PrimusLabs.com - QA Systems

Quality Assurance Audit Glossary v1 051206

Automated Quality Selection

Where selection process step is carried out automatically using some piece of sorting equipment. Examples include color sorters, weight graders, pressure sensing systems, size graders etc. See positive selection and negative selection.

Commodity

In the context of this audit, this refers to bulk raw material items that are either selected and sold as is, or mixed with other commodities and/or ingredients to form a finished product.

First In, First Out. (FIFO)

Stock rotation best practice.

Food Contact Packaging

Any packaging material that will come into contact with any foodstuff.

In Line Equipment

In the case of this audit program, "in-line" is describing a piece of equipment that is part of a continuous process, e.g. an "in-line" check weighing machine (usually a conveyor belt with an in-built scale and recording system). See "stand alone" equipment.

Ingredients

In the context of this audit, this refers to ingredients that are usually mixed with other commodities and/or ingredients to form the finished product.

Manual Selection

Where employees are used to select product in the process step. Manual selection is often a conveyor belt system of some type, but batch manual selections is also sometimes performed. See positive selection and negative selection.

Negative Selection

A selection process where the graders remove the "out of specification" materials. In other words the removal of downgrade and cull materials. See positive selection.

Non-Food Contact Packaging

Any packaging material that will not come into contact with any foodstuff e.g. an outer carton used to hold bagged salads.

On Hold

Raw materials, work in progress or finished goods, that need to suspended and not used or shipped without further investigation are placed "on-hold" pending a decision or outcome.

Outer Pack

An outer in this audit is referring to the packaging used to carry unit packs e.g. bagged product, clamshells or bulk packed product.

Positive Selection

A selection process where the graders remove the "in specification" materials. See negative selection.

Quality Attribute

A parameter of an item or process that affects the quality of the raw material, work in progress item or finished product.

Quality Related Processing Steps

Any step in a process which is designed to improve or maintain the quality of the product being produced. If the step is not performed properly that the quality of the product is affected. While selection processes do affect quality, in this audit, selection processes (manual and automated) are covered in specific questions.

Raw Materials

In the context of this audit, raw material includes commodities, ingredients and packaging (both food contact and non-food contact) unless the question specifies otherwise.

Rejection System

Rejection systems as pertaining to an automated selection process is using the mechanism that removes identified below specification material. An example would be a rejection paddle that pushes an identified below specification item off a conveyor belt.

Re-work

Finished product that is returned to an early step in the process and then packed again.

Shelf Life

In the context of this audit, refers to the life of the product after shipping.

Stand Alone Equipment

In the case of this audit program, "stand alone" is describing a piece of equipment that is not part of a continuous process, e.g. an weighing scale that is not part of the continuous production equipment flow - the product is taken from off the line, weighed and put back on the line or transferred to another process.

Temperature Sensitive

A material that requires to be stored at a particular temperature range in order to maintain optimum quality for the longest possible time.

Unit Pack

The individual pack format that is used for a product e.g. clamshell, bag, etc.

Work In Progress (WIP)

Any material that is partially worked on, but is not manufactured into the finished product.