ABSTRACT
Every food manufacturer or processor receives ingredients and packaging from an outside source. Sometimes these suppliers will be as close as next door or across the street; sometimes they will be as far away as across the state, country, or world. Considering today’s global marketplace, it is impossible for a manufacturer or processor to control the quality of the products that it receives from another company. To address the potential contamination possibilities and ramifications involved therein, the federal government has established very stringent requirements to be followed when receiving and handling inbound raw materials. Therefore, in compliance with 21CFR110 Current Good Manufacturing Practice in Manufacturing, Packing or Holding of Food section 110.80(a)1, which states, “Raw materials and other ingredients shall be inspected and segregated or otherwise handled as necessary to ascertain that they are clean and suitable for processing into food and shall be stored under conditions that will protect against contamination and minimize deterioration,” and 21CFR1.337, which states, “(a) If you are a nontransporter, you must establish and maintain the following records for all food you receive,” every food manufacturer should develop and maintain a formalized and documented receiving program.
