted area, accessible only by authorized personnel.
2.4.4.4 Provisions shall be made to isolate and contain all hazardous laboratory waste held on the premises and manage it separately from food waste. Laboratory waste outlets shall at a minimum be downstream of drains that service food processing and handling areas.
2.4.4.5 Retention samples, if required by customers or regulations, shall be stored according to the typical storage conditions for the product and maintained for the stated shelflife of the product.
2.4.4.6 Records of all inspections and analyses shall be maintained.
2.4.5.1 The responsibility and methods outlining how non-conforming product, raw material, ingredient, work-in-progress, or packaging detected during receipt, storage, processing, handling, or delivery is handled shall be documented and implemented. The methods applied shall ensure: 2.4.5.2 Quarantine records and records of the handling, corrective action, or disposal of nonconforming materials or product shall be maintained.
2.4.7.1 The responsibility and methods for releasing products shall be documented and implemented. The methods applied shall ensure the product is released by authorized personnel, and only after all inspections and analyses are successfully completed and documented to verify legislative and other established food safety controls have been met. Records of all product release shall be maintained.
2.4.7.2 Product release shall include a procedure to confirm that product labels comply with the food legislation that applies in the country of manufacture and the country of use or sale, if known (refer to 2.4.1.1). If product is packaged and distributed in bulk or unlabelled, product information shall be made available to inform customers and/or consumers of the requirements for its safe use.
2.4.7.3 In the event that the site uses positive release based on product pathogen or chemical testing, a procedure shall be in place to ensure that product is not released until acceptable results have been received. In the event that off-site or contract warehouses are used, these requirements shall be effectively communicated and verified as being followed
2.4.8.1 A risk-based environmental monitoring program shall be in place for all feed manufacturing processes and immediate surrounding areas that impact manufacturing processes. The responsibility and methods for the environmental monitoring program shall be documented and implemented.
2.4.8.2 An environmental sampling and testing schedule shall be prepared. It shall at a minimum: 2.4.8.3 Environmental testing results shall be monitored, tracked, and trended, and preventative actions (refer to 2.5.3.1) shall be implemented where unsatisfactory results or trends are observed.
2.5.1.1 The methods, responsibility, and criteria for ensuring the effectiveness of all applicable elements of the SQF Program shall be documented, implemented, and effective. The methods applied shall ensure that: 2.5.2.1 The methods, responsibility, and criteria for verifying monitoring of Good Manufacturing Practices, critical control points, and other food safety controls, and the legality of certified products shall be documented and implemented. The methods applied shall ensure that personnel with responsibility for verifying monitoring activities authorize each verified record.
2.5.2.2 A verification schedule outlining the verification activities, their frequency of completion, and the person responsible for each activity shall be prepared and implemented. Records of verification of activities shall be maintained.
2.5.3.1.1 The responsibility and methods outlining how corrective and preventative actions are determined, implemented, and verified, including the identification of the root cause and resolution of non-compliance of critical food safety limits and deviations from food safety requirements, shall be documented and implemented.
2.5.3.1.2 Deviations from food safety requirements may include customer complaints, nonconformances raised at internal or external audits and inspections, non-conforming product and equipment, withdrawals and recalls, as appropriate.
2.5.3.2 Records of all investigation, root cause analysis, and resolution of non-conformities, their corrections, and the implementation of preventative actions shall be maintained.
2.5.4.1 The methods and responsibility for scheduling and conducting internal audits to verify the effectiveness of the SQF System shall be documented and implemented. Internal audits shall be conducted in full and at least annually. The methods applied shall ensure: 2.5.4.2 Staff conducting internal audits shall be trained and competent in internal audit procedures. Where practical, staff conducting internal audits shall be independent of the function being audited.
2.5.4.3 Regular inspections of the site and equipment shall be planned and carried out to verify Good Manufacturing Practices and facilities and equipment maintenance is compliant to the SQF Food Safety Code for Animal Feed Manufacturing. The site shall: 2.5.4.4 Records of internal audits and inspections and any corrective and preventative actions taken as a result of internal audits shall be recorded as per 2.5.3. Changes implemented from internal audits that have an impact on the site’s ability to deliver safe feed shall require a review of applicable aspects of the SQF System (refer to 2.3.1.3).
2.6.2.1 The responsibility and methods used to trace product shall be documented and implemented to ensure: 2.6.3.1 The responsibility and methods used to withdraw or recall product shall be documented and implemented. The procedure shall: Identify those responsible for initiating, managing, and investigating a product withdrawal or
recall; Describe the management procedures to be implemented including sources of legal,
regulatory, and expert advice and essential traceability information; Outline a communication plan to inform site personnel, customers, consumers, authorities, and
other essential bodies in a timely manner appropriate to the nature of the incident; Ensure that SQFI, the certification body, and the appropriate regulatory authority are listed as
essential organizations and notified in instances of a food safety incident of a public nature or
product recall for any reason 2.6.3.2 The product withdrawal and recall system shall be reviewed, tested, and verified as effective at least annually. Testing shall include incoming materials (minimum one step back) and finished product (minimum one step forward). Testing shall be carried out on products from different shifts and for materials (including bulk materials) that are used across a range of products and/or products that are shipped to a wide range of customers.
2.6.3.3 Records shall be maintained of withdrawal and recall tests, root cause investigations into actual withdrawals and recalls, and corrective and preventative actions applied.
2.6.3.4 SQFI and the certification body shall be notified in writing within twenty-four (24) hours upon identification of a food safety event that requires public notification. SQFI shall be notified at foodsafetycrisis@sqfi.com.
that can impact the site’s ability to deliver safe feed shall be documented by senior management outlining the methods and responsibility the site shall implement to cope with such a business crisis. The crisis management plan shall include as a minimum: 2.6.4.2 The crisis management plan shall be reviewed, tested, and verified at least annually with gaps and appropriate corrective actions documented. Records of reviews of the crisis management plan shall be maintained.
2.7.1.1 A food defense threat assessment shall be conducted to identify potential threats that can be caused by a deliberate act of sabotage or terrorist-like incident.
2.7.1.2 A food defense plan shall be documented, implemented, and maintained based on the threat assessment (refer to 2.7.1.1). The food defense plan shall meet legislative requirements as applicable and shall include as a minimum: 2.7.1.3 Instruction shall be provided to all relevant staff on the effective implementation of the food defense plan (refer to 2.9.2.1).
2.7.1.4 The food defense threat assessment and prevention plan shall be reviewed and tested at least annually or when the threat level, as defined in the threat assessment, changes. Records of reviews and tests of the food defense plan shall be maintained.
2.7.2.1 The methods, responsibility, and criteria for identifying the site's vulnerability to food fraud, including susceptibility to raw material or ingredient substitution, finished product mislabeling, dilution, or counterfeiting, shall be documented, implemented, and maintained.
2.7.2.2 A food fraud mitigation plan shall be developed and implemented that specifies the methods by which the identified food fraud vulnerabilities shall be controlled, including identified food safety vulnerabilities of ingredients and materials.
2.7.2.3 Instruction shall be provided to all relevant staff on the effective implementation of the food fraud mitigation plan (refer to 2.9.2.1).
2.7.2.4 The food fraud vulnerability assessment and mitigation plan shall be reviewed and verified at least annually with gaps and corrective actions documented. Records of reviews shall be maintained.
2.8.1.1 Sites that exclusively manufacture animal feed and do not manufacture, handle, or store food or pet food products are not required to implement an allergen management plan unless required by regulation or customer requirement.
2.8.1.2 Where an allergen management plan is required by regulation or customer specification, the allergen management program shall include: 2.9.1.1 The responsibility for establishing and implementing the training needs of the organization’s personnel to ensure they have the required competencies to carry out those functions affecting products, legality, and safety shall be defined and documented (refer to 2.1.1.6).
2.9.1.2 Appropriate training shall be provided for personnel carrying out the tasks essential to the effective implementation of the SQF System and the maintenance of food safety and regulatory requirements.
2.9.2.1 A training program shall be documented and implemented that at a minimum outlines the necessary competencies for specific duties and the training methods to be applied to personnel carrying out tasks associated with: Training materials, the delivery of training, and procedures on all tasks critical to meeting regulatory compliance and the maintenance of food safety shall be provided in language(s) understood by staff.
2.9.2.3 Training records shall be maintained and include: