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FOOD SAFETY ALERTS:
LAST UPDATED: Wednesday, July 24, 2009
Pro*Act received information on a voluntary product recall of Kowalke Organics Alfalfa Sprouts, Kowalke Organics Dinner Salad and Kowalke Organics Onion Mix (package details listed below), labeled under the Kowalke Organics Brand.
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A. PROCESS TO IDENTIFY & DEFINE RECALL LEVELS
The purpose of this process is to initiate procedures that identify conditions that warrant recall actions. The objective of the recall plan is to identify and locate all products within a four hour period. The rapid determination of the seriousness of the problem will drive the key recall action steps. The recall team leader and team will review the product and customer conditions to define the recall alert level classification.
B. IDENTIFY THE NEED FOR RECALL ACTION
- Involves health hazard; label violation; or quality issue
- Determine isolated incident or widespread
- Determine if testing of product is required
- Correctly identify the product and quantity involved
- Conduct physical inspections to confirm reports
- Identify product current national distribution
- Obtain suppliers/Vendor processing or ship dates for product
- Identify supplier company name and shipping location
- Direct all information back to the recall team leader
C. IDENTIFY RECALL ALERT LEVEL
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Level 1 |
Red | Severe |
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Level 2 |
Blue | Elevated |
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Level 3 |
Green | Low |
A Food Safety & Security check list will need to be designed to quantify and determine the alert level assignment by the Recall Team Leader. The decision of a market withdrawal or product recovery will be defined by the recall level severity.
D. ISSUE RECALL ALERT COMMUNICATIONS
During a recall alert the following communications forms and documents will be sent to your attention by the PRO*ACT recall team.
- Recall Alert Fact Sheet –Documented & Signed
- Recall Product Recovery Notification Letter
- Food Safety Product Hold Information Sheets
- Food Safety Product Hold Inventory Tag Sheet
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RECALL DEFINITIONS & CLASSIFICATION*
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| The objective of identifying and classifying a recall level will determine an action plan to take immediate and effective measures to protect consumers & customers from potential life or health threatening hazards. | |
| RECALL CLASSIFICATIONS: | |
| Class I Recall: SEVERE |
This is an emergency situation in which there is a reasonable Probability that use of, or exposure to, a volatile product will Cause serious adverse health consequences or death. |
| Class II Recall: ELEVATED |
This is a priority situation in which use of, or exposure to, a volatile product may cause temporary or medically reversible adverse health consequences or where the probability of serious adverse health consequences are remote. |
| Class III Recall: LOW |
This is a situation in which use of, or exposure to, a volatile product is not likely to cause adverse health consequences. |
| Market Withdrawal | A Market Withdrawal is a situation that involves a firm’s removal or correction of a distributed product, which involves a minor violation that would not be subject to legal action by the FDA or other regulatory agencies; or which involves no violation such as normal stock rotation practices, routine equipment adjustments and repairs, ect... |
| Stock Recovery | A Stock Recovery is a firm’s removal or correction of a product, that has not been distributed or that has not left the direct control of the firm. Such as, the product is located on premises owned by or under the control of the firm and no portion of the lot has been released for sale or use |
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*Source: United Fresh Fruit & Vegetable
Association; Food Safety Guidelines |
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