​SQF has released its updated food and quality GFSI codes.
Released on 31 March, these codes are to be implemented by 02 January 2018

Correct Food Systems is working to advise our clients about the changed structure and requirements for SQF certification.
We have prepared an initial review of changes that can be accessed here.

Notable changes are:

• 5 Food Safety Codes, to cover food safety for a range of industry sectors.
  Note new SQF Food Safety Code for Retail 
• Food Quality is a separate SQF Quality Code. Separate audit, non scored.
• Unannounced audit to be noted on certification
• Expansion of Corrective Action time for Major and Minor noncompliance from 14 to 30 days.
• Increased requirements for 
  * Food Fraud
  * Corporate Suppliers
  * Complaints
  * Allergen Management
  * Management Commitment

View more details of changes here or access the new edition 8 SQF documents here.

Image from SQF edition 8 SQF Food Safety Code for Manufacturing pg 9

Woolworths have released documents and information on their Supplier Excellence Program on their Woolworths wowlink website. 
Woolworths have also presented the information on the new updated program to suppliers in a road show presentation ( also available on the wowlink website).
Suppliers to Woolworths are advised to be familiar with the changes and altered structure of the new Supplier Excellence program by accessing the information from wowlink. CFS has a short summary of the information here

Just a reminder that the current SQF 7.2 Standard is named "SQF Code", (not "SQF 2000")
Please update any food safety documents to refer to the "SQF Code", to avoid a non conformance at audit.
Edition 7.2 was released to all SQF stakeholders on March 10, 2014 for implementation on July 3, 2014. A copy can be downloaded here.

Woolworths has issued a significantly updated Appendix 7 (v2) – Foreign Object Detection. This new requirement for Woolworth Branded Product sets additional mandatory requirements for the detection of foreign object contamination of Woolworths Branded Products (Food & Pet Food), to reduce the risk of contaminated product reaching the customer, and achieve the best possible detection of foreign objects in final packed products.
This document is further supported by two "How to" guides by Woolworths – “How to Metal Detection
Functionality” and “How to X‐ray Functionality”
 
Correct Food systems can assist you to explain the requirements and update your Foreign object detection equipment procedures to ensure you are meeting the detailed conditions.

Changes to the updated ALDI Supplier Requirements can be summarised as:

• ALDI will be notified by the Certifying body within 48 hours of a failed audit
• SDS’s are to be submitted for all chemical product components
• NIP data for all processed Food & Beverage Products must be within +/- 20% tolerance of theoretical/analytical results
• Any ALDI branded product or packaging must be disposed in accordance with legislative requirements and industry best practice

If you supply to ALDI contact ALDI for the latest version of supplier requirements.

Suppliers providing food and grocery products for either company owned brands or fresh proprietary lines, in Metcash Trading retail outlets now need to comply with the requirements of  the Metcash Supplier Standard for Food V1a.
The scope of the Metcash Approved Supplier Program will be to ensure that each supplier’s site / branch that manufactures for, and/or distributes goods to Metcash must have:

• Current certificate from a 3rd party food safety certification scheme (or other “approved vendor quality assurance” programs) according to the Metcash Supplier Certification Standard.
  
• Adequate Public and Products Liability Insurance coverage (at least $10M, but preferably $20M) which must be current at all times whilst supplying Metcash.
  
• Up to date & adequate recall / withdrawal / complaints processes & contacts for business activities.
  
• Adequate change control processes to ensure that any changes to the quality of the products supplied, are communicated in a timely manner to the Metcash Food Safety Department.
  
• Current specifications for all Metcash owned branded lines as well as any fresh proprietary lines with an intended further use in any retail fresh service department (deli, bakery, meat, produce).
  

If you supply food to Metcash independant retail stores, please contact Metcash to ensure compliance to the new standard which was launced in November 2014.  qafresh@metcash.com  
A copy of the standard is available here
A copy of the Matrix Appendix 1 is available here

Correct Food Systems can assist your business to meet the requirements and ensure your business is a certified Metcash Approved Supplier.

BRC version 7 was released early January 2015.
The standard is available as a free download from http://www.brcglobalstandards.com
This GFSI standard is auditable in July 2015
There have been significant changes to the standard from version 6
Some of  the more notable changes are:

• Changes to the  BRC  audit Grading system. Now AA, A, B, C,D Sites with less than 5 minor non-conformities can achieve AA, A = 6- 10 minors, D=25- 30 minors, or 1 major 17-24 minors, 2 majors 11-16 minors
• Introduced 4 additional voluntary modules – can be added onto the  BRC audit. Traded Goods, food for animal feed, chain of custody , food defenc
• Two new “Fundamentals” added: Labelling and pack  control and Supplier Management
• New requirement to risk assess ambient high care products to consider cross contamination and  pathogen survival in Ambient high care products
• Increase agent and broker accountability, in traceability

Those audited to BRC are advised to read the support freely provided by BRC and adjust their food safety management system ready for the implementation and certification to this standard.

Correct Food Systems can assist you to integrate these changes into your system or perform an internal audit in readiness for BRC certification audits in July 2015