Conduct a mock recall of a raw material lot

You are the Quality Coordinator supporting the recall team at Dandenong South.

Simulated workplaceAdvanced missionCAQA Orchard Lane Foods

What is going on

The spring mock recall scenario is that the supplier of dried apricot halves has advised that lot MV-4471 was packed on a line that also handled an undeclared allergen. The lot was received on 28 August, quarantined for a missing certificate of analysis, released on 1 September and used in apricot and almond fruit bar batches on snack line 2. Some of that product has been dispatched to distribution centres and some is on hold after the metal detector event. Sarah Okonjo wants the trace completed within the four hour target in the recall procedure, the reconciliation recorded and every gap in the records reported honestly.

Sarah Okonjo, Quality Manager
Subject: Mock recall, dried apricot lot MV-4471

The spring mock recall is due and I want you to run it as recall coordinator's assistant. The scenario is that Murray Valley Dried Fruits has advised that lot MV-4471 was packed on a line with an undeclared allergen. Trace the lot forward through every batch it went into, every finished goods lot, every customer and every quantity dispatched, reconcile what was produced, what is in stock and what is out, and place the stock on hand on hold. Time every step and record the reconciliation using the recall procedure. Report the gaps.

Your brief

Trace the raw material lot forward to every batch, finished goods lot, customer and quantity, reconcile produced, in stock and dispatched, place stock on hand on hold, time every step against the procedure and report the result and any gaps to the quality manager.

Work through it

You do not need to do it all. Doing a few of these will show you what the work is like. Your ticks and notes stay on this device.

Read the Product Withdrawal and Recall Procedure and the traceability section of the HACCP plan, and set up the recall log with the start time.
Find lot MV-4471 in the Raw Material Receipts and Stock system and identify every batch that used it from the Production Batch Records system.
For each batch, establish the quantity produced, the quantity in stock, the quantity on hold and the quantity dispatched by customer and date.
Reconcile the totals and record any difference between produced and the sum of stock, hold and dispatched, with the reason where you can find it.
Place all stock on hand from the affected batches on hold in the batch record system and describe the physical hold labelling required in the warehouse.
Draft the customer notification using the recall procedure and record who would be notified and in what order, without sending anything.
Complete the recall log with the time taken for each step, record any gap as a non-conformance in the register and write the mock recall report for Sarah Okonjo.

My notes: what did I enjoy, and what surprised me?

What someone in this role would produce

Completed recall log with timings
Traceability and reconciliation table
Draft customer notification
Register entries for any gaps
Mock recall report

Printing this is a record of what you explored. It is not a certificate or a qualification.