An Introduction to · F060 Issue 1 Introduction to Acceptance of Raw Materials (Goods-In and Raw Material Receipt) 28/8/2013 Page 3 of 7. Quick Tips • Ensure relevant staff are

An Introduction to Acceptance of Raw Materials(Goods-In and Raw Material Receipt)

BRC Global Standards. Trust in Quality

Acceptance of Raw Materials (Goods-In and Raw Material Receipt)Raw materials are a source of potential hazards, so their correct manufacture and control is vital to the safety and quality of the products they’re used to produce.

How these raw materials are received on to a site is an important part of the process. You need to ensure ingredients are only accepted from approved suppliers and meet agreed specifications, which include appropriate safety and quality standards.

1.0 Requirements of the BRC Global Standard for Food SafetyIn the BRC Global Standard for Food Safety, clause 3.5.2.1 states: The company shall have a documented procedure for the acceptance of raw materials and packaging on receipt based on the risk assessment (3.5.1). Raw material acceptance and its release for use shall be based on one or a combination of:

• visual inspection on receipt

• certificates of conformance – specific to each consignment

• certificates of analysis

• product sampling and testing

A list of raw materials and the requirements to be met for the acceptance shall be available. The parameters for acceptance and frequency of testing shall be clearly defined.

Clause 3.5.2.2 states: The procedures shall be fully implemented and records maintained to demonstrate the basis for acceptance of each batch of raw materials.

2.0 How this short guide can help This short guide will help you put verification procedures in place to ensure incoming materials are from approved suppliers and meet agreed specifications.

The aim of this verification is to ensure your delivery:

• Contains the correct quantity of goods

• Is of the expected quality

• Was not damaged during transit (e.g. physical damage, pest ingress, water damage)

• Was stored in an appropriate condition (e.g. temperature control)

• Meets the required safety parameters appropriate to the ingredient (e.g. micro-organisms of concern, potential allergens, physical or chemical contaminants)

• Maintains traceability

• Meets any specific parameters identified in the specification

• Is added to stock control and release systems

As part of this verification process any non-conforming raw materials are effectively prevented from entering production.

Acceptance of Raw Materials (Goods-In and Raw Material Receipt)

F060 Issue 1 Introduction to Acceptance of Raw Materials (Goods-In and Raw Material Receipt)

28/8/2013 Page 1 of 7


3.0 Setting up acceptance proceduresAcceptance procedures must be documented to ensure they are completed thoroughly and consistently.

Your procedure(s) should include:

• Identification of the staff authorised/responsible for receiving raw materials

• The checks or controls required for each ingredient

• The management of non-conforming product (this should also include ingredients that are ‘on hold’ pending further testing or investigation)

• Systems for maintaining traceability and the application of any site specific labelling

• Storage instructions, for example, chilled or frozen storage and requirements for segregation (e.g. allergens)

• Sampling procedure which should include the timing, method and responsibility for completion

• Instructions for retained samples (where required)

3.1 Approved raw materials Sites must have a list of approved raw materials, which should be available at goods-in (i.e. where it will be used). It will usually contain:

• A list of approved suppliers

• A list of ingredients from each supplier

• The checks/controls required on receipt of each ingredient, complete with acceptance criteria (i.e. acceptable/ unacceptable is defined)

• Frequency of tests

3.2 Assessing the level of checks needed Whilst some checks will be applicable to all deliveries (e.g. the state of the delivery vehicle), the risk assessment (completed as part of requirement 3.5.1) should be used to establish the level of control required for each ingredient, with higher risk ingredients needing more checks before they’re accepted. For example, you’ll need to assess whether a Certificate of Conformity is sufficient or whether a more rigorous assessment is needed such as a Certificate of Analysis or product testing.

Where a certificate or other documentation is required, it’s important that the critical data is clearly defined and checked, i.e. the specific tests and acceptable limits are documented. For example, if the risk assessment highlights a potential microbiological risk then the Certificate of Analysis must show the relevant organism(s). But if the risk is an allergen then there needs to be an allergen result. On receipt of a batch of ingredients the certificate will be checked for the relevant tests as well as ensuring the value(s) is within defined critical limits.

Where a control is applied to a percentage of batches (for example a monthly QA test rather than every delivery), it is particularly important that mechanisms are in place to ensure this works effectively as it is much easier to miss a test if it’s not applied to every delivery.

An example of an approved supplier list is shown in Appendix 1.


