About this Video

• Video Title: Realizar Ejercicios de trazabilidad efectivos - Episodio nº 17
• Channel: Marife Montes Luna
• Speakers: Marife Montes Luna
• Duration: 00:45:11

Introduction

This video discusses how to conduct effective traceability exercises in the food industry. The speaker, Marife Montes Luna, provides techniques and advice to improve and optimize food safety systems, focusing on ensuring the reliability of traceability systems. She covers legal requirements, specific standards (BRC, IFS, and FSSC 22000), and practical steps for implementing and testing traceability procedures.

Key Takeaways

• Traceability is a key requirement: It's mandated by regulations like the Codex Alimentarius and Regulation 178, and is essential for certifications like BRC, IFS, and FSSC 22000.
• Three types of traceability: Backward (tracing the origin of ingredients), internal (tracking ingredients within the facility), and forward (tracking the product's path to the customer).
• Importance of lot identification: Each ingredient and product should have a unique lot number for accurate tracking. A lot is defined as a group of units produced under the same conditions.
• Conducting effective traceability exercises: Choose a complex product for testing, collect all necessary documents (recipes, flowcharts, etc.), verify data consistency, and perform a mass balance to ensure accurate quantities.
• Common traceability errors: Inaccurate lot identification, incomplete records, disconnections between production stages, and lack of training.

Here's a development of the answers to the follow-up questions, based solely on the provided transcript of Marife Montes' podcast:

1. What specific requirements for traceability are outlined in BRC, IFS, and FSSC 22000 standards, and how do they differ?

The transcript highlights the following:

• BRC: Requirement 3.9 emphasizes the establishment's ability to trace all batches of products, from raw materials to the customer, both forward and backward. Requirement 3.9.1 mandates a documented traceability procedure. Requirement 3.9.2 requires maintaining identification of all products throughout production. Requirement 3.9.3 mandates testing the traceability system for all product ranges. Requirement 3.9.4 stresses maintaining traceability even during reprocessing or rework. BRC, along with IFS, specifies a maximum of 4 hours for traceability exercises unless stricter customer requirements exist.

• IFS: Requirement 4.18 establishes traceability as a core requirement; failure to meet this perfectly can result in certificate loss. It mandates traceability throughout the entire production system, from raw material receipt through manufacturing, reprocessing, and distribution. The standard also addresses mass balance considerations and maintaining product identification, with particular attention to reprocessing and temporary storage/labeling. Like BRC, IFS requires traceability exercises within 4 hours unless customer requirements dictate otherwise.

• FSSC 22000: The transcript mentions that FSSC 22000, like BRC and IFS, demands a reliable and secure traceability system throughout all production stages. However, the transcript doesn't delve into specific clause numbers or detailed requirements for FSSC 22000 as it does for BRC and IFS. The key difference highlighted is that while BRC and IFS specify a 4-hour timeframe for traceability exercises (unless customer demands are more stringent), this specific time constraint for FSSC 22000 isn't detailed in the transcript.

2. What information is crucial to record for backward, internal, and forward traceability?

• Backward Traceability: Information needed includes the supplier, product origin, delivery date, quantity received, receiving conditions, lot number, and quantity per lot. This helps to quickly identify the source of any issues and manage incidents.

• Internal Traceability: This involves recording information about how products are handled within the facility. Key details include lot identification at each stage, production process details (mixing, cooking, cutting, packaging), all deviations recorded, and the equipment used. The relationship between input and output lots must be meticulously tracked.

• Forward Traceability: It is essential to record the customer, delivery date, quantity, shipping method, and any relevant transportation details (temperature controls). This information is necessary for product recalls or other crisis management situations.

3. How does the mass balance calculation help in verifying traceability? What factors should be considered when performing this calculation?

Mass balance verification checks if the quantity of inputs (raw materials) matches the quantity of outputs (finished products), accounting for losses (waste, spoilage, sampling). It's a crucial tool for identifying discrepancies and errors in the production process. The speaker emphasizes its importance, particularly in IFS standards. Factors to include are:

• Recipe details: Precise quantities of all raw materials used.
• Actual usage: The exact amount of each raw material utilized in the production process.
• Losses: Quantities lost due to waste, spoilage, sampling, evaporation, or other production-related factors.
• Finished product quantity: The amount of final product obtained.

Discrepancies between theoretical and actual quantities highlight potential process inefficiencies or errors.

4. What are some common errors found in traceability systems, and how can these errors be avoided?

Marife Montes Luna identifies the following common errors:

• Incorrect lot identification: Improper assignment of lot numbers or inconsistent use of coding systems. This is avoided by implementing a clear, consistent system for lot coding.
• Incomplete records: Missing data regarding dates, quantities, or other crucial details. Comprehensive training and readily accessible recording methods are necessary to ensure completeness.
• Disconnections between production stages: Gaps in the traceability chain between different processing stages. Careful documentation, well-defined procedures, and systematic data management are necessary to prevent such issues.
• Lack of control over raw materials and suppliers: Insufficient oversight in the quality of materials received or the reliability of suppliers. Thorough supplier evaluation, clear specification requirements, and close monitoring of incoming materials help prevent this.
• Inadequate traceability for by-products, intermediate products, and waste: Lack of attention to the complete traceability of all items involved in the production process. A comprehensive approach that considers all these aspects of the production process is necessary.
• Poorly defined procedures: Vague instructions or lack of a user-friendly manual can result in inconsistencies. A clear, well-defined procedure is necessary for consistent operation.
• Insufficient training: Lack of proper training for personnel handling traceability functions. This is avoided by providing thorough and consistent training to all employees involved in the traceability process.
• Outdated traceability systems: Failure to update systems or procedures, leading to inefficiencies or inaccuracies. Regular reviews and upgrades to the system, as well as documentation of these updates, are critical.
• Incomplete or insufficient traceability exercises: Choosing simple products or only partially conducting tests instead of performing comprehensive evaluations. Choosing more complex products and carrying out thorough tests is vital to assure the effectiveness of the systems.

Marife Montes' concluding remarks emphasize the importance of viewing traceability exercises not merely as a requirement to fulfill, but as a continuous improvement opportunity for the system. She encourages listeners to proactively test their systems with complex products to identify weaknesses. She stresses the importance of having well-structured, planned procedures with defined work formats to make traceability exercises efficient and quick. Finally, she points listeners to her website for downloadable notes containing practical examples and a list of legislation applicable to the food industry.