Recalls for SQF Certified Sites

SQF-certified sites are required to notify both SQFI and the designated Certification Body, within twenty-four (24) hours, in writing when there is a food safety event at the facility that requires public notification, such as a Class I or Class II recall (US), or the receipt of a regulatory warning letter.

SQFI is required to receive notification from sites and certification bodies when a food safety event requiring public notification occurs in an SQF-certified facility (e.g. Class I or Class II recall or receipt of a regulatory warning letter). The site is required to provide notification within 24 hours of the event. The certification body should notify SQFI within 48 hours of receiving notification of the food safety event of the actions to be taken by the certification body to protect the integrity of the SQF certificate. These events will be recorded on the recall spreadsheet.

A response is sent to the site requesting the completion of a form with all required information for proper trending purposes.

If the event is deemed “major” by the Vice President of Technical Affairs, SQFI, the information will be reviewed by the SQFI crisis team as outlined in the SQF Contingency Management Plan.

The SQFI Compliance Team will email the certification body if the site or certification body does not provide notification within the required timeframes. The certification body will be notified if the site fails to submit the recall form within 30 days. Recall notifications will be followed up by the certification body designee.

Recalls will be reported to the TAC and certification body committee at their regularly scheduled meetings. 

If notification of the recall is through some other means than direct communication from the site and/or certification body, SQF will notify the certification body who is to follow up with the site.