7 Cold store and vehicle operating procedures

7.1.1 The cold store shall have standard operating procedures and inspection records for the reception, assessment, temperature monitoring and details of the action to be taken if requirements are not met for all pork deliveries. 

7.1.2 During transport, pork raw material shall be either hung on clean well-maintained stands/hooks or supplied in covered, clean, intact containers, cartons or trays that pose no risk of contamination to the contents. 

7.1.3 Pork raw material shall be transported on clean, well-maintained temperature-controlled vehicles that pose no risk of product contamination. 

7.1.4 Each consignment of pork raw material shall be examined on arrival to ensure that it is compliant with specification, free from contamination and indications of spoilage and that assured status and traceability back to source has been maintained.

Guidance

If product is not being received at the time of the audit, verification shall be sought by talking to key personnel to confirm the system for the transport of product. Verification of the cleanliness may be taken by examining the cleanliness of any deliveries in the intake chill or associated area. 

Packaging shall be appropriate to the product being delivered. E.g. naked product delivered in dolavs/shrouded (liners). Vacuum packed product in boxes or containers.

Evidence

Documented procedure aligned to clause 7.1.1. Visual inspection of interior of transport, condition of storage containers for product, integrity of packaging (where applicable). Examples of intake records since the last audit. 

7.2.1 The doors of the delivery vehicle shall remain closed up to the point when the pork raw material temperature is being checked.

7.2.2 During transport and on arrival the temperature of chilled pork raw material shall not fall outside of the range of -2°C to +5°C. 

7.2.3 The target temperature of frozen pork shall be -18°C or less during transport and shall not exceed -12°C at intake.

Guidance

Verification is normally undertaken whilst the product is on the delivery vehicle and at different points within the storage unit of the transporter. Verification shall be sought by checking the temperature recording instrument of the vehicle.

Evidence

Verification of product temperature records during transport and at point of receipt since the last audit.

7.3.1 The storage area shall, under maximum load, maintain product temperatures within specification 

7.3.2 The temperature of chilled pork raw material during storage shall be -2°C to +5°C. 

7.3.3 The temperature of chilled meat preparations during storage shall be between -2°C to +4°C. 

7.3.4 The temperature of chilled offal during storage shall be between -2°C to +3°C.

7.3.5 The temperature of frozen pork raw material during storage shall be -18°C or colder.

7.3.6 Where deep chilled storage is carried out, the standard operating procedure shall clearly state the minimum and maximum storage/meat temperature, and the action to be taken if this cannot be maintained

7.3.7 All pork raw material (carcase or cuts) shall maintain identify, its assured status, kill date, and durability date throughout storage.

Guidance

The storage area may be equipped with auto door closure, air or strip curtains to minimise ingress of warm air during stock transfers.

Dependent on the process e.g. cold storage or tempering the refrigeration temperature may be set to a target temperature to allow for temperature fluctuations caused by defrost cycles, doors opening during stock transfer etc. 

Evidence

The following sub clauses shall be verified:

• Clause 7.3.1 records of temperature monitoring system at maximum load
• Clause 7.3.2 to 7.3.6 examples of temperature control records. 

7.4.1 Pork raw material shall not exceed kill+4 days at point of freezing. 

7.4.2 The pork material shall be in good condition at the time of freezing and shall be effectively packaged to prevent contamination and degradation of quality. 

7.4.3 Pork raw material to be frozen shall be placed into a freezer immediately following receipt. Also see clause 3.3.3.

7.4.4 Frozen pork shall be labelled with a date of kill, date of freezing, and a durability date (best before code) and shall not be stored for longer than 24 months.

7.4.5 Frozen pork shall be stored at -18°C or colder.

7.4.6 Where frozen product is to be defrosted (tempered), this shall be in line with the charter participant’s specification. The tempering process shall be to a documented and validated procedure in line with the charter participant’s processing specification.

7.4.7 Stock control and defrost records shall be maintained.

Guidance

The integrity of the packaging shall be appropriate for the product. The site may have procedures in place for the control of stock and this shall be supported by stock control checks. 

Evidence

Examples of stock control checks since the last audit. Verification of the process for the movement and stock control of product on site.

The cold store shall have standard operating procedures in place for the control (quantity, durability and location) of stock. 

Evidence

Examples of stock control checks since the last audit. Verification of the process for the movement and stock control of product on site.

Charter participants shall carry out a risk assessment of the cold store to verify that the traceability systems and procedures are robust and effective for the identification, stock rotation, handling and traceability of all materials received by the cold store.

Guidance

The labelling of pork material shall clearly indicate that the pork material is assured, and the product is traceable to point of intake at the cold store.

Evidence

Copy of risk assessment undertaken. Discussion with key site personnel to confirm the systems for the identification, traceability and segregation of assured and non-assured product.

Review sites documented procedures and their appropriateness. 

Charter participants shall ensure that the cold store traceability system is independently monitored on a regular basis. The following points clarify the requirements:

7.7.1 These audits shall be undertaken by the charter participant and may be an extension to the scope of the monthly traceability and mass balance checks undertaken at the participant’s site.

7.7.2 These audits shall be carried out by someone competent and independent of the cold store operation. 

7.7.3 Traceability and mass balance checks of the raw material back to intake shall be undertaken in alternate months to check that the materials in the cold store comply with the requirements of the pork charter. 

7.7.4 Documentary evidence containing a summary of each traceability and mass balance check undertaken shall be made available to the service provider to demonstrate that the requirements of the pork charter are being met.

Guidance

At the time of the announced surveillance audit, the service provider shall undertake a mass balance exercise and challenge simultaneously the robustness and effectiveness of the traceability systems and procedures at the cold store. The service provider shall record the details from a specific batch of assured material received from the cold store at the processing site, establish the size of the batch and systematically challenge the mass balance, verifying the ‘road map’ e.g. volumes despatched/received and destination. 

Consideration shall be given to any remaining batches/volumes still held in stock at the cold store and whether the volumes reconcile with the original quantities despatched/received at the processing site. It is expected that the charter participant shall have developed appropriate procedures to assist the independent auditor in undertaking the traceability exercise at the cold store. 

The verification of the traceability exercise shall include all the process steps at the cold store including associated delivery and despatch documentation. The procedure shall detail the administration that shall be used to carry out the traceability exercise and the documentation to be collated. The procedure shall detail the system for the management of non-conformances that may arise. 

Evidence

Copies of the traceability and mass balance exercises. Non-conformance reports to include root cause analysis, corrective action and monitoring.

Each batch of pork to be used as a raw material for the manufacture of any BMPA Quality Pork Charter products shall be marked or labelled with the following as a minimum requirement on reception, storage and despatch:

• Site identification code (health mark) – Charter participant’s site license number
• Product description – e.g. rindless bellies
• Weight – The number of units may also be indicated.
• Traceability batch code – In most cases the traceability batch code is the kill date however, where a production date is used, the information shall be able to trace the product backwards to a kill date. Slaughter code may be in ‘Julian’ calendar format or the actual kill date may be shown.
• Confirmation of assured status – The lettering BQAP may be used to confirm the products’ assured status to relate to the product within the container/box. Non-eligible material shall not be packed within the same dolav, container or box.
• Country of birth, rearing and slaughter or statement of pigs’ origin – Where pigs are born, reared and slaughtered in one country, a single statement of origin is sufficient for the traceability declaration.
• Date of freezing on all frozen raw material
• Process-by or use by date – FSA guidance on “use by” and “best before” date codes.
• Kill date

Evidence

Verification of labelling or markings.