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Minimum Supplier Certifications for Food Supplements

Discussion in 'Other Quality and Business Related Topics' started by Jack G, Jul 6, 2020.

  1. Jack G

    Jack G Member

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    Hi Everyone,


    Currently working for a small company in the UK that sources raw materials and food supplements mainly from China.


    I have been thrown in the deep end to manage the Quality side of things and feel overwhelmed as I have little experience and I was hoping that someone could help me.


    I was curious as to how to decide on a minimum acceptance criteria for our suppliers. We have a supplier questionnaire but I can't seem to see any minimum requirements such as ISO or HACCP for example. How would I define these limits? Where do I draw the line?


    Any help would be hugely appreciated!
     
  2. Rustle

    Rustle Member

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    Hi Jack,
    with supplier appraisal I'm afraid you need to set the rules which can sometimes be clear-cut but more often it is a bit fuzzy.
    Would focus on the legal requirements for what you are importing & the food standards agency would be a good place to start - https://www.food.gov.uk/
    With supplier appraisal for food supplements would make sure you ask for and keep all the paperwork & certifications they can supply! If they can't tell you where it was made, full ingredients and full testing details run a mile!!
     
  3. Andy Nichols

    Andy Nichols Moderator Staff Member

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    All (effective) supplier relationships are predicated on 2 things: On Time, In Spec ("OTIS"). From that you can develop an understanding of your existing suppliers' performances and what subsequently causes you issues. As a UK based business, what do you know about those suppliers? Do you require them to submit testing results with each delivery to attest to the specs? Do you have mutually agreed specifications for what you are buying which is the basis of your purchasing contracts? Do you require traceability of those products to a source, so in the event of a recall you can limit it to a certain lot code? Good supplier Quality usually starts with figuring out what your risks are and how vulnerable you are to the suppliers not being in control.