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4.0 Maintaining your records Records of each delivery and the checks that have been carried out must be carefully maintained.

Typically the records will indicate:

• Date/time of delivery

• Identification of the raw material and quantity delivered

• List of checks completed: - Transport status (e.g. visual inspection of hygiene of vehicle)

- Raw material packaging (e.g. damage, spillages, packaging ntegrity)

- Accuracy/acceptability of product delivery (e.g. correct ingredient from an approved supplier including the quantity delivered, grade/quality of the ingredient, date/lot coding i.e. is shelf life acceptable) - Paperwork associated with the batch of ingredients (e.g. is the appropriate CoA available for this specific batch and are the relevant tests listed and the value(s) within the defined acceptance limits?)

- Additional or Product Specific checks completed on receipt (e.g. product temperature)

• Requirements for further testing

• Identification of the staff completing the checks

An example of a goods-in acceptance sheet is shown in Appendix 2.

Following the goods receipt checks the site will need to take appropriate action to manage the ingredient. Typically this will be one of the following:

• Accept the batch of ingredient, enter into the site’s systems for traceability and stock control and move into the appropriate storage area until it is required for production. It is important that temperature sensitive ingredients are moved in a timely fashion and not left sitting in goods receipt for a prolonged period.

• The batch of raw material is put on hold awaiting further paperwork from the supplier, product testing or QA release. The site will need to have a clear policy on labelling and taking action to ensure materials that are on hold are not accidently used.

• The site rejects the batch of raw material as it does not meet the required standards. The appropriate site representative will need to contact the raw material supplier to agree next steps. Again, a clear procedure is needed to ensure the ingredient is either segregated and labelled to ensure that it is not accidently used, or is not off loaded from the delivery vehicle.

5.0 The importance of good communication Effective communication systems are vital to ensure that relevant information flows effectively between the teams involved in raw material management.

For example:

• The goods-in team need to know the quantities of material ordered

• The QA department need to know when ingredients which require testing or releasing into production are received

• The technical, QA and buying teams need to know if a non-conforming product has been received



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Quick Tips • Ensure relevant staff are trained in the correct procedures

• Ensure that documents (e.g. approved supplier lists, copy of orders) are readily available in the goods receipt area

• Have a clear on-hold/reject system in force

• Leave temperature sensitive ingredients at goods receipt for a prolonged period – process and store appropriately within defined timescales

These short guides are designed for companies involved in the enrolment program and aim to help you interpret the Standard, and design robust systems and procedures that meet the requirements. Examples are given to explain the types of documents and procedures and the level of detail typically required. However, you’ll need to consider the context relevant to your business. The implementation of the Standard, and whether a resulting system is considered to be conforming or non-conforming by an auditor, is an objective judgement which can only be based on the evidence collected and observations made during the audit.

Further details regarding the BRC Global Standard for Food Safety can be obtained from [email protected]



28/8/2013 Page 4 of 7


Prod

uct(s

) Sup

plie

dSu

pplie

rs N

ame

Full

Nam

e of

Ap

prov

ed S

uppl

ier

Requ

irem

ents

Freq

uenc

y of

Che

cks

Acce

ptan

ce C

riter

ia

List

of p

rodu

cts

that

the

supp

lier i

s ap

prov

ed fo

r (th

e su

pplie

r may

hav

e pr

oduc

ts in

thei

r ran

ge

that

they

are

not

app

rove

d to

sup

ply

for e

xam

ple

due

to c

ost o

r qua

lity

conc

erns

)

Info

rmat

ion

perta

inin

g to

the

spec

ific

ingr

edie

nt e

.g. s

peci

al

stor

age

cond

ition

s or

the

need

for r

aw m

ater

ial t

estin

g or

QA

rele

ase

Freq

uenc

y w

ith w

hich

the

activ

ity m

ust b

e co

mpl

eted

Criti

cal l

imit

mus

t be

clea

rly

docu

men

ted

A Br

owns

Unsa

lted

Butte

r

Salte

d Bu

tter

• Co

C•

Tem

pera

ture

con

trol o

f

vehi

cles

/del

iver

y•

CoC

• Te

mpe

ratu

re c

ontro

l of

ve

hicl

es/d

eliv

ery

All d

eliv

erie

s

All d

eliv

erie

s

CoC

to c

onfir

m c

ompl

ianc

e w

ith s

peci

ficat

ion

(Bro

wns

Butte

r V1)

