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To learn more about food safety, click the links below:
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Which audit is appropriate for my facility?
To determine what type of audits to use for an audit,
here is the official Primuslabs definition of each.
Packinghouse:
The
packinghouse audit questions are used to assess the facility’s food safety
program. The audit is comprised of two main sections; a Good Manufacturing
Practices section and a Food Safety File Requirements section. The audit
encompasses the areas of pest control, equipment, sanitation, employee
hygiene practices, and all other operational practices and documentation as
they relate to food safety. Food security is also addressed. A "packinghouse"
is where whole commodities are prepared and packed for commercial
distribution after being subjected to processes such as sorting, washing,
weighing, etc. Some buyers require certain operations in packinghouses to
implement a HACCP plan. For this situation it is possible to choose the
“Packinghouse plus HACCP” option.
Processing:
The processing
audit questions are used to access the facilities food safety program as it
applies to Good Manufacturing Practices under 21 CFR, part 110, and relevant
parts of the Food Code, 2001 (FDA/USPHIS) including HACCP requirements. The
audit is comprised of three main sections; a Good Manufacturing Practices
section and a Food Safety File Requirements section and a HACCP section.
HACCP can be optional, but many buyers require HACCP to be included. The
audit encompasses the areas of pest control, equipment, sanitation, employee
hygiene practices, and all other operational practices and documentation as
they relate to food safety including HACCP plans. Food security is also
addressed.
Cooling/Cold Storage:
The
cooling/cold storage audit questions are used to assess the facilities food
safety program. The audit is comprised of two main sections, Good
Manufacturing Practices section and a Food Safety File Requirements section.
The audit encompasses the areas of pest control, equipment, sanitation,
employee hygiene practices, and all other operational practices and
documentation as they relate to food safety. Food security is also addressed.
A "cooling/cold storage facility" is where product is temporarily stored
prior to distribution in order to maintain the proper temperature.
Pre-cooling processes (ice injectors, hydrovac, pressure cooling, etc.) may
also be used in the daily operations.
Storage
and Distribution:
The Storage &
Distribution audit questions are used to assess the facilities food safety
program. The audit is comprised of two sections, Good Manufacturing Practices
section and a Food Safety File Requirements section. The audit encompasses
the areas of pest control, equipment, sanitation, employee hygiene practices,
and all other operational practices and documentation as they relate to food
safety. Food security is also addressed. A “storage and distribution
facility” is where generally large retailers, foodservice companies or
distribution companies store product temporarily prior to further
distribution to local markets. It also includes terminal market operations
where multiple companies are located on one site from which all companies
distribute independently.
Make sure that you check the Primus document website
for the latest version of the questionnaire and guidelines before you go out
to the farm or facility-
http://www.primuslabs.com/rs/Documents.aspx?menuid=2
To begin working on your facility manual, click
here. |
