BRC Global Standard for Food issue 6

An Overview of new changes in BRC Global Standard for Food issue 6 (kliknij)

1. Management Commitment and Continual Improvement
This is a new section to the standard.
• Requirement for clear communication channels.
• Management Review is required annually.
• Additional requirements specific to audit process.
• Copy of current issue of BRC Standard is required.
• Certification to the BRC standard must not lapse.
• Most senior operations/production manager on site must be at audit meetings.
• Non-conformities from previous BRC audit must be completed.
2. HACCP
This section now follows Codex Alimentarius steps and is more descriptive in its requirements:
• More detailed product description and intended use is required.
• Detailed flow diagram and verification of flow diagram.
• Use of decision tree for CCP determination.
• Critical limits to be validated.
• More requirements for documentation e.g. monitoring records signed and dated, corrective action and procedures for handling of unsafe products.
• HACCP Review required annually as a minimum.
3. Quality Management System
3.1 Now called Food Safety and Quality Policy
• Requirement for Continual improvement.
• Senior manager must sign and date policy
3.2 Now called Food Safety and Quality Manual
• Requirement for review at planned intervals.
3.3 Organisational Structure, Responsibilities and Management Authority
• Organisation chart must be available.
3.4 Contract Review and Customer Focus
• There is a new requirement for the staff responsible for communication with customers to be defined.
• Customer requirements need to be identified and agreed and these are to be reviewed at predetermined frequencies.
3.5 Internal Audit
• There is a specific requirement to audit system annually as a minimum.
3.6 Purchasing – Supplier Approval and Performance Monitoring No changes.
3.7 General Documentation Requirements No changes
3.7.1 Documentation Control
• Documents now need to be in the ‘appropriate languages’
3.7.2 Specifications
• Manufacturing instructions need to comply with recipes and be fully implemented.
• Documented procedure required for specification amendment and approval.
• Specifications need to be readily accessible to staff. 3.7.3 Record completion
• Period of retention of records needs to be related to shelf life, legislation and customer requirements.
3.8 Corrective and Preventive Action * Procedures required for preventive action and verification.
3.9 Traceability
• Traceability audit / test to include quantity check / mass balance reconciliation.
• Traceability audit / test to be carried out annually.
3.10 Complaint Handling
• There must be a system to effectively capture and record complaints.
3.11 Management of Incidents, Product Withdrawal and Product Recall
• More detail is included on what to include and consider regarding incidents & the management of incidents.
• Detailed contingency planning for all types of incidents is required.
• Record timing of key stages of recall / withdrawal audit / test.
• Traceability and recall systems to be tested at least annually.
• Now a requirement to notify your certification body in the event of a product recall.
4.1 External Site Standards
• Your site to be of suitable size, construction and design.
• External yards and roads must be suitably surfaced and maintained.
• Building fabric must be well maintained 4.2 Site Security
• There must be controlled access and training of staff.
• Secure storage of materials to be demonstrated.
• Premises must be registered and approved.
4.3.1 Layout, product flow and segregation
• Temporary repairs and structure must be controlled 4.3.2 Fabrication – walls, floors etc
• Waste to go directly to drain.
• Where floor falls are required is clarified.
• Risk assessment of windows.
• Doors to be maintained in good condition and cleanable.
4.4 Services – now called Utilities No new requirements
4.5 Equipment
• Requirement for Certificates of Conformity for suitability for use of food contact materials e.g. conveyor belt material.
4.6 Maintenance
• Specific control of maintenance contractors required.
• Formal clearance / sign off required following maintenance work.
• Maintenance consumables to be suitable for use.
• Engineering workshops to be controlled to prevent contamination risks e.g. swarf mats.
4.7 Staff Facilities
• There must be sufficient storage facilities available for personal items.
• Waste must be controlled at outside designated eating areas.
• Water, liquid soap, towels or air drier must be provided at handwash stations.
• Hand wash instructions must be available.
• Hand free operation taps and disinfection and high risk areas.
• Water, liquid soap, drying facilities and signage must be provided at toilet handwash stations
• At smoking areas the must be waste bins & signage for handwashing.
4.8 Chemical and Physical Contamination Control
• Specific requirements for non-food chemicals e.g. approved purchase, data sheets, suitability for food use, identified containers, secure and used by trained staff.
• Procedures required for sharps e.g. knives and blades etc.
• Glass breakage procedures e.g. quarantine, cleaning and release of area and Personnel controls. * ?Inspection procedures & documentation for sieves, filters and magnets
• Procedures & control of foreign body contamination of packaging during filling operations e.g. use of inverters, air jets on line. 4.9 Housekeeping and Hygiene
• Specific requirement for cleaning procedures to include responsibility, frequency, method, etc. * CIP to be monitored & controlled.
