SQF Audit Series: Edition 8.1 (Advanced) – Food Quality Checklist

[Image not migrated]

UpKeep's SQF Audit series is a collection of easy-to-use checklists your organization can utilize during your Safe Quality Food (SQF) audit journey.
To start with the general overview of the SQF Audit, click here. You can skip to the SQF Audit Fundamentals checklists by clicking here. You can find the SQF Audit Food Safety checklists here.

DISCLAIMER: THIS WEBSITE DOES NOT PROVIDE MEDICAL OR HEALTH ADVICE
The information contained on this website and on any of the sites or locations linked below is for informational purposes only. It is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical or health advice. UpKeep does not recommend or endorse any specific protocol, opinions, or other information that may be accessed on or via this website. Reliance on any of this information is solely at your own risk.

What's Ahead?

• • General SQF Food Quality Overview

  • SQF Checklist

    • Food Quality

[Image not migrated]

This post explores the SQF Food Quality program.

Who is the SQF Food Quality pathway for and why is it separated from the other Edition 8.1 checklists?

Food Quality is the 'icing on the cake' of a business's SQF journey. It is not a requirement to complete, but does result in an additional certification.

We decided to separate Food Quality from Food Safety because Quality is applicable to any Food Sector Category (FSC) and is not a requirement to receive SQF certification. In contrast, if a business is seeking SQF certification, then they must successfully pass the auditing process for their respective Food Sector Category.

Why is Edition 8.1 (Advanced) - Food Quality important?

While it is not a GFSI benchmarked program, receiving the SQF Quality certification is a way for a business to further distinguish itself from its competitors. The standards and expectations within the Quality code are rigorous and it's not an 'easy' or 'quick' certification to attain, but it is highly regarded and extremely well respected within the Food and Beverage manufacturing industry!

Heads Up!! A company can have a quality product without being SQF Quality Code certified. Companies may not seek Quality certification for a variety of reasons, but not having this certification doesn't automatically mean a product isn't of high quality!

What are the major components of a SQF Edition 8.1 (Advanced) - Food Quality audit?

The SQF Food Quality Code is focused on quality standards and best practices. As such, it has different expectations and requirements than the Food Safety audits. Similar to other SQF Audits, the best way to prepare for a Quality Code Audit is to go through an internal audit ahead of time and compare all written documentation and plans to what's actually happening on the plant floor.

A site must first be certified to one of the Food Safety Codes before attempting Quality Code certification!

The SQF Food Quality Code Checklist will facilitate this internal audit process!

SQF Checklist: Food Quality Code

Addresses best practices related to management responsibility, crisis management, product quality, inspections, and training.

[Embedded content: https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/e/2PACX-1vTWUW72e8KVuFGe9o535iVBBY4LCVm3t2X0NdnP8mSRbcS6yvYwe3sM_Q6lck8H0vPpdVHvldplLEsF/pubhtml?gid=1131754363&single=true&widget=true&headers=false]

View Checklist 10

Looking for the SQF Audit Main Page?

Click Here

Attribution: The resources presented here were sourced from SQF Institute and their SQF Quality Program page.

DISCLAIMER: THIS WEBSITE DOES NOT PROVIDE MEDICAL OR HEALTH ADVICE
The information contained on this website and on any of the sites or locations linked below is for informational purposes only. It is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical or health advice. UpKeep does not recommend or endorse any specific protocol, opinions, or other information that may be accessed on or via this website. Reliance on any of this information is solely at your own risk.