Tem

pera

ture

< 4

o CCo

C to

con

firm

com

plia

nce

with

spe

cific

atio

n (B

row

nsBu

tter V

2)Te

mpe

ratu

re <

4o C

A Sm

iths

Glut

en F

ree

Rice

Flo

ur

123

Grad

e X

Mai

ze F

lour

(<50

0mic

ron)

• Co

A fo

r Glu

ten

Cont

ent

• Re

quire

s QA

test

ing

&

rele

ase

• Co

C

• Re

quire

s QA

test

ing

All d

eliv

erie

s

CoC:

All

deliv

erie

s

CoA:

Glu

ten

<10

mg/

kg

TQA:

Tes

t Glu

ten

<10

mg/

CoC

to c

onfir

m c

ompl

ianc

e w

ith

spec

ifica

tion

(Sm

ithsM

aize

V1)

.QA

: Tes

t Glu

ten

<10

mg/

kgQA

: Qua

rterly

Appendix 1: Example of an Approved Raw Material List

In ad

ditio

n to

the t

ests

listed

abov

e all

deliv

eries

will

be c

heck

ed fo

r:

• Cl

eanl

ines

s of d

elive

ry ve

hicle

– n

o sp

illag

es p

erm

itted

, no

odou

rs li

kely

to ta

int m

ateria

ls

• In

tegrit

y of p

acka

ging

– d

amag

ed p

acks

to b

e reje

cted

• Pe

st Co

ntro

l – n

o ev

iden

ce o

f pes

t ing

ress


28/8/2013 Page 5 of 7


Supp

lier

Date

/Ti

me

Whe

n it

arriv

ed

Ingr

edie

ntBB

E/UB

Acce

ptab

le/C

omm

ents

Who

is it

from

? Ar

e th

ey

on th

e ap

prov

ed s

uppl

ier

list?

Batc

h or

Lot

Co

des

& an

y tra

ceab

ility

in

form

atio

n

Requ

ired

chec

ks fo

r th

e in

gred

ient

If ac

cept

able

rele

ase

into

pr

oduc

tion/

stor

e. E

nsur

e an

y ou

t of

spe

cific

atio

n re

sults

and

su

bseq

uent

act

ions

are

reco

rded

.If

on-h

old

wai

ting

QA o

r tes

ts

resu

lts n

ote

this

Codi

ngCh

ecks

Requ

ired

Resu

ltsBy

Wha

t it i

s?

Incl

ude

deta

il (e

g gr

ade)

BBE

or U

B fo

r sto

ck

rota

tion

Resu

lts

of th

e ch

ecks

Reco

rd

who

did

th

ese

activ

ities

24/1

/13

9am

A Br

owns

ABB1

301

Vehi

cle

Pest

Pa

ckag

ing

COC

Tem

pera

ture

All t

ests

acc

epta

ble.

Chill

sto

reUn

salte

dBu

tter

1/3/

13OK OK OK CO

C OK

3o C

MN

24/1

/13

3.30

pmA

Smith

s12

3X_0

1_13

Vehi

cle

Pest

Pack

agin

gCO

AGl

uten

On-h

old

awai

ting

glut

en te

st

resu

ltsGl

uten

Fre

e Ri

ce F

lour

12

3Gr

ade

X

31/1

2/13

OK OK OK COA

OK

MN

In th

e la

tter

exa

mpl

e (G

lute

n Fr

ee R

ice

Flou

r) th

e Q

A

depa

rtm

ent n

eed

to u

pdat

e th

e re

cord

whe

n th

e re

sult

s be

com

e av

aila

ble

and

ensu

re in

gred

ient

is e

ithe

r re

leas

ed

into

pro

duct

ion

(acc

epta

ble

resu

lts)

or

disp

osed

of

(una

ccep

tabl

e re

sult

s)

e.g

Glu

ten

resu

lts

<10p

pm r

ecei

ved

31/1

/13

sign

ed Q

A.

Appendix 2: Example of a Goods-In Raw Material Acceptance Sheet


28/8/2013 Page 6 of 7

BRC Trading Limited21 Dartmouth Street, London SW1H 9BP

T. +44 (0)20 7854 8900 F. +44 (0)20 7854 8901 E. [email protected]

Documents

An Introduction to · F060 Issue 1 Introduction to Acceptance of Raw Materials (Goods-In and Raw Material Receipt) 28/8/2013 Page 3 of 7. Quick Tips • Ensure relevant staff are