SQF Mock Recalls

Good morning, this year is our unannounced SQF Ed. 9.0 audit, we are now in our audit window. I just received the following email from our auditor: "I just wanted to provide some clarification for any future SQF audits, whether it is done by myself or another:Mock Recall: 1. Please note that a mock recall must simulate an actual recall. This includes the following: team assembly for a recall exercise, the traceability exercises, and generation of communiques for the customer, public, regulatory agencies, etc. PLEASE DO NOT SEND OUT ANY EMAIL / CALLS/ FAXES TO A 3RD PARTY FOR MOCK RECALLS. A mock recall is not just a traceability exercise. Non-conformities may be issued for mock recalls that only include the trace exercise." I am confident in my companies mock recall program, training, and execution. After reading the code updates a millionth time I still do not see any corrections or updates to Mock Recalls for Ed. 9.0. So to get to my question I guess is for practitioners that have already gone through an ed. 9.0 audit: have you seen auditors spending more time on this section or noticed a change in the way it is audited and for auditors is the mock recall section still a major reason for NC's? I figured with this being a backbone program to SQF (mandatory) most sites would have this figured out. I am just curious as to why this is was brought up by my auditor ahead of time but not the slew of changes for 9.0? Or just be glad they spent the time to send that email and pull my 2021 records out and make sure it is squared away?  :biggrin: Thanks

See attached guidance.  It does state the Recall program must be tested, and not just reviewed annually.

I don't think this is a change specific to edition 9. I had an auditor 5-6 years ago comment on this. We have since separated the two exercises. We do a mock recall annually, and then do traceability exercises quarterly. The mock recall includes all or portions of the recall team, while the traceability is done by the operations team. Auditors we have had look for both of these being done. 

I don't think this is a change specific to edition 9. I had an auditor 5-6 years ago comment on this. We have since separated the two exercises. We do a mock recall annually, and then do traceability exercises quarterly. The mock recall includes all or portions of the recall team, while the traceability is done by the operations team. Auditors we have had look for both of these being done. 

We also separated the exercises to be done separately.  I simply choose a single ingredient in the finished product recalled, and we perform about a month or so later than the main mock recall.  It's worked well for us the past three years.  

That was a ridiculous and overstepping email by the auditor.

He made himself out to be anything but an Auditor - this is not what an Auditor should be doing.

Thank you all. I believe this is my 8th GFSI audit, I have done both SQF and BRC from the ground up and just thought this was a weird email. I do have them separated and neither has raised a NC in the past, I was looking to see if it had something to do with 9.0. Thanks! 

I had my Edition 9 unannounced audit last week.  For my mock trace all that was asked was quanitity of finished product, quanitity shipped, quantity left in stock and location where it shipped.  Also letter of guarantee of product and packaging material along with specs and 3rd party audit.

what is a good acceptance tolerance %?

you should be aiming for not more than 2% unaccounted for (the business would write this off as "shrink") and you should be able to "find" everything else