• Cleaning chemicals and equipment to be fit for purpose, identified and stored to prevent contamination.
4.10 Waste / Waste Disposal
• Waste to be categorised based on legislative requirements.
• Identified waste containers & rooms.
• Waste containers & rooms cleanable and maintained.
4.11 Pest Control
• Risk assessment required to establish pest control programme and frequency of visits.
• Clear specification for documentation required.
• Bait station design and use specified e.g. tamper proof & tethered.
• Corrective action required in the event of infestation.
• Company to action recommendations.
• Catch tray analysis required.
4.12 Storage and Transport
• Covers storage as well as transport
• Storage must be off floor and away from walls, use of bulk tankers, pre-loading and unloading inspection required.
• Storage areas to be kept dry and well ventilated.
• Global Standard for Storage and Distribution recommended for suppliers of these services.
• Traceability to be ensured during storage and transport.
5.1 Product Design / Development
• Shelf life trials required to confirm compliance with microbiological, chemical and organoleptic criteria.
• NPD to control special handling requirements e.g. allergens.
• Packaging to be confirmed as suitable for use and legal.
• Validation of product claims e.g. nutrition.
• Communication of changes to formulation or process.
5.2 Handling Requirements for Specific Materials – Materials containing Allergens and Identity Preserved Materials
• All allergen containing materials, intermediate and finished products need to be listed.
• Document a risk assessment to identify and control routes of contamination.
• Develop procedures of segregation, use of dedicated equipment and staff policies.
• Any claims to be fully validated.
• Cleaning methods, waste handling & spillage controls to be validated.
• Staff training required in allergen handling.
• Non-conformities specifically involving allergens to be reviewed.
• Risk assessment is required for raw materials requiring ID preservation.
• Risk assessment is required of routes of contamination of ID preserved materials.
5.3 Foreign Body Detection
• Foreign body detection is required unless it is otherwise justified.
• Monitoring check frequency and sensitivity to be defined with trained personnel and documentation.
5.4 Product Packaging
• • Evidence to confirm suitability for use e.g. certificates of conformity required.
• • Coloured liners of sufficient gauge to prevent contamination are required.
5.5 Product Inspection and Laboratory Testing
• Test results to be recorded.
• Test results to be analysed for trends and action taken.
• There is a requirement for organoleptic tests.
• Ongoing shelf life assessment is required.
• Laboratory testing for pathogen testing to be subcontracted or laboratory must be remote from manufacturing.
• Minimise risk of cross contamination from laboratory e.g. security, access, colour coding workwear, waste controls etc.
• Procedures for reliability of results – recognised methods, documented methods, staff training, ring testing, equipment calibration.
5.6 Control of Non-conforming Product No major changes.
5.7 Product Release No major changes. 6.1 Control of Operations
• All CCPs to be transferred to day to day production controls.
• Process monitoring to be carried out by trained staff.
• Procedure to be in place to ensure product is packed into correct packaging.
6.2 Quantity – Weight, Volume and Number Control No major changes.
6.3 Calibration and Control of Measuring and Monitoring Devices
• Details of calibration procedures has been clarified e.g. list of equipment, identified & labelled, checked & adjusted based on risk assessment.
7.1 Training
• Competency for specific roles to be documented.
• Monitoring of training requirement and effectiveness.
• Training in relevant language.
• Specific details to be recorded on training records – name, date, duration, course contents, training provider.
7.2 Access and Movement of Personnel
• Site plan required showing access points and travel routes.
• There are specific design and layout requirements.
• Staff / visitor training on site access, movement and hazard procedures.
7.3 Personal Hygiene
• Staff compliance to hygiene rules to be checked regularly.
• Visitors to be controlled by wearing gloves / non handling of food if not complying to hygiene requirement of fingernails.
• Coloured plasters e.g. blue (different from product) to be available.
7.4 Medical Screening
• Procedure for action to be taken in the case of infectious disease to be communicated to staff. 7.5 Protective Clothing
• Policy to be documented.
• Protective clothing to be provided in sufficient numbers.
• Design to prevent product contamination.
• Clean and dirty clothing to be segregated
• If laundering in-house, validate the effectiveness of process.
• Gloves to be suitable for food use, disposable, distinctive colour, intact.
• High risk clothing shall be removed and stored in a designated changing area.
Source: http://www.food-safety.co.uk/advancedfood/BRCStandardupdate.htm