If you are unsure whether corrective action is required, see Verification vs. Validation
What You Need To Know
Verification means confirming that other parts of the food safety plan have been undertaken as specified.
Verification can take the form of a supervisor regularly reviewing records and verifying them with a signature.
What is Verification?
Verification means the application of methods, procedures, tests and other evaluations, in addition to monitoring, to determine whether a control measure or combination of control measures is or has been operating as intended and to establish the validity of the food safety plan.
Examples of Verification
Common examples of verification include:
Reviewing cooking records to confirm the required temperature and cook time was reached
Reviewing refrigeration records to confirm food was held sufficiently cold
Observation that employees are following good food-handling practices
Calibrating thermometers – this verifies that they are reading properly
Sampling your own product for pathogens to verify that your process was faithfully performed
Environmental monitoring – testing your production space for pathogens living on surfaces, in drains, etc.
Supplier Verification – reviewing a supplier’s records to confirm they are faithful to their food safety practices and claims.
When is Verification Required?
All records which monitor a preventive control must be verified within 7 days of their creation.
All corrective action records must be reviewed within 7 days of their creation.
Other verification records, such as instrument calibration, product testing, and environmental monitoring, must be verified “within a reasonable amount of time” as determined by the producer.
Who Conducts Verification?
All verification activities must be performed by a preventive controls qualified individual (PCQI).
What You Need to Do:
Verify that your preventive controls are being implemented and monitored. You can do this by checking that monitoring records were completed.
Verify that corrective actions are taken when necessary and that the right decisions are being made in relation to any process deviations.
You must keep your verification records on file (digital is fine)
This Article is For You if…
∆ You are developing a food safety plan or HACCP plan.
∆ You have implemented a preventive control or have identified a hazard that requires a preventive control
∆ You take any records as part of your food safety plan
Resources
Verification Log Template
FDA Regulation on Verification
More About Food Safety Plans
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