§ 117.150 - Corrective actions and corrections.

§ 117.150 Corrective actions and corrections.

(a) Corrective action procedures. As appropriate to the nature of the hazard and the nature of the preventive control, except as provided by paragraph (c) of this section:

(1) You must establish and implement written corrective action procedures that must be taken if preventive controls are not properly implemented, including procedures to address, as appropriate:

(i) The presence of a pathogen or appropriate indicator organism in a ready-to-eat product detected as a result of product testing conducted in accordance with § 117.165(a)(2); and

(ii) The presence of an environmental pathogen or appropriate indicator organism detected through the environmental monitoring conducted in accordance with § 117.165(a)(3).

(2) The corrective action procedures must describe the steps to be taken to ensure that:

(i) Appropriate action is taken to identify and correct a problem that has occurred with implementation of a preventive control;

(ii) Appropriate action is taken, when necessary, to reduce the likelihood that the problem will recur;

(iii) All affected food is evaluated for safety; and

(iv) All affected food is prevented from entering into commerce, if you cannot ensure that the affected food is not adulterated under section 402 of the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act or misbranded under section 403(w) of the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act.

(b) Corrective action in the event of an unanticipated food safety problem.

(1) Except as provided by paragraph (c) of this section, you are subject to the requirements of paragraphs (b)(2) of this section if any of the following circumstances apply:

(i) A preventive control is not properly implemented and a corrective action procedure has not been established;

(ii) A preventive control, combination of preventive controls, or the food safety plan as a whole is found to be ineffective; or

(iii) A review of records in accordance with § 117.165(a)(4) finds that the records are not complete, the activities conducted did not occur in accordance with the food safety plan, or appropriate decisions were not made about corrective actions.

(2) If any of the circumstances listed in paragraph (b)(1) of this section apply, you must:

(i) Take corrective action to identify and correct the problem, reduce the likelihood that the problem will recur, evaluate all affected food for safety, and, as necessary, prevent affected food from entering commerce as would be done following a corrective action procedure under paragraphs (a)(2)(i) through (iv) of this section; and

(ii) When appropriate, reanalyze the food safety plan in accordance with § 117.170 to determine whether modification of the food safety plan is required.

(c) Corrections. You do not need to comply with the requirements of paragraphs (a) and (b) of this section if:

(1) You take action, in a timely manner, to identify and correct conditions and practices that are not consistent with the food allergen controls in § 117.135(c)(2)(i) or the sanitation controls in § 117.135(c)(3)(i) or (ii); or

(2) You take action, in a timely manner, to identify and correct a minor and isolated problem that does not directly impact product safety.

(d) Records. All corrective actions (and, when appropriate, corrections) taken in accordance with this section must be documented in records. These records are subject to verification in accordance with § 117.155(a)(3) and records review in accordance with § 117.165(a)(4)(i).