Food Safety Assurance Systems: Recall Systems and Disposal of Food

The management of food-related incidents, not only of a food safety nature but also for quality reasons, is an ethical as well as commercial priority for all organizations in the value chain, from farmers to manufacturers and from distributors to retailers. It is the responsibility of all companies involved to prepare themselves for a situation in which they would need to conduct a withdrawal or recall and indeed to dispose of nonconforming products appropriately. In addition, such incidents are receiving increasing attention from the general public and authorities around the world. These preparations and procedures need to be integrated into an incident management system. This article discusses the organizational principles and considerations involved in managing such a system, including the preparation for and the execution of withdrawals, recalls, and disposals.