Product Development: Record Keeping and Recall

Record Keeping and Recall

Unfortunately, food processors occasionally need to recall some of their products when contamination occurs or other problems such as illness are attributed to them. If the potentially contaminated product has a lot number, the producer can contain the recall to a limited number of products, which can greatly reduce the associated costs. A "lot number" is usually generated at the time of manufacture and is a systematic way of identifying food that needs to be traced once it is in distribution. A lot number is essentially a code assigned to a food product that is formed by a combination of letters, figures, or both.

As a food processor, it is very important for you to determine a lot number or coding system for your products. The coding system will help you to trace every step of the process in preparing and distributing the product. You must keep records on:

raw ingredients and suppliers to link the raw ingredient lot codes to finished product codes
processing procedure, monitoring of critical control limits, and corrective action from food safety plan
packaging and suppliers
distribution to link your finished product codes to the accounts (retailers, wholesalers, etc.) receiving the product

Check with the Canadian Food Inspection Agency about making a recall plan and to determine how long you need to maintain your records. Keeping records will assist you if there is ever a recall of your product.