Safety and Traceability

Bulk Food Safety & Traceability

• Review all packing lists that arrive with your shipment and compare the items received to the paperwork included.
• Document any lot numbers, codes, dates or identifying numbers that are on the boxes. Remember to also list the date the items were received. You can use something as simple as a lined tablet or as involved as a computer spreadsheet to document your information. But remember to keep this log in a place where you can always find it and keep it clean so it can always be easily read. Keeping accurate records will help you to identify your products for traceability and for freshness.
• If there are not identifying numbers on the packages, you can put the purchase order number, or the date received on them as an identifying number.
• If the items are being repacked and put on the shelf for sale, you don't need to put the numbers on every item.
• If the entire product is being packed and put out for sale, put that date in a separate column next to your product information in your log.
• If only some of the product is being packed and put out for sale, create a system that will identify what is on the shelf for your own information. It can be as simple as color coding the packages to correspond with the week or month that the packages are available for sale.
• Please keep any unused or repacked product secure and sealed until it is used. Remember to mark down the date that the rest of the product is being put out for sale, on your product information log.
• If a recall takes place, Dutch Valley will either request a return of product by a date or by a lot/code number depending on what the vendor tells us. If lot numbers or codes are mentioned, your product information log will tell you if you have any of the product on the shelf. If a date is mentioned, you can also access your product information log sheets and see when you received the items.
• If you have any concerns or are not sure about what product is affected, please take all product off the shelf and do not sell it.
• Post the recall notice that you receive from us near where the product was sold. This will notify your customers of a recall.
• If customers return product to you, place it with any recalled products. If they are not sure if their purchase is involved, and if you cannot definitely identify the product as recalled, accept it and place it with the recalled product.
• Gather any suspect product together and isolate it away from any other food products. Please don't store it with your other foods even if the recall is voluntary and precautionary. Dutch Valley will tell you how to return or dispose of the product being recalled along with any credit information.
• You may be visited by the FDA. The federal regulations require us to provide our customer information to them, with names and locations of who has received recalled product. Please cooperate with them and help answer their questions. They are at your facility to be sure no one incurs any injury by eating the recalled product. They will also ask you for documentation of what lots/codes you received and when you received them. Keeping a log as mentioned above, will be the information they want.
• If you have any questions or issues, you can contact us at Customer Service or by calling Quality Assurance directly. Please use the following contact information:

Dutch Valley Food Distributors, Inc.
Carole Foelker / Customer Service Manager

Phone: 1-800-733-4191
Fax: 1-866-933-5466
Web: www.dutchvalleyfoods.com
Email: customerservice@dutchvalleyfoods.com