Product Release Procedure

Use approved specifications as the release basis

Finished-product batch release criteria are established through product design and development and incorporated into current approved specifications. At batch release, the current approved specification is the controlled source of the criteria applied to the release decision.

The procedure links release eligibility to product identity, batch or lot status and supporting release evidence, with those elements maintained through the traceability arrangements. Product with incomplete criteria, incomplete checks, missing evidence or uncertain release status remains unavailable for release.

Where completed criteria or supporting evidence show that product does not meet release requirements, the affected product is controlled through non-conforming product arrangements. Corrective and preventive action requirements are applied where failed release criteria or release control failures require follow-up.

Maintain control where positive release applies

Positive release is developed as a defined status and authority control. Products identified as requiring positive release remain unreleased until all applicable release criteria have been completed and the release decision has been authorised by Technical / Quality Management.

Where release criteria require inspection, on-site testing, laboratory analysis or result review, those activities must be completed through the relevant product inspection, testing and analysis procedure before authorisation is granted. Authorised release is the point at which the product may move from unreleased to released status.

The procedure also recognises the significance of release errors. Where product has been released in error and the issue may affect food safety, legality, authenticity or quality beyond direct site control, escalation is made through the incident management, withdrawal and recall arrangements.

Separate technical authority from operational status control

Responsibility is allocated across the functions that influence release status. Senior management provides the organisational resources needed to support finished product release and positive release controls.

Technical / Quality Management establishes and maintains the release controls, confirms that criteria, checks, evidence and status have been completed and reviewed, maintains unreleased status where positive release applies, and authorises release for products requiring positive release.

Production / Operations Management controls product status in operational areas and prevents product with incomplete criteria, incomplete checks, missing evidence, uncertain release status or a positive-release requirement from being used, picked, dispatched or supplied before release is granted. Employees are required to follow the controls applicable to their work and report incomplete criteria, missing evidence, uncertain status, failed criteria or suspected release errors.

Keep release evidence connected to the release decision

The procedure requires positive release records, release authorisation records and product release status records to be completed and maintained. Those records provide the evidence base for showing which release criteria and supporting information were considered, what product status applied and, where positive release is required, who authorised the release decision.

Personnel involved in confirming, reviewing, maintaining, authorising, handling, picking, dispatching, recording, escalating or reporting finished product release and positive release activities are brought within the training requirements of the procedure. Training covers release status, release criteria, supporting evidence, authorisation controls, recognition of release issues and relevant escalation routes.

A release-control procedure within the wider FSQMS

Within the Food Industry Hub FSQMS Policies and Procedures Suite, this procedure connects finished product release with product design and development, specifications management, inspection and laboratory evidence, traceability, non-conforming product control, corrective and preventive action, incident management and record control.

For technical, quality and operations teams, the document provides a structured basis for controlling product status before supply and for keeping positive release decisions linked to the criteria, evidence and authority required for each applicable product.