SQF 2.5.1 Validation and Effectiveness
My opinion is (and it is different than others)
They use several different terms (validate, ensure the effectiveness, confirmeed to ensure) in this clause. To many validation in food safety only applies to CCP / PCs. Whether you call it validation, ensure the effetiveness, or confirmed to ensure... you need / want to make sure that you programs are achieving the intended result. For instance, if you conduct atp swabs after sanitation and routinely a large portion of them do not pass, there is something not quite right with your program and it needs to be evaluated.
When I see current good manufacturing practices in a SQFI document - to me it means section 11. The section is called good manufacturing practices for food products. This section contains what many would consider the prerequisite programs.
Thus my opionion is that you need to "validate", "confirm", or ensure prerequisite programs to be in compliance. I would think / hope that you would want to any way as what is the purpose of program that is not achieving the intended result.
Wow thank you, that answers my question then.
You just never know how these auditors approach things so rather be safe than sorry.
One year I validated programs according to SQF and then the auditor said it had to be according to Codex Alimentarius :eek_yello: