Good Retail Practices for Retail Meat Operation Programs

Recall Preparedness Program

Complaint Tracking   

Whenever a complaint is received which relates to food safety, a written record should be made. This record should contain the date the complaint was received, the quantity of product affected, lot or batch numbers, production and “Best Before” date(s), the nature of the suspected product defect, any applicable illness or injury suspected of being related to consumption of product, and contact information for the complainant.

In addition, the record should also contain a description of the actions taken by the retailer to investigate and address the suspected hazard. This information should be signed by the employee receiving the information as well as the department manager or owner.

Supplier Recall Preparedness   

Retailers should ensure that all suppliers have a written recall program and obtain the name of the supplier contact who should be notified in the event of product related concerns.

A list of supplier contacts with phone and fax numbers should be maintained on the premises at all times.

Recalled Product Segregation and Disposal   

A written plan should be constructed by retailers which states how product that is suspected of being hazardous will be marked, and where it will be stored to ensure that it is segregated from other saleable product and held pending testing or further information.

A plan for disposal of any product known to be hazardous should be constructed. This plan should include the requirement for a record of hazardous product disposal including disposal method, product quantity, and other information identifying the product. This record should be maintained on the premises and be signed by the department manager.

Tracking Records   

Adequate records must be maintained in order to enable effective product segregation and/or destruction in the event of a recall.

All meat product invoices, receipts and lot coding information should be kept to permit tracking of products. Also, it should be verified that all pre-packaged product received is labelled and the information is legible.

During production, records of meat and other ingredients should be maintained which include the quantity, source, and batch information.

Following production, it is important that on a periodic basis accurate inventories be taken so that the amount of each product remaining at store level is known and volume of product sold at the consumer level can be obtained.

Retailers should be aware that tracking records should be of sufficient detail and quality so that they are suitable for review by the CFIA or other regulatory bodies in the event of a recall.

Written Recall Program   

In the rare event that a recall is required each retailer should have in writing the procedures required and, when applicable, corporate policies for communication of information to the media and consumers.

Contact information for the CFIA recall coordinator in your region should be noted.

A list of recall team members who will be responsible for carrying out recall related tasks should be maintained which includes home phone numbers and other contact information for all individuals.

Valuable sources of procedural information for recalls include the Canadian Food Inspection Agency and recall manuals such as those produced by the Canadian Council of Grocery Distributors.

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