Product Safety, Quality & Release Policy

Govern release through defined criteria and authorisation

The policy requires product safety and quality controls to be defined, implemented and maintained throughout production, with clear criteria for product acceptance, release, hold, rework or rejection.

Release is controlled through documented and authorised processes. Decisions relating to product disposition are supported by documented evidence and risk-based evaluation, and product release decisions are based on objective evidence, documented checks and authorised review and approval.

This gives the organisation a clear policy position: product may be released only where the required safety, legality, authenticity and quality expectations have been reviewed against defined requirements.

Withhold product where conformity is in doubt

Where product safety, legality, authenticity or quality is in doubt, the policy requires product to be withheld from release pending investigation and resolution.

It also requires non-conforming or potentially unsafe product to be effectively identified, controlled and prevented from unintended release. The policy therefore preserves an important distinction between normal release approval and the controlled disposition of product requiring hold, rework, rejection or further investigation.

By setting that expectation at policy level, the document provides a governance basis for the supporting procedures that manage non-conforming product and release activity in practice.

Define responsibility for release control

The policy allocates responsibility across the levels of the organisation that influence release decisions and product status. Senior management provides leadership, resources and support for effective product safety and release controls, and ensures that product safety and quality risks are appropriately escalated and managed.

Management and supervisory staff are responsible for implementing the procedures that support product safety verification and controlled release, ensuring that only authorised personnel release product, and making sure non-conforming product is identified, segregated and managed.

All employees are required to follow the relevant product handling, verification and release procedures and to report concerns that may compromise product safety, legality, authenticity or quality.

Maintain evidence for traceability and due diligence

Records of product verification, release and disposition are required to support traceability and due diligence.

That evidence base matters because release, hold, rework and rejection decisions must be explainable after the event. The policy links product-status decisions with documented checks, risk-based evaluation and retained records, giving technical and quality teams a clear basis for demonstrating why product was released or controlled.

A release-governance policy within the wider FSQMS

This policy sets the governance position for product safety, quality checks, non-conforming product control and product release. Supporting procedures translate those principles into the operational controls and records used within the Food Safety and Quality Management System.

For manufacturers reviewing the strength of their documented FSQMS, the policy provides a clear reference point for how product conformity, authorisation, product status, evidence and escalation are expected to work together before product reaches the